Williams, and Quiana Williams, by her mother and next friend
Sharon Bernard, are adults and minors who use the Internet at
public libraries that, to the best of their knowledge, do not
filter patrons' access to the Internet. Several of these
plaintiffs do not have Internet access from home.
Emmalyn Rood is a sixteen-year-old who uses the Multnomah
County Public Library. When she was 13, she used the Internet at
the Multnomah County Public Library to research issues relating
to her sexual identity. Ms. Rood did not use her home or school
computer for this research, in part because she wished her
searching to be private. Although the library offered patrons
the option of using filtering software, Ms. Rood did not use that
option because she had had previous experience with such programs
blocking information that was valuable to her, including
information relating to gay and lesbian issues.


Plaintiff Mark Brown used the Internet at the Philadelphia
Free Library to research breast cancer and reconstructive surgery
for his mother who had breast surgery. Mr. Brown's research at
the library provided him and his mother with essential
information about his mother's medical condition and potential
treatments.
3. Web Publisher Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Afraid to Ask, Inc., based in Saunderstown, Rhode
Island, publishes a health education Web site,
www.AfraidtoAsk.com. Dr. Jonathan Bertman, the president and
medical director of Afraid to Ask, is a family practice physician
in rural Rhode Island and a clinical assistant professor of
family medicine at Brown University. AfraidtoAsk.com's mission