2006-09-22T10:59:00.000-07:00

The Privacy Rights of Children: A Roundtable ~ 10 to 1 ~ Wednesday, September 6 ~ Lenox Library Association

SUMMARY OF ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION:

As part of the process of discussing children's library rights, participants brainstormed the following questions:

Are we making too many rules?
Participants suggested that it may not be that we have too many rules but that we are not promoting the rules effectively. If libraries are proactive and make sure that all patrons are notified of the library's policy on privacy, there will be less negative interactions between library staff and parents/guardians on children's library rights/privileges.

How to deal with inconsistency among libraries?
Libraries do not have consistent privacy policies. This becomes a big problem with members of library networks where what is private at one library is not considered private at the neighboring library.

Is it possible to treat everybody fairly?
Group discussed the merits of viewing privacy as a right or as a privilege. Should young children have the same privacy rights as adults? If parents take financial responsibility for children's fines and lost materials, shouldn't parents be allowed access to children's borrowing records?

Others countered by discussing the fact that many older children borrow sensitive materials that they expect the library to honor with the same privacy rights as the library affords adults.

Isn't it important to be flexible?
It seems ridiculous not to let parents know what young children have borrowed from the library; especially in the case of baby's library cards. Group reviewed and discussed the pros and cons of the bunny cards issued by the Pollard Memorial Library

Discussion continued on the topics of family library cards (joint accounts), ILL and holds (parent must know the name of the item to be eligible to pick it up for the child)

Are children's privacy rights/privileges abrogated when materials become overdue?

If a person calls and identifies themselves as the child's parent and asks if the child is in the library, should staff respond OR is this a violation of the child's privacy (and possibly the child's safety)?

SUMMARY OF PARTICIPANTS' ROUNDTABLE EVALUATIONS:

10 WMRLS Member Librarians participated in this informative roundtable discussion on the privacy rights of children. 8 participants completed program evaluations which are summarized as follows:

7 gave the roundtable the high to the highest ratings
1 gave the roundtable good to high ratings

Most helpful part of workshop:
sharing of ideas
hearing other's problems
handouts are great!
learning that there are "no easy answers"
learning of different policies and practices at different libraries
workshop leaders were terrific

Workshop Follow-Up:
review library's policy on this topic
share roundtable discussion with co-workers
will discuss with library director/assistant director
it will help me to look at how my library handles these issues and to see where we can make improvements in protecting children's privacy

How can this workshop be improved?
Assign reading prior to rounddtable session

2006-09-22T10:06:00.000-07:00

RECOMMENDED READING:

American Library Association Documents:

"Is Privacy Reserved for Adults: Children's Rights at the Public Library" by Janet Hildebrand in School Library Journal, January, 1991, pages 21 - 25

Massachusetts Regional Library Systems Policy Collection - http://www.cmrls.org/policies/index.html

"Think for Yourself" by Ruth LaFrance in Bay State Libraries, January, 2006, page 7.

School Library Privacy Issues by Colorado Department of Education

WMRLS Continuing Education Workshop Notes