MY TURN: Thank the Legislature for protecting minors

The Idaho State Legislature should be congratulated for attempting to protect minors from library material deemed harmful to children with the passage of the Children's School and Library Protection Act (Idaho Statute 18-1517B). So it is incumbent upon the Community Library Network (CLN) board of trustees (elected by the people) to formulate a policy to ensure compliance with the new law. 

Idaho Statute 18-1513 through 18-1517B directs institutions such as CLN to restrict access by minors to material harmful to minors. It further obligates these institutions to take reasonable steps to create an area with adult access only. What should this area look like? How should minors checking out a book be controlled? This is not specified in the law. It is left up to the institutions to implement. 

Nationally, critics rage against so-called "book bans," when in fact CLN's books with adult content will simply be relocated to the adult sections. What's actually worth criticizing is the growing abundance of perverted and pedophilic publications for minors. Unfortunately, some in our community are outraged the CLN board endeavors to use common sense when it comes to the appropriate purchase and placement of materials for minors. Moreover, it should not be the community's duty to proactively review the stacks or monitor new purchases to identify any offending material; that is the staff's job. Per CLN's new "Request for Relocation" policy, the community is, however, encouraged to notify staff when they think material harmful to minors may have been overlooked. 

When it comes to driving, drinking, smoking, voting, etc., parents can dialogue all they wish with their children. But that does not mean an underage child may drive, purchase whatever they want or vote until they reach a certain age. So too should it be when it comes to accessing certain library materials. But to ensure First Amendment rights are not violated, parents may check out any material they desire for their minor children. 

Some have claimed far more dangerous material is available through the internet and smartphones. Agreed. That's why the library internet has filtering controls in place in compliance with federal law. And for the most part, smartphones are not taxpayer funded; whereas, CLN's material is. 

Please consider thanking your local state representatives for assisting the CLN board to do what the community elected the current board to do. 

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Tom Hanley is vice chairman of the Community Library Network.