Dobija (2007) clearly explored the issues surrounding First Amendment rights. The government, in its attempt to stop information leaks from its offices and lawmakers' attempt to thwart the Internet, has prevented an open access company from truly exercising its First Amendment rights. Their policies have troubled librarians, upset educators, and frustrated researchers. Congress passed the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) in 2000 to protect children, but it has been more of a hindrance than a help for many educators. According to Dobija (2000, p. 2), an informal survey of secondary school librarians shows that in some cases students are denied access to materials and technology needed to complete their homework. These librarians also believe that when CIPA filters block social networks, mastery of the technologies necessary for the digital age slows down. Many can understand censorship of sites aimed at children, but violating adult rights has consequences. In fact, in a case filed by the American Civil Liberties Union against the North Central Regional Library District in Washington, plaintiffs allege that librarians refused to unblock public computers when asked to do so by adult patrons, even though CIPA requires that such requests be honored. (Quoted by Dobija, p. 3) The Foundation for the Freedom to Read has supported legal challenges to censorship, but the cases have not been completely resolved. For example, in Connecticut, four librarians won a showdown with the government that had barred them from discussing an FBI request for library records. The Children's Online Protection Act (COPA) has also had its day in court. U.S. District Judge Lowell Reed Jr. ruled that the law calling middle of paper...... would help their community. Many librarians are not born with the skills to advocate for themselves. Fortunately, there are many professional organizations that provide resources and support for them to learn and hone their skills. Works Cited Dobija, J. (2007). The First Amendment needs new clothes. American Libraries, 38(8), 50-53.http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/Estabrook, Leigh (2002). Coping, point of view 2: disappointing response. American Libraries, 33(8), 37http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/Hill, Rebecca. (2010). The problem of self-censorship. School Library Monthly, 27(2), 9-12.http://www.schoollibrarymonthly.com/Martin, A. (2007). The evolution of the librarian as a lawyer. Knowledge Quest, 36(1), 16-19. http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/knowledgequest/knowledgequest.cfm