Intellectual Freedom and Freedom of Access to Information

The ERAU Hazy Library offers only open and unfiltered access to the Internet; the Library does not use filters. ERAU endorses the American Library Association Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries, adopted in 2000, which states that “content filtering devices and content-based restrictions are a contradiction of the academic library mission to further research and learning through exposure to the broadest possible range of ideas and information. Such restrictions are a fundamental violation of intellectual freedom in academic libraries.” Valuable educational information may not be accessible using filters. Filters restrict adult Internet access. It is also recognized that filters do not prohibit linkage from “acceptable” sites to “offensive” sites.

  • The Library cannot act in loco parentis. Parents, and only parents, have the right and the responsibility to restrict access for their children, and only their children, to Library resources. Parents of minors are required to supervise their children’s Internet sessions while in the Hazy Library.
  • ERAU policies on harassment apply equally to the behavior of the electronic community as they do to other campus environments.
  • Computer users must be sensitive to the public and academic nature of the facilities and refrain from displaying or transmitting inappropriate sounds, messages, and/or images to or from other computing sites that might be considered offensive or harassing to other users. Transmission or display of any material in violation of U.S. and/or Arizona state regulations is prohibited.

Arizona Revised Statutes 13-3507 states that it is a violation of the law “to place explicit sexual material on public display.” Therefore, if or when Library staff become aware that someone is viewing explicit sexual material from a computer in the Library, either because they receive a complaint or because they themselves have witnessed the incident, the Campus Safety Department will be called.

  • Computer users must adhere to copyright laws and not systematically download, print or disseminate content from ERAU-licensed electronic resources in violation of copyright laws and university contractual agreements.
  • Users of university computers and the internet must adhere to the Acceptable Use of University Computing Resources Policy to maintain a safe and productive academic environment.
  • Internet access through the resources of ERAU may not be used for commercial purposes, personal gain, product advertisement or political lobbying.
  • The Library is not responsible for any loss or damage to user files or for computer viruses that may be transferred to or from a user’s jump drive, network account or personal device.