On Thu, 31 Jan 2002, Vaneesa Thompson wrote:
> I really don't understand why all the discussion of this topic. As a
> parent, I would hope that my request would be honored. In our age of
> automation, it is not that much trouble to place a notice on a patron's
> name.
>
> And yes, I understand freedom of information. But has anyone decided at
> what age that freedom starts. Is a child free to read what ever he or
> she likes with or without their parents consent?
I think this is a key difference between public libraries and school
libraries. As a public librarian, I work for an institution which
supports the Freedom of Information Act. It is my responsibility to
inform parents that, when their children get a library card (which
required their parent's signature below age 12), they will be allowed to
check out *any* item in the library, including rated-R movies, romance
novels, and Mein Kampf. Parents are not allowed to inquire what kind of
items their child has checked out. It is the parent's decision to allow
their child to have a library card, or not.
Most school libraries I know give the parents more control over their
children's circulation privelages, since the school cannot prevent the
child from using the library to begin with. However, since most school
libraries also have more conservative collections, and
developmentally-appropriate collections, than public libraries, I would be
loathe to allow parents to dictate their child's choice of reading at
school.
-Maggi Rohde, Children's Librarian
Canton Public Library, MI
maggi@intranet.org
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