Cite as: 539 U. S. 194 (2003)
Stevens, J., dissenting
many would not. Inevitably, the interest of the authors of those works in reaching the widest possible audience would be abridged. Moreover, because the procedures that different libraries are likely to adopt to respond to unblocking requests will no doubt vary, it is impossible to measure the aggregate effect of the statute on patrons' access to blocked sites. Unless we assume that the statute is a mere symbolic gesture, we must conclude that it will create a significant prior restraint on adult access to protected speech. A law that prohibits reading without official consent, like a law that prohibits speaking without consent, "constitutes a dramatic departure from our national heritage and constitutional tradition." Watchtower Bible & Tract Soc. of N. Y., Inc. v. Village of Stratton, 536 U. S. 150, 166 (2002).
II
The plurality incorrectly argues that the statute does not impose "an unconstitutional condition on public libraries." Ante, at 214. On the contrary, it impermissibly conditions the receipt of Government funding on the restriction of significant First Amendment rights.
The plurality explains the "worthy missions" of the public library in facilitating "learning and cultural enrichment." Ante, at 203. It then asserts that in order to fulfill these missions, "libraries must have broad discretion to decide what material to provide to their patrons." Ante, at 204. Thus the selection decision is the province of the librarians, a province into which we have hesitated to enter:
"A library's need to exercise judgment in making collection decisions depends on its traditional role in identifying suitable and worthwhile material; it is no less entitled to play that role when it collects material from the Internet than when it collects material from any other source. Most libraries already exclude pornography from their print collections because they deem it inappropriate for inclusion. We do not subject these deci-
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