2024-010 Youth Access to Library Materials Date: March 1,2024 Report No. 2024-010
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
Provide City Council an overview of youth access to public library materials and facilities, along
with the revelation of materials policy
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Denton Public Library offers comprehensive services and resources, including a collection of
261,981 titles, catering to all age groups while adhering to established policies and procedures.
The library ensures parental rights are upheld, delineating responsibilities and access guidelines
clearly within its policies. These policies are regularly reviewed and approved by the Library
Advisory Board, ensuring consistency and efficiency in service delivery. Denton Public Library
policies are available on the library website:
https:Hlibrary.cityofdenton.com/screens/dpl policies.html.
DISCUSSION:
Denton Public Library serves residents of Denton across all age brackets, categorizing
individuals as a minor(birth to 17 years of age), while those 18 and above are considered adults.
Minors may also be referred to as youth,juveniles, children, or teens. Library cards, synonymous
with library accounts, grant access to resources and materials.
The library's Circulation Services Policy clarifies how to get a public library account, what types
of library accounts are available, and the circulation rules. An application for a youth library
account must be submitted by the parent or legal guardian. The parent or legal guardian is the
adult on record for the library account and is responsible for account activity, including checkout
of materials and any fees accrued. This requirement is in place for the three types of library cards
for minors: Youth Denton Resident, Youth Courtesy Card(non-resident), or Books2Go Denton
ISD Student account type. The Circulation Services Policy also includes the following text
regarding access to library materials by minors:
• The library staff cannot and do not act in loco parentis. [In loco parentis is "in the place
of a parent" and refers to acting as a guardian of a child and having the responsibilities of
a parent.]
• It is the policy of the Denton Public Library that parents or guardians, not library staff,
are responsible for monitoring and approving the selection of materials made by their
children.
• The parent or guardian authorizes the juvenile's uses of the card and accepts the
responsibility for the selection of materials borrowed and for the return of the materials
and any charges incurred.
• Parents or guardians who wish their children not to have access to certain materials or
services should so advise their children. The library cannot be responsible for enforcing
such restrictions.
Date: March 1,2024 Report No. 2024-010
• Due to both the parent's and child's name being on the patron account, both have access
to borrowing information.
Over 1.06 million items were checked out from Denton Public Library collections in 2023.
Approximately 80% of items circulated were physical items (books, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, or
kits) and the remaining 20% of check outs were downloadable materials. Items checked out at
library self-service kiosks make up 90% of the library's in-person check outs. The library's
system does not have the ability to automatically restrict circulation of a list of particular titles
for cardholders. While library software could potentially be configured to restrict access to entire
collections for certain account types, it is not recommended by staff and is essential to consider
the practical implications of such measures. Library collections are broken out into age and type
and shelved together in a designated set of shelving, examples include Junior Fiction (fiction
chapter books), Easy(picture books), Youth Nonfiction, Teen Fiction, Adult Fiction, Adult
Nonfiction, Junior Graphic Novels,Adult CDs, etc. Restricting access would block check outs
from every item in a designated collection. For example, a high school student restricted from
checking out Adult Fiction materials could not check out school assigned literature like To Kill a
Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby,Pride and Prejudice or any of the other 48,341 items in Adult
Fiction. Students restricted from Adult Nonfiction could not check out titles like Shakespeare's
Julius Caesar,Night by Elie Wiesel, or any of the other 39,351 nonfiction books about science,
math, history, art, technology, biography, or religion to support schoolwork without a parent
requesting a staff override for each check out. Implementing blanket restrictions would lead to
recurring parental requests to override blocks for youth access, especially for resources crucial
for school or personal enrichment. This would impose significant customer service demands and
compromise the efficiency of library operations.
The Unattended Children Policy describes age requirements regarding when a caregiver must
accompany a minor visiting the library. Many families send older siblings to the library with
younger family members. The policy also addresses these instances. Any child ages ten(10) and
under must be accompanied by a caregiver. An adult caregiver may entrust a teenager(ages 13+)
to accompany a child to the library. The temporary teen caregiver must demonstrate that they are
willing and capable of supervising younger children. The policy also notes that:
Parents, guardians, teachers, and other designated caretakers of children—hereafter
known as caregivers—are responsible for the behavior and supervision of their charges
while in the library. Library staff does not serve "in loco parentis" (in place of a parent.).
The Confidentiality of Library Customer Records ensures privacy rights for patrons, allowing
parents or legal guardians access to their minor's account information. As such, the parent or
legal guardian can check the minor's account via the online catalog at any time or show their
photo ID to access account information when speaking to a library staff member:
Date: March 1,2024 Report No. 2024-010
Regarding Parental Access to Records: Private information may be released to the parent
or guardian indicated as the adult responsible for the account of an unemancipated minor
age seventeen(17) or under. The parents or guardian on the account must provide an
accepted form of I.D., as listed in the Circulation Services Policy.
The library's collection of 261,981 titles is selected and managed by professional librarians,
following the library's Collection Development Policy. The Collection Development Policy
identifies collection goals, selection criteria for different types of collections, types of materials
that are not acquired, collection maintenance, and identifies the library's Reevaluation of
Materials Policy as the process for reconsideration of resources. Professional librarians also
follow the Texas State Library and Archives Commission's CREW: A Weeding Manual for
Modern Libraries for collection maintenance.
The Reevaluation of Materials Policy provides an opportunity for residents to share concerns
about an item in the library collection and ask that it be reevaluated as to whether it meets
collection criteria. After sharing concerns with a librarian, a resident may request that a title is
reviewed, initiating the review process with professional librarians, the Director of Libraries, and
input from the Library Advisory Board.
CONCLUSION:
The library's commitment to serving individuals of all ages is supported by policies that require
or encourage parental involvement in all aspects of library use by minors. These processes,
regularly reviewed and updated, support the library's mission to transform lives, strengthen
community, and inspire imagination.
ATTACHMENTS:
STAFF CONTACT:
Jennifer Bekker, Director of Libraries
(940) 349-8753
Jennifer.bekker&cityo fdenton.com