Disclosure of library choices sought (tell parents what kids are reading)

[MaineDem]

By Brendan McCarthy, Globe Correspondent, 10/4/2003

A bipartisan group of state lawmakers is pushing a bill that would allow libraries to disclose to parents the titles that their children have borrowed from Bay State libraries.

The measure, which has cleared early legislative hurdles, is driven by parental concerns that children could be reading and watching materials about sex or violence without their knowledge.

"I want to have parents involved in their child's reading and education," said the sponsor of the bill, Representative John F. Quinn, a Dartmouth Democrat.

The legislation would authorize librarians to grant parents' requests for a list of materials used by a child under age 18. But civil libertarians have decried the proposal, saying that it will infringe the rights of young readers and deter teenagers from researching controversial topics. Currently, state law prohibits disclosure of anyone's library records, regardless of age.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2003/10/04/disclosure_of_library_choices_sought/

Yikes!

[kayell]

1. Wonderful, another way to keep kids ignorant

Young women looking for information on birth control, young gays hoping to find supportive information, people exploring their nascent political views. I can hardly wait to hear what my mother, a school librarian will say about this. More damn thought control. :mad:

[koopie57]

2. This may not be the dumbest thing I have ever heard of

but it is certainly in the top three. Let's see...there are parents who don't care, parents who do care and are aware of what their kids are reading, parents who have kids who don't read and have to battle with them to read and parents who help their kids pick out good books to read and then ... oh yes, that one parent who cares and yet can't get their child to tell then what they are reading or can't watch the types of books they pull out of their backpacks. We better pass a damn law for this ignoramous. Are people really this helpless?

[blondeatlast]

3. When librarians get their panties in a twist over something, they have

an annoying :evilgrin: habit of making sure they get their way.

And librarian panties all over Massachusetts are twisting as we type.

Easy, MatCom, eeeeeaaaaassssyyyyy . . .

[blondeatlast]

4. I take it back, MatCom . . .

"I want to have parents involved in their child's reading and education," said the sponsor of the bill, Representative John F. Quinn, a Dartmouth Democrat."

(snip)
Judith Krug, director of the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom said library patrons should have confidentiality regardless of age.

"When it comes to really young children, they should not be in the library alone," Krug said. "They should be with a parent or guardian who knows what the child is taking out. As children get older, if parents want to know what they are taking out, why don't they ask their children?"
(snip)

You would be shocked to find out how many adults use the library to babysit their children. Our library has had to call the police for children left alone as young as 5. This wasn't a poor kid of color, either; dad had to meet someone for lunch at the restaurant across the street.

[booksenkatz]

5. Is there a way I could opt out of this? A 'Do Not Tell Me' list?

My 4-year-old son and I go to the library every Thursday, so of course I'm fully aware of his reading matter at this age. But as he grows older, while I'd like to think he could share his reading material with me so we could talk about it, I don't think he should be forced to reveal that information to me.

My mom was rather old-fashioned. Slyly checking out books about sex was one of my primary routes to learning about that subject. Had I known she would have been told about it, I never would have read those books. In fact, I tended to pursue alot of forbidden subjects that way. I still do. I'm very drawn to researching topics/reading books that I'm "not supposed to."

I don't want John Ashcroft to know what I'm reading, and I believe my son is entitled to the same level of privacy where I am concerned.

[ConcernedCanuk]

6. __Censorship Starts at Birth __

letsee

- who can we think of that controlled children's reading/teachings

- Hitler

- Sadaam

- and many more

- and the USA wants to get on that list?

- shame on the WH and most who dwell therin

(sigh)

[lovedems]

7. This sounds like that wonderful patriot act extended to include

teenagers and small children! I bet asscroft loves this bill! Is anyone safe from being spied on anymore? I have 4 boys and unlike most people (sarcasm) I trust my kids and don't need the library to tell me what they are reading.