Intellectual freedom and the policy at the Washington Public Library that allows children 10 years old and up the ability to get a library card and have circulation information withheld from parents was discussed Thursday. The Washington Public Library Board of Trustees met in regular session Thursday and three Washington County Supervisors were in attendance. At the start of the meeting supervisors Jack Seward, Abe Miller, and Stan Stoops stated they were in attendance to gather information and not representing the county board. Each supervisor said they believe 10 years old is too young for that privilege and it oversteps the rights of parents.

Library Trustee Rachel Nicola tells KCII News, “In 1939 the American Library Association drafted a document called ‘Library Bill of Rights.’ It continues to be affirmed by libraries across the nation. It says, ‘The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services… One of those six policies is: A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.'”

At Thursday’s meeting, Trustee and Rural Representative Harold Frakes said he is disinclined to change the current policy, “I’ve looked at the suggestions here from the ALA saying preteens. I have no reason to say that’s a bad thing to do. We have other ways for the parent to contact the child on what he or she is reading, I can get that. If I wanted to be devious, or I wanted to hide stuff from my parents, trust me, I was pretty damn good at it, I think about any child could be. I don’t feel that the library’s role is to become a parental informant, if you will. That’s something that parent and the relationship, and if the trust factor is not there with the parent and child we have a lot bigger problem in that situation than what books are being checked out at the library.” The library board will take the recommendations into consideration before their March meeting at which time they’ll review the policy.

A representative of the Iowa Public Information Board tells KCII News that the three supervisors in attendance constituted a quorum, and that engaging the library board without public notice by the county is likely a violation of state open meetings law. If a complaint is filed, an investigation may be forthcoming.