Carnegie Library Teams With Pennsylvania Attorney General, Verizon to Promote Child-Safe Internet in Western Pennsylvania

Carnegie Library Teams With Pennsylvania Attorney General, Verizon to Promote Child-Safe Internet in Western Pennsylvania

The Internet exposes children to limitless learning opportunities but also exposes them to online dangers as well. The work of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh to make the Internet a safe place for children received a boost Friday (May 4) through a $25,000 Verizon Foundation grant to support child safety on the Internet.

The grant was awarded at a special forum, led by Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett and held at the library’s main branch in Oakland, to promote a “Partnership for a Child-Safe Internet.” Forum panelists included the Honorable Jill E. Rangos, Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, Family Court; Iris Beckwith, vice president – program and partner relations with the Internet Keep Safe Coalition; David Frattare, special agent in the Child Predator Unit of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; Cynthia Richey, director of the Mt. Lebanon Public Library; Esther L. Bush, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh; and Thomas M. Dailey, general counsel of Verizon Online. The participants discussed the challenges of keeping children safe on the Internet and the issues facing families when it comes to online safety and security.

“We believe that a safe and open Internet offers parents and their children wonderful opportunities to explore and learn about the world,” said Dr. Barbara K. Mistick, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh director. “This grant will fund important educational initiatives that will give families guidelines they can follow to ensure children are using the Internet safely and responsibly.”

The grant will support the library’s ongoing efforts to protect children from – and educate families about – online dangers, including hosting presentations of the Pennsylvania attorney general’s “Operation Safe Surf” program at each of the library’s 19 branches. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh also will use the grant to purchase additional filtering software to better equip computers with parental controls.

Read the complete Press Release