Restrictions would keep kids from objectionable material

Cook Memorial Public Library board member Ann Oakley believes libraries should adopt rules preventing kids from checking out certain videos or DVDs.

Cook Library should have a system in place that allows us to deliver to children whatever classification of DVDs or videos of which their parents approve. The question then is, what sort of policy should we have: an opt-in guideline, in which parents can choose to restrict their children's access; or one in which restrictions are in place and parents can give their kids unlimited access by opting out of the program.

I favor the latter.

The American Library Association advocates that it's not the library's responsibility to preclude access to any data to its patrons. The First Amendment was adopted to primarily protect political and religious speech. However, the Supreme Court has ruled that it doesn't cover material considered objectionable by community standards, giving libraries the ability to control the availability of materials that do not meet local standards.

The 2003 Child Internet Protection Act is a recent ruling that reinforces the responsibility of the library to the public it serves by directly addressing Internet content control and children.

Aside from the perceived attack on the First Amendment, setting up automatic restrictions for minors has other pragmatic benefits to the community and Cook Library. The following benefits should weigh in the decision:

• It greatly decreases the chance that objectionable material will get into the hands of our children without parental knowledge.

• It actively supports community standards while ensuring that parents who want to give full access to the children have the ability to do so.

• It addresses the reality that most parents aren't aware that their kids can currently check out any DVD and that most parents want their children stopped from doing so.

• It eliminates the possibility that a well-informed and motivated public could temporarily overwhelm library services with their requests to restrict their children's access.

• It streamlines the registration process by eliminating lengthy discussions encountered when questions are posed at registration.

• It potentially avoids litigation in the event that patently illegal materials get in the system and into the hands of a child.

It all boils down to this simple question: Does it make sense for a library to create a process that is easy to understand and implement and greatly decreases the likelihood that our children will be subjected to unintended or unapproved objectionable content?

I know that an overwhelming majority of parents -- if not all -- will agree with this. As trustees of the district, we're being asked to find a way to achieve this vision without denying minors, with their parents' permission, the right to access materials of their choice.