You can no longer use MySpace, Facebook or other “social networking sites” at Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library.

Fights, lewd language and cars being blocked in the parking lot by teenagers are among the problems Director Dave Eisen said have plagued the downtown library lately.

He told library board members that adults have complained about not feeling safe at the library. Eisen and his staff believe the teenagers are there to use MySpace, Facebook and other social sites.

Oh boy. This is my hometown library. It saddens me that the space between “social networking sites” to “not feeling safe” seems so short. The article notes the ban is probably working:

It might have worked, as there were few teenagers going to the computer room by 3:30 p.m. Friday, a half hour after it normally begins to fill up. There were few teenagers even coming in to the computer room at the library.

If anyone has thoughts or would want to blog this, feel free to comment or post:

http://tametheweb.com/2008/03/18/no-myspace-facebook-at-mishawaka-library/

http://tametheweb.com/2008/03/19/an-sjcpl-librarian-responds-to-mishawakas-ban/

http://tametheweb.com/2008/03/22/stopped-by-mishawaka-penn-harris-public-library-to-see-for-myself/

I am enjoying your blog posts and will get caught up with them by class time.  I posted the schedule for the weekend. Please look at the readings, do some exporation and we’ll dive in on Saturday morning!

Email if you have any questions.

I am looking forward to seeing you again in just three weeks.

Please take a look at the Virtual Communities Module for instructions about the blog post for that week. Take a look at the presentation and readings and share your experiences.

http://l2course.wordpress.com/mod-virtual-communities/ 

Here’s the address for our syllabus: http://l2course.wordpress.com