For Parents...

To fulfill its mission of meeting our citizens’ needs for reading, learning, and information, the Richland County Public Library offers access to a broad range of information resources, including those available on the Internet. As with other library resources, restriction of a child’s access to the Internet is the responsibility of the parent or guardian. To direct children to recommended Internet resources, the Library has developed The Wild Place, a Web site designed especially for children with appealing and age-appropriate sites. Also, Library staff is available to provide assistance identifying appropriate sites for children exploring the Internet. However, the Library upholds and affirms the right and responsibility of parents to determine and monitor their children’s use of this and other library materials and resources.

Internet Safety Tips for Parents

• Talk to your children about computer safety.
• Get to know your kids’ online friends.
• Identify your child’s interests. Visit the sites your children visit.
• Establish guidelines just as you do for watching television. Limit the amount of time children spend online and explain which sites are okay for them to visit.
• Teach your children to never give out any personal information online, whether it’s their names, addresses, telephone numbers, school or passwords.
• Teach your children to evaluate the information they find online. They should consider the source, date and accuracy.
• Improve your computer literacy. The library has many books and other resources available on computers and Internet safety.

Internet Safety Web sites

• Cyberangels - This non-profit organization provides online safety resources for parents and educators. The ‘For Families’ section includes resources for parents of younger children, tweens and teens. Free online classes are also available.
• Great Web Sites for Kids – Looking for fun, safe Web sites for your children? This large directory contains sites selected by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association.
• Internet Safety - Internet safety tips and resources from the KidsHealth Web site.
• Netsmartz Workshop - Sponsored by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, this site provides online safety resources for parents, educators and children. Resources for parents include safety tips, definitions of Internet terms, news and statistics, as well as online videos on topics such as online gaming and cyberbullying.
• Wired Safety - Part of a family of Internet safety Web sites, Wired Safety provides information for parents, educators, law enforcement and children. The parents section has helpful guides on popular online activities like Instant Messaging and social networking sites such as MySpace.

Kids, learn to Surf Safely!