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Palo Alto Moves Public-Access
Computers to Library

The city of Palo Alto, California, has moved two computers offering free public Internet access from the city hall lobby across the street to the downtown library branch. Officially, the move is intended to keep the heavily used computers in better repair, but some residents believe they were taken out of city hall because they brought in too many low-income and homeless people.

Diane Jennings, manager of main library services, told American Libraries the library is a better locale for the terminals because trained staff will be available to help users. In addition, she said, the library already offers public Internet access at its other three branches, where a sign-up system and time limit are in place.

But former mayor Liz Kniss is among those who maintain the move discriminates against the homeless. "Homeless people are members of the public too," she said in a June 1 Business Week article.

Posted June 8, 1998.

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