Dobija (2007) has clearly studied the issues surrounding First Amendment rights. The government, in its attempt to stop leaks from its offices and lawmakers' attempts to crack down on the Internet, has prevented an open access society from truly exercising its First Amendment rights. Their policies have upset librarians, upset educators, and frustrated researchers. Congress passed the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) in 2000 to protect children, but for many educators it has proven to be more of a hindrance than a help. According to Dobija (2000, p. 2), an informal survey of high school librarians shows that in some cases students are denied access to materials and technology needed for homework. These librarians also believe that when CIPA filters block social networks, students' mastery of the technologies required in the online age slows. Many may understand the censorship of children's sites, but the violation of adult rights has had consequences. Indeed, in a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union against the North Central Regional Library District in Washington, plaintiffs allege that librarians refused to unlock public computers when adult users asked them to, even though CIPA requires that such requests be honored. (As cited by Dobija, p. 3) The Freedom to Read Foundation has supported court challenges to censorship, but the cases have not been fully resolved. For example, in Connecticut, four librarians won a fight with the government that prohibited them from discussing an FBI request for library records. The Child Online Protection Act (COPA) also had its day in court. Senior U.S. District Judge Lowell Reed Jr. ruled that the law requiring... middle of paper... will help their community. Many librarians are not born with the ability to be an advocate. 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