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Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
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Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
5:25 PM EDT 9/5/08
Do you think children should have the right to unfettered access to information and library materials? Does your library have any policies that infringe on a child's right to access any information or materials? How does your library handle a child's right to confidentiality?
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
8:52 AM EDT 10/1/08 as a reply to Michele Leininger.
Policies in the Ellsworth Library state children coming in under the age of 6 must be accompanied by an adult. In the book area, the adult is usually with the child choosing the proper material. I try to guide the older kids to the area I think they should go. I seldom have kids over six go into the older area or check out books not considered for them. The staff does not restrain patrons from any area.

With movies, (tapes & DVDs), the rating is on the spine and they are separated by rating. The G and PG movies are available on the lower shelves for under 13. The PG-13 are on higher shelves and no one under 13 years of age can check these out. The Rs are on the high shelf and no under 18 can take these out. We get a lot of under 13s that say my folks let me watch PG-13. The staff sticks by the policy and doesn't let them check those out. Parents have thanked us for these rules.

If a child over the age of 8 has an overdue item, a notice is written in letter form to them stating the name of book, due date and fine as of that day. For children under the age of 8, the letter is addressed to the parent. There are no phone calls or messages left on answering machines.
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
3:51 PM EDT 10/1/08 as a reply to Michele Leininger.
I think that parents need to participate in their children's library experiences. It is the parents responsibility to determine what they would like their children exposed to. Library's do not have the capability, or the relationship with the child in question, to limit what materials unattended children access in the library. Our library only limits children's access to material available on the internet by requiring that their parents sign a permission slip for them to use the computers. We do not allow children privacy in the materials they have checked out. Since the parents are the ones with ultimate responsibility for the materials taken out, they can know what materials are currently checked out on their child's card.
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
5:24 PM EDT 10/1/08 as a reply to Michele Leininger.
session 13
Web board question 1 a
Do you think children should have the right to unfettered access to information and library material?
Well no, there are some books a kid is not ready for and wouldn't understand anyway, they do not
need to know everything till they are ready for it.
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
5:53 PM EDT 10/1/08 as a reply to Michele Leininger.
web board question session13
Does your library have any policies that infringe on a child's right to access any information of materials?
Well in a way we do. In a previous policy there are guidelines as to what books we may acquire, like one
reason is: inaccurate information.
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
5:59 PM EDT 10/1/08 as a reply to Michele Leininger.
session 13 web board question
How does your library handle a child's right to confidentiality?

We have library cards w/ their # on for privacy. I don't know what the big deal is, not to many years ago we all signed our
names, it was easier. Now no one remebers their # and if they tell you wrong then a wrong # gets put on the card and then
how are you going to track it??? So we should be automated? That doesn't justify the cost.
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
6:07 PM EDT 10/1/08 as a reply to Michele Leininger.
1. Yes, children have that right......but many times need guidance from adults in their life. I don't believe that we "infringe"
on their rights, but we have a policy that states anyone under the age of 18 needs their parents signature to access the
internet. Also children in 3rd grade and younger need to have an adult with them when they use the internet.
A child's confidentiality rights are the same as those for adults....records are kept private - patron numbers are private.
We have adopted the "Library Bill of Rights" as well as the "Freedom to View" concept.

2. We of course try to promote family leteracy.....In the past we have had intergenerational programs.....Mom & Me,
Dad & Me, Grandma & Me, Grandpa & Me, etc. These consisted of mainly reading together and to each other....for the
Grandma & me program - we brought in some rocking chairs so they could "Rock & Read". These types of programs
aren't run consistantly here at our library - more sporatically.....
We have "Early childhood literacy brochures" available at the circulation desk.
In the past we've had people who speak a different language (in this case, German) come in and read to the children
so they can hear what that sounds like. They were fascinated........lots of questions..
As far as to what we "could" possibly provide - perhaps a "tutoring service". Have volunteers from the community
come in and help kids with reading or math or some other subject. This would have to be scheduled and the student
and the volunteer "matched".
Perhaps we could have one day a week be "Stop in for a Story" day where parents could stop in with their preschoolers
and a staff member could read to the child/children while Mom is able to "brouse" the library" unencombered". emoticon This
may or may not work depending on the child and how "attached" they are to "mom".
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materialsi
6:09 PM EDT 10/1/08 as a reply to Michele Leininger.
1. Yes, children have that right......but many times need guidance from adults in their life. I don't believe that we "infringe"
on their rights, but we have a policy that states anyone under the age of 18 needs their parents signature to access the
internet. Also children in 3rd grade and younger need to have an adult with them when they use the internet.
A child's confidentiality rights are the same as those for adults....records are kept private - patron numbers are private.
We have adopted the "Library Bill of Rights" as well as the "Freedom to View" concept.

2. We of course try to promote family leteracy.....In the past we have had intergenerational programs.....Mom & Me,
Dad & Me, Grandma & Me, Grandpa & Me, etc. These consisted of mainly reading together and to each other....for the
Grandma & me program - we brought in some rocking chairs so they could "Rock & Read". These types of programs
aren't run consistantly here at our library - more sporatically.....
We have "Early childhood literacy brochures" available at the circulation desk.
In the past we've had people who speak a different language (in this case, German) come in and read to the children
so they can hear what that sounds like. They were fascinated........lots of questions..
As far as to what we "could" possibly provide - perhaps a "tutoring service". Have volunteers from the community
come in and help kids with reading or math or some other subject. This would have to be scheduled and the student
and the volunteer "matched".
Perhaps we could have one day a week be "Stop in for a Story" day where parents could stop in with their preschoolers
and a staff member could read to the child/children while Mom is able to "brouse" the library" unencombered". emoticon This
may or may not work depending on the child and how "attached" they are to "mom".i
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
6:20 PM EDT 10/1/08 as a reply to Janet Adix.
Hi Janet, When some books are overdue they just drop them in the box and run. I sent letters on how much they owe
but I never see them again. Its like I'm to blame for them owing the fine.
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
6:24 PM EDT 10/1/08 as a reply to Sarah Clendineng.
Hi Sarah, we too let children check out books if they have a card, and they have to be old enough before they get a card
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
8:01 PM EDT 10/1/08 as a reply to Michele Leininger.
Children deserve the right to have the same access to materials and information as anyone else who uses the Library. Libraries are here to provide access to materials and it is in the hands of the parents or guardians to guide and determine what is best for their child. However, libraries shouldn’t flaunt or market risky materials or items to younger populations due to the fact that this could cause a pretty big P.R. problem within the community. We do have a few policies that hinder a child’s right to access information, (1) they must be over 14 to get a library card on their own, if they are under 14 they must have a parent or guardian sign the card with them. (This is mainly to ensure the information is correct and that we can contact someone if materials are lost or damaged. (2) Any one under the age of 18 needs a parent or guardian to sign them up to use one of our internet/computer terminals. (This only needs to be done once), as we offer unfiltered access to the web nor can we control its content, these two policies do not remove access to these materials, there just are more paper the child and parent need to fill out. We keep a child’s library account confidential for the most part, only breaking only confidentiality in order to reclaim lost material that the adult could be liable for, of which we are discussing the items only with the legal parent or guardian.
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
1:40 PM EDT 10/2/08 as a reply to Michele Leininger.
leldred-Springville This is a hard one my mom additude comes out, but as a librarian we do not limit children ,however we will guide them to their area. Children all so different that when some of them come needing research on a topic it would be silly to limit them to the children's room.
The limits we do have are under 14 a parent must sign in order for them to get a library card and they have to be at least 9 in order to use the computer without an adlut sitting beside them.
A child's confidentiality is maintained in our library, they are treated like everyone else.
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
4:05 PM EDT 10/2/08 as a reply to Michele Leininger.
In our library, kids under 14 need their parents' signature on their library card. The youngest kids usually come in with their parents or siblings, and they never seem to want to spend time in the adult section. I do keep an eye on them if they are on the computers, but here again, if they are that small, a parent is generally sitting right next to them. We don't have a policy that explicitly states what kids can and can't do; just that parents are ulitimately responsible. Often, if materials are overdue, it's just as easy to say to a parent, do you know so-and-so has some DVDs ovedue as it is to send a notice, which the parent will probably read anyway.
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
4:44 PM EDT 10/2/08 as a reply to Michele Leininger.
At our library we are not responsible for selections of minors.
They have the same rights as all our other patrons.
We do have two policies that deal with children using the library.
Children under the age of 14 must have a parent or gaurdian sign their library card.
Patrons under the age of 18 must have their parent or gaurdian sign and give permission for their child to use the internet computers. With the understanding that they are responsible for monitoring their appropriate use of the internet computers or for any damage that may occur.
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
8:37 PM EDT 10/2/08 as a reply to Michele Leininger.
Yes. I do believe that children should have the right to unfettered access to information and library materials. I don’t think any of our policies infringe on a child’s right to access any information or materials. We do not filter our computers. Parents dictate if the children can use our computers for internet access. In our library, children’s confidentiality is given the same importance as young adults and adults. No information is given out to anyone without the permission of the cardholder.
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
8:48 PM EDT 10/2/08 as a reply to Andrew Hoppmann.
Andrew, for someone so quiet on the ICN, you sure do have a lot to say! And a lot of good points. When I have children who have over due materials, I call, asking for the child. If they aren't available, I ask them to have the child call the Library. That usually gets the kids to return the materials without having to break the child's confidentiality.
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
2:48 PM EDT 10/3/08 as a reply to Michele Leininger.
We do not have any policies that would limit a childs access to information. We might guide them to materials that are age appropriate so they can better understand what they are reading. I believe that parents need to be the ones responsible for what their children are reading.
Right now we still have family cards, but this will be changing soon as we are re-doing our library cards for all patrons. When we issuse the new cards, children over 14 will be able to have their own cards without a parents signature.
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
4:31 PM EDT 10/3/08 as a reply to dianna dunning.
We did have a parent come in and ask if her child (tween) was watching music videos on the internet. We told her that we didn't know as we were not standing behind him the during the time he was on the internet. We also stated that we would not have thought anything of a tween watching a music video as many do. She did not want him viewing them. We told her that she could either accompany her child to the library and watch him herself or she could revoke his priviledge to use the internet at the library. She didn't want to do either. The child in question didn't come to the library for a while, but eventually he was back and on the internet.
In my opinion the Mom was trying to get the library to take responsibility for something she should have been doing herself. It is a great idea to have parents sign a statement giving their under age child the right to use the library computer. In this case telling the Mom that she could revoke her childs priviledge took the reponsibility out of the library's hands.
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
4:35 PM EDT 10/3/08 as a reply to Linda eldred.
I agree with the mom attitude. I like to think in my rural area where everybody knows everybody else that if my kids were really doing something inappropriate, an adult would at least step in and say something. Common sense has gone out the window in so many situations in the name of being fair to all.
RE: Session 13 - Children's Access to Materials
8:54 AM EDT 10/4/08 as a reply to Joy Metzger.
Joy, I think you handled the "Mom" very well. So many parents want to blame the Library or other people for their children's behavior. I know some teens that come in and use our computers are just there to access something that is off limits at home. When one woman came in the Library and saw her 3 much younger sisters on the public access computers, ask me what they were doing in the Library, they had 5 computers at home!emoticon
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