Library collections of nonprint
materials raise a number of intellectual freedom issues, especially regarding
minors. Article V of the Library
Bill of Rights states, "A person's right to use a library should
not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views."
The American Library Association's principles
protect minors' access to sound, images, data, games, software, and other
content in all formats such as tapes, CDs, DVDs, music CDs, computer games,
software, databases, and other emerging technologies.
. . . The "right to use a library"
includes free access to, and unrestricted use of, all the services, materials,
and facilities the library has to offer. Every restriction on access to, and
use of, library resources, based solely on the chronological age, educational
level, literacy skills, or legal emancipation of users violates Article V.
. . . [P]arents—and
only parents—have the right and responsibility to restrict access of their
children—and only their children—to library resources. Parents who do not want
their children to have access to certain library services, materials, or
facilities should so advise their children. Librarians and library governing
bodies cannot assume the role of parents or the functions of parental authority
in the private relationship between parent and child.
Lack of access to information can be harmful
to minors. Librarians and library governing bodies have a public and
professional obligation to ensure that all members of the community they serve
have free, equal, and equitable access to the entire range of library resources
regardless of content, approach, format, or amount of detail. This principle of
library service applies equally to all users, minors as well as adults.
Librarians and library governing bodies must uphold this principle in order to
provide adequate and effective service to minors.
Policies that set minimum age limits for
access to any nonprint materials or information
technology, with or without parental permission, abridge library use for
minors. Age limits based on the cost of the materials are also unacceptable.
Librarians, when dealing with minors, should apply the same standards to
circulation of nonprint materials as are applied to
books and other print materials except when directly and specifically
prohibited by law.
Recognizing that librarians cannot act in
loco parentis,
In some cases, commercial content ratings,
such as the Motion Picture Association of
America (MPAA) movie ratings, might appear on the packaging or
promotional materials provided by producers or distributors. However, marking
out or removing this information from materials or packaging constitutes
expurgation or censorship.
MPAA movie ratings, Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
game ratings, and other rating services are private advisory codes and have no
legal standing (Expurgation
of Library Materials). For the library to add ratings to nonprint materials if they are not already there is unacceptable.
It is also unacceptable to post a list of such ratings with a collection or to
use them in circulation policies or other procedures. These uses constitute
labeling, "an attempt to prejudice attitudes" (Labels
and Rating Systems),
and are forms of censorship. The application of locally generated ratings
schemes intended to provide content warnings to library users is also
inconsistent with the Library Bill of Rights.
The interests of young people, like those of
adults, are not limited by subject, theme, or level of sophistication.
Librarians have a responsibility to ensure young people's access to materials
and services that reflect diversity of content and format sufficient to meet
their needs.
Adopted June 28, 1989. Amended June 30, 2004, by the
[ISBN 8389-7351-5]