[Publib] Restricting Access to Minors

[Baker, Alison]

A library I worked at some years ago had a brief form for parents to sign determining the ratings their child could borrow within.  We simply put a pop-up note in the child's patron record.  It worked well at that library and remarkably few parents had any desire to restrict access.
Alison Baker
Mobile Library Services 

________________________________

From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org on behalf of Kathryn McCartney
Sent: Thu 6/12/2008 7:18 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Publib] Restricting Access to Minors


That story was just ridiculous!!  Is there no other news this week?  I really found that news story (if it should even be called that) inflammatory.  

Personally I don't think it is that big of a deal to give parents an option to restrict, one of the libraries near me gives this option and the option not to restrict a child's card, I choose not to restrict.  I don't agree that with libraries that do it automatically.  

I think if this is really something your board wants to pursue just offering it as an option on the application should suffice.  Parents will be able to chose if they want and you won't have to feel like you are pushing it on them.

Kate


On Wed, Jun 11, 2008 at 4:00 PM, Lise Chlebanowski <lchlebanowski at avondale.org> wrote:


	Dear Collective Brain,

	 

	Once again I turn to you for assistance as you have been so helpful in the past. One of the news outlets recently did an expose on libraries and their practice of checking out R-rated movies to minors. Consequently, my library board has decided that all parents must be given the option to place a restriction on their children's library cards which would prevent them from checking out R-rated movies. I am very much in favor of parents having this option. However, I'm wondering how best to present the option to parents so that I'm not putting staff into a funny position having to imply that that they should or shouldn't. We have paperless registration and I would like to keep it as neutral as possible. Also, another wrinkle is that our ILS only allows for a restriction of juveniles borrowing all DVD's and videos including those rated G/PG. Now, the thought is that a child wanting to borrow a G/PG item would most likely be accompanied by a parent in the first place so the restriction may not be a problem. We have self-checkout machines so staff cannot "monitor" minor's transactions, making a block on their card the only way to restrict checkouts. 

	 

	I'm wondering if anyone has a similar situation and how you deal with it. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks in advance! 

	 

	Lisë Chlebanowski

	Library Manager

	Avondale Old Town Library

	328 W. Western Ave.

	Avondale, AZ   85323

	623-333-2611 D

	623-333-0260 F

	lchlebanowski at avondale.org <mailto:lchlebanowski at avondale.org> 

	 

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