I intended to write this in time to be printed in last week’s newspaper, but I’ve spent a week at home itching and scratching and whining with a miserable case of hives. I have a new-found respect for those who suffer from this peculiar allergy.
What I had intended to write is about one of the rights guaranteed to us by the First Amendment of our Constitution. Not only our right to speak freely, but our right to read and seek information freely. Because this right is so freely accepted in our society, we give it little thought. It never occurs to us to be grateful that we are entitled to read or seek information about whatever interests us.
Recently we had a small incident at the library that brought this right to mind. For generations libraries have had a system of “reserving” a particular item for a particular patron. If you wish to read a book, but it is checked out at the moment, we electronically flag that item When it is returned to the library, a little box pops up on the computer screen with your name and a message that you are waiting to read this book. We call you. You pick up the book. It is yours to read for three weeks.
This incident happened when we left a message that a couple of books were waiting for a particular adolescent reader. A parent called to ask what the items are that we are holding for the student. On this occasion the books were both popular, highly recommended teenage fare. Nothing the average kid or parent would think twice about.
However, we have a policy, supported by the American Library Association, of not sharing that information with anyone. Not even a parent. What if the books had been about child abuse? I wouldn’t know if the kid is writing a term paper or if he is trying to determine if he or his girl friend or best buddy is being abused. What would happen if I reported those types of titles to a parent? Every reader, regardless of age, is entitled to privacy in what he/reads and in what information is sought.
Earlier in my library career, I came in contact with a young mother, the wife of a prominent community member. She was slowly working her way toward a college degree in some sort of helping profession…nursing, counseling. I don’t remember. She interlibrary loaned, that is borrowed from other libraries, stacks of books about abuse, divorce and its aftermath and child custody. College paper or life help? A very public trial and a prison sentence answered my unasked questions several years later. That woman was entitled to privacy of her research while she got her ducks in a row. What if a librarian had left a voice mail that her husband had listened to? The outcome might have been different.
Another related issue also happens, especially with the parents of adolescent children. A parent may sometimes question librarians about the “suitability” of particular books or movies for children. Before I could tell you if a book is just right for your kid, I would have to have intimate knowledge of the morals and standards of your family. Do you have neighbors who set different standards for their children than you do? Of course you do. If you wish to impose your values on your children’s’ reading material, we have a library loop hole just for you. No child is allowed to have a library card and check out materials without written permission of a parent or guardian. You may deny your child access to a library card. Then, you may accompany your child to the library and supervise what they select and check those items out on your own card.
I don’t want you to think that we just run in a book store and buy large armloads of books to fill our shelves. Nor do we just open a publisher’s catalog and start ordering whatever is new. We all read book reviews in accepted library journals. Our books are chosen based on professional reviews. Movies selected for entertainment value are G or PG-13 rated, with very few exceptions. We apply the best of our professional abilities to select interesting, appropriate library materials for our community. Come on in, look over what we have in store for you. And don’t forget to take a moment to appreciate your right to access whatever information you choose.