Should you provide 50 Shades of Grey for a child at the

library without parental consent or notification?

ALA Policy
Article IV states:

Libraries should cooperate with all persons

and groups concerned
with resisting abridgement of free expression and free access
to ideas. Haycock
(2008)

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Protect Users Rights

Although one may personally dislike the content of certain materials,
librarians do not have a right to censor those materials from the public.
We believe in equal access for all. Furthermore, we do not believe in
infringing on the privacy of our patrons by sharing personal information
with a second party.

The American Library

Association affirms
that rights of privacy
are necessary for intellectual freedom and
are fundamental to the
ethics and practice of
librarianship. ALA Policy Manual 53.1.16
(Library Bill of Rights)

Parents have the right and duty to monitor their own childrens library
usage. If a parent does not wish for their child to have access to certain
library materials, it is not the job of the librarian to enforce that wish.
As long as libraries continue to serve the needs of the general public,
there may be conflict regarding the nature of the selection of materials
that are offered. Individuals who take offense to library materials may in
most cases submit a request for reconsideration form to the librarian.

Free Access to Libraries for Minors

Library policies and procedures that effectively deny minors equal
and equitable access to all library resources available to other
users violate the Library Bill of Rights. The American Library Association opposes all attempts to restrict access to library services,
material, and facilities based on the age of library users. Haycock
(2008)

Adhere to the ALA Code of Ethics

We distinguish between our personal convictions and professional
duties and do not allow our personal beliefs to interfere with fair
representation of the aims of our institutions or the provision of
access to their information resources. Haycock (2008)

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Highest Court
Weighs In
In Ginsberg v New
York, the U.S. Supreme
Court allows:

Certain materials are

considered obscene
and educationally inappropriate for
minors. It allows
schools to remove
materials from their
shelves that are
deemed thus.
The court upheld CIPA and internet filtering software in
schools and libraries.
FERPA allows parents access to their
students education
records, including
library records.

Source: http://libguides.santarosa.edu/content.php?pid=509423&sid=4191890

TIPS FOR A SAFE LIBRARY EXPERIENCE:

Direct the child to age-appropriate materials.

Inform parents of your librarys privacy and access

policies before a library card is issued.

Be prepared to advise parents on materials that you

believe their children would enjoy.

Encourage parents to visit the library with their children.

This way, parents will be more informed about what
their child may be reading.

Listen. Be empathetic to parents concerns.

Encourage parents to play an active role in helping

choose appropriate reading materials for the home.
This allows children to have a concept of what ageappropriate materials are.

Offer programs such as meet your librarian. Forming

positive relationships early can help in resolving
possible future conflicts.

http://
mexicoinstitute.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/justicegavel-and-book.jpg

Group Image
Members:
Kevin
Collins,
source:
www.Google.com
Rebecca Lowe, and Nicole Jenkins
(LIS 6010 with Nancy Steffes)

Haycock, K, & Sheldon, B.E. (Eds.). (2008). The portable MLIS: Insights from the experts.
Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
American Library Association. 2000. Issues. Retrieved September 18, 2014 from
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/iftoolkits/litoolkit/legalissues_CIPA_filtering