You lost mere there. What are you suggesting is unenforced? What are you suggesting is still valid?

If you mean some "unenforced" rule about library cards, no. Public libraries are deliberately open to the public. There is no requirement to have a library card to enter the library and access any and all materials. A library card is only required if you wish to remove books from the building.

If you mean some "unenforced" rule about children in the adult section, no. It is Official Policy of the American Library Association that children have full and equal access to all materials. In fact they state it would be a violation of the Library Bill of Rights if any librarian attempted to deny a minor full access.

I don't know what legal reasons you are suggesting, other than the financial-legal issue of collecting fines. But again, the library is open to the public. Any library card limitations are merely a restriction on removing materials from the library, it is not any restriction on access.

Try reading the American Library Association's policy on Free Access to Libraries for Minors.

In particular note the line "Parents and guardians who do not want their children to have access to specific library services, materials, or facilities should so advise their children ". In other words don't bother the librarian with any such demands. The library doesn't restrict your child's access, and the library is not going to take responsibility for enforcing any such rules upon your child for you. If you want to limit your child's access then you should tell your child that is your rule. It is your personal right and your personal responsibility to raise your children and enforce your rules for them. You either have to trust your child to obey your rules, or you must supervise your children, and you may punish them if they break your parental rules. The library's mission is to make as much information as possible available to everyone, and the library isn't going to get involved in parenting your child for you.

If you read the Library Bill of Rights, items 1 and 2 are anti-censorship, and items 3 and 4 actually direct libraries to actively oppose attempts at censorship. In practice this means libraries actively fighting individuals, parents, organizations, and politicians, who attempt to restrict library content or who restrict access to library materials. Item 5 says libraries should not restrict access to library materials, specifically including any age-based restrictions.

And here it explicitly states that it is a violation of the Library Bill of Rights to remove content anyone claims is "harmful to minors", and that librarians should actively oppose those who attempt to do so.

American Librarians have a reputation for being mild-mannered, helpful, and neutral to the point of bland boringness... except for their intense opposition to censorship. Opposition with includes actively including and promoting anything that anyone attempts to restrict. Activists rarely get in fights with librarians because it almost always backfires. It almost always results in increased awareness and availability of the very materials they opposed.

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It's not any meaningful restriction. Libraries are open to the public, even without a library card. Children can just walk in, sit down at a table, and read books from the 'adult' section all day long.

You only need a library card if you want to take books or other materials out on loan. For purely financial reasons the library needs a responsible non-minor on record whom they can bill in case materials are not returned.

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The library's job is to make information available. It's not the librarian's responsibility to keep you (or your children) from seeing any random thing you might object to. It's not the librarian's job to guess that you have so religious or moral objection to blueberries, and it's not the librarian's job to protect you from seeing blueberries, and it's not the library's job to ensure your children or other people's children don't see blueberries just because you object to them. And I just realized some people might read "blueberries" as some sort of euphemism. No, it's just a random silly thing someone could object to.

Most libraries with computer terminals specifically do *not* point them into the room, but you have the reason for it backwards. It is not to protect people from random content that somebody might dislike. No, computers should be located with relatively private screens for the benefit of the library patron using the computer. It is so that people can research medical, sexual, religious, political, or other materials without undue fear of embarrassment or social pressure.

If your library has screens pointing into the middle of the room the perhaps you should raise *that* confidential research consideration with the librarians. I expect you will find librarians infinitely more responsive when the subject is patron confidentiality than when the subject is your desire to "protect" people from content you dislike.

You can tell your kids not to look at Witches or anything occult related. And your neighbor can put a giant Witchcraft themed display on their front lawn for Halloween, complete with flashing lights.

And I'll certainly agree it's extremely not easy for you to ensure that they never see it. However it is not my job, or your neighbor's job, or a librarian's job, to guess what parts of the world you want to conceal from your children. And it is not my job, or your neighbor's job, or a librarian's job to enforce that rule for you. And it is not my job, or your neighbor's job, or a librarian's job to ensure it is "easy" for you to enforce a "no seeing Witches" rule upon your children.

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Sorry, I had a reflex reaction about repressive fundie American backwater wannabe censors. We actually had one our Vice President ticket 4 years ago. Fortunately she lost.

While it might raise some eyebrows, the American Library Association has an official policy supporting your right to do so.

Library policies and procedures that effectively deny minors equal and equitable access to all library resources and services 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.
[]
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 through the library in print, nonprint, or digital format. 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. 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 and guardians. As Libraries: An American Value states, âoeWe 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.â 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. Librarians and governing bodies should maintain that only parents and guardians have the right and the responsibility to determine their children'sâ"and only their childrenâ(TM)sâ"access to library resources. Parents and guardians who do not want their children to have access to specific library services, materials, or facilities should so advise their children.

Lack of access to information can be harmful to minors.

Most Librarians, at least in the US, tend to have strong views against censorship. And that view includes opposing attempts to "protect" children from information some people consider objectionable. If a parent has an anti-blueberry fetish, then it is the parent's right and responsibility to tell their child not to read books about blueberries. And it is the parent's right and responsibility to enforce that rule regarding their child. The library will not attempt to guess about such parental choices, and librarians will not attempt to enforce such rules upon other people's children.

Do you have any actual knowledge of typical librarian policies in your country? I'd be curious to know whether this was a globally typical attitude of librarians, or whether American librarians were exceptional in their anti-censorship zeal.

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That is content neutral. Of course you can only use the computers during library hours, regardless of what website your viewing.

Knowing what materials are actually obscenity or child pornography is difficult, as is knowing, when minors are involved, and what materials are actually "harmful to minors." The applicable statutes and laws, together with the written decisions of courts that have applied them in actual cases, are the only official guides. Libraries and librarians are not in a position to make those decisions for library users or for citizens generally.

Well duh, the library should have a policy stating "don't use these computers to commit a crime". However the library isn't in a position to judge content. And further note that pornography is not obscenity.

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Their "agenda is exactly to facilitate access to information. Period.
Censorship destroys access to information. Combating censorship is the most important and most fundamental way to facilitate access to information.

They are not choosing preferred books they want to promote. Wannabe censors are selecting the books and obstructing access to them. The library association is merely facilitating access to books where access is impaired.

Try reading the sentence after it:
Parents and guardians who do not want their children to have access to specific library services, materials, or facilities should so advise their children.

It is parent's right and responsibility to raise and supervise their children.
If a parent doesn't want their child drinking sugary sodas, then it is the parent's right and responsibility to tell their children that and to either supervise or enforce that. It is not the Library's job to assist or provide any sort of enforcement.
If a parent doesn't want their child viewing Islamic, Hindu, Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Mormon, or some other religious materials, then it is the parent's right and responsibility to tell their children that and to either supervise or enforce it. It is not the Library's job to assist or provide any sort of enforcement.
If a parent doesn't want their child viewing Communist, Libertarian, Republican, or Democratic political materials, then it is the parent's right and responsibility to tell their children that and to either supervise or enforce it. It is not the Library's job to assist or provide any sort of enforcement.
If a parent doesn't want their child viewing the uncensored internet, then it is the parent's right and responsibility to tell their children that and to either supervise or enforce it. It is not the Library's job to assist or provide any sort of enforcement.

If you don't want your child drinking soda, tell them to stay away from the vending machine. If you don't want them reading religious materials then tell them to stay out of the religious section. If you don't want them reading politics then tell them to stay out of the political section. If you don't want them viewing the internet then tell them to stay away from the computers.

If you either don't trust them to obey your parenting, or if you wish to select acceptable from some area, then supervise your children.

The Library is not going to hassle some other library patron for having an image of Jesus being crucified up on the screen. If you want to protect your children against religious image then either tell them to stay away from the computers or supervise their computer use.

The library is not going to guess what random stuff you want to censor from your child. The library is not going to guess that you have some anti-blueberry fetish and take on some parenting role protecting your children against images of blueberries.

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realityimpaired (1668397), a rather appropriate name. Try reading your own link.

Q. What is considered sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment is unwelcome or unwanted sexual advances or requests for sexual favors. It can also be some kind of sexual action that is aimed at someone because of the person's sex.

It does list "Displays of pornographic materials" as one form that harassment can take, however it is clearly listed in the context of a deliberate display aimed at someone that you are harassing. It is not harassment when you merely view porn and some random person incidentally sees it.

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Fuck you.

Fuck no.

Librarians tend to have extremely strong views on the subject of censorship. The American Library Association actively promotes books that are targeted for censorship. Most librarians would happily stock Playboy magazine if it didn't cut into their budget for buying other materials.

How about I quote the American Library Association:

Library policies and procedures that effectively deny minors equal and equitable access to all library resources and services 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 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 through the library in print, nonprint, or digital format. 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. 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 and guardians. 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 library governing bodies cannot assume the role of parents or the functions of parental authority in the private relationship between parent and child. Librarians and governing bodies should maintain that only parents and guardians have the right and the responsibility to determine their children's - and only their children's - access to library resources. Parents and guardians who do not want their children to have access to specific library services, materials, or facilities should so advise their children.

Lack of access to information can be harmful to minors.

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Hell no, not any library I've ever seen.

Sure most libraries have a children's section and an "adult" section, but when I was in elementary school the children's section got too damn boring after about a half hour. I spent all my time in the very same section of the library that holds the Marquis de Sade books. Several times I went to the librarian requesting assistance finding stuff from the adult section. I took out lots of books, and probably every single one came from the adult section.

Never once did any any librarian tell me I wasn't supposed to be there. They were all extremely helpful.

As long as a kid isn't running and screaming, any good librarian is pleased to see a young person with the interest and ability to utilize the adult section. I dunno, maybe your community library was different. Did you grow up in some repressive fundie backwater?

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Atheism is a religion just like off is a TV channel.

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