APPENDIX J
FREE
ACCESS TO LIBRARIES FOR MINORS
Library
policies and procedures which effectively deny minors equal 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, materials, and facilities based on the age of library users.
Article
5 of the Library Bill of Rights states, "A person's right to use a library
should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background or
views." The "right to use a library" includes free access to and
unrestricted use of all services, materials and facilities the library has to
offer. Every restriction on access to and use of library resources, based
solely on the chronological age, education level or legal emancipation of users
violates article 5.
Libraries
are charged with the mission of developing resources to meet the diverse
information needs and interests of the communities they serve. Services,
materials and facilities which fulfill the needs and interests of library users
at different stages in their personal development are a necessary part of
library resources. The needs and interests of each library user and resources
appropriate meet those needs and interests must be determined on an individual
basis.
Librarians cannot predict what resources will best fulfill the needs and
interests of any individual based on a single criterion such as chronological
age, level of education or legal emancipation.
The
selection and development of library resources should not be diluted because of
minors having the same access to library resources as adult users.
Institutional self-censorship diminishes the credibility of the library in the
community and restricts access for all library users.
Librarians
and governing bodies should not resort to age restrictions on access to library
resources in an effort to avoid actual or anticipated objections from parents
or anyone else. The mission, goals and objectives of libraries do not authorize
librarians or governing bodies to assume, abrogate or overrule the rights and
responsibilities of parents or legal guardians. Librarians and governing bodies
should maintain that parents -- and only parents -- have the right and
responsibility to restrict the access of their children -- and only their
children -- to library
resources.
Parents or legal guardians who do not want their children to have access to
certain library services, materials or facilities should so advise their
children. Librarians and governing bodies cannot assume the role of parents or
the functions of parental authority in the private relationship between the
parent and the child. Librarians and governing bodies have a public and
professional obligation to provide equal access to all library
resources
for all library users.
Librarians
have a professional commitment to ensure that all members of the community they
serve have free and equal access to the entire range of library resources
regardless of content, approach, format or amount of detail. This principle of
library service applies equally to all users, minors as well as adults.
Librarians and
governing
bodies must uphold this principle in order to provide adequate and effective
service to minors.
Adopted by the
Amended