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Free Access to Libraries by Minors
Intellectual Freedom for Young People
ALA has a site devoted to Intellectual Freedom for Young People with links, issues, and information about First Amendment rights for youth, including the Free Access statement below.
Free Access to Libraries by Minors: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights
[Adopted June 30, 1972; amended July 1, 1981; July 3, 1991, June 30, 2004, by the ALA Council. ISBN 8389-7549-6]
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, materials, and facilities based on the age of library users.
Article V 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
the 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,
educational level, literacy skills, or legal emancipation of users violates Article V.
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 that 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 to 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 user
based on a single criterion such as chronological age, educational level, literacy skills,
or legal emancipation.
Libraries should not limit the selection and development of
library resources simply because minors will have access to them. Institutional
self-censorship diminishes the credibility of the library in the community, and restricts
access for all library users.
Children and young adults unquestionably possess First Amendment rights, including the right to receive information in the library. Constitutionally
protected speech cannot be suppressed solely to protect children or young adults from
ideas or images a legislative body believes to be unsuitable for them.[1] Librarians and
library governing bodies should not resort to age restrictions in an effort to avoid
actual or anticipated objections, because only a court of law can determine whether
material is not constitutionally protected.
The mission, goals, and objectives of libraries cannot
authorize librarians or library governing bodies to assume, abrogate, or overrule the
rights and responsibilities of parents. As "Libraries:
An American Value" states, "We affirm the responsibility and the right of
all parents and guardians to guide their own children's use of the library and its
resources and services." Librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents—and
only parents—have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their
children—and only their children—to library resources. Parents who do not want
their children to have access to certain library services, materials, or facilities should
so advise their children. Librarians and library governing bodies cannot assume the role
of parents or the functions of parental authority in the private relationship between
parent and child.
Lack of access to information can be harmful to minors.
Librarians and library governing bodies have a public and professional obligation to
ensure that all members of the community they serve have free, equal, and equitable 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 library governing bodies must uphold this principle in
order to provide adequate and effective service to minors.
1 See Erznoznik
v. City of Jacksonville, 422 U.S. 205 (1975)-"Speech that is neither obscene as
to youths nor subject to some other legitimate proscription cannot be suppressed solely to
protect the young from ideas or images that a legislative body thinks unsuitable [422 U.S.
205, 214] for them. In most circumstances, the values protected by the First Amendment are
no less applicable when government seeks to control the flow of information to minors.
See Tinker
v. Des Moines School Dist., supra. Cf. West
Virginia Bd. of Ed. v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943)."
Equal service to all
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"A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged
because of origin, age, background, or view."
Warren-Trumbull County Public Library
Preble County District Library, Eaton Library
One Thursday evening two adolescent boys came sauntering in the front
door of the London Public Library. With caps on backwards, pants belted around mid-hip and
silver chains hanging down from their jeans pockets, they approach the circulation desk
with a "you'll never be able to help me with this one" look in their eyes.
"Can I help you?" I ask.
"Yeah, man, where are your books on like foreign languages? You know like Ukrainian
and Pig Latin." Well, I explain to them that we do have foreign language books,
although I'm not sure if we have exactly what they're looking for. I walk them over to the
400s and show them the languages that are represented in our collection and explain the
option of ILL.
"Pig Latin is a challenge," I explain, "and I don't know if there are
actually books on that topic. However I can give you a very brief language lesson. 'What's
your name?" I ask and they look to each other and give me a look like, 'Why do you
care, lady?"
"OK, my name Is Debbie and In Pig Latin you would say it like this,
"EbbieDay." I then go into the process of how to transform normal English
language words Into Pig Latin by taking the first letter of the word, sticking it at the
end of the word and adding "ay". So we go through a few more examples,
hesitantly they participate as well, all of the time turning around and around in the
stacks to make sure that no one is watching them. You know that wouldn't be cool!
Well, they check out some materials and that's that. One week later the same two guys came
sauntering back in the library. I happen to be at the circulation desk and they spot me. I
hear, "Atsthay ethay irlgay owhay elpedhay usay ithway ethay Igpay Atinlay."
(Translation: That's the girl who helped us with that Pig Latin.)
They walk up to the desk and, I quote, "EyHay, atswhay upay? (Translation: Hey,
what's up?) They said "We've been practicing since we saw you last. Thanks for your
help, man!" (in Pig Latin, of course.)
Well. It took me a minute, but then I got it and replied In Pig Latin as well. We had a
short (but sweet) conversation totally In Pig Latin right at the front desk. I'll always
be that Pig Latin girl to them, which is all right because we were able to help yet
another customer with a not-so-normal request!
[Debbie, London Public Library]
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