Recently, a former employee of the Phillips Public Library created a video and posted it to YouTube stating that a possibly controversial proposal was going to be presented at the library board meeting. This prompted some residents to attend the meeting in person and about a dozen people attended via Zoom, though many left the Zoom video call before the proposal was presented.
The proposal, made by Jenny Markle, president of the board, has to do with a proposed new library card system for children.
Jenny stated she thought of the idea and researched it to see if other libraries were using similar systems. She reached out to those libraries, two lawyers, and an ethics professor to get their feedback. After talking to them, she told the board, "It seems like a good idea to me."
The idea is a tiered library card system which would give parents the ability to select general criteria for what their underage children are checking out of the library. Jenny proposed that Level 1 would allow full access to check out materials in the children's collection only. Level 2 would allow full access to check out materials in the children's and young adult collections, with the possibility of also adding general non-fiction and DVDs that are not R-rated. Level 3 would allow full access to check out materials in the entire library. She added this would only apply to the physical materials in the Phillips Public Library and not the Libby (eBooks) and MORE system, which already have filters that can be put in place by the parents. She said parents would be allowed to decide when to upgrade the card to another level.
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Jenny mentioned that, in a case brought to the Supreme Court, the court "ruled that the due process clause of the 14th Amendment protects the fundamental rights of parents to direct the care, upbringing, and education of their children. This tiered system would be in support of that parental right and would not violate any kind of state laws or statutes we have in place in Wisconsin."
Becky Puhl, the library director, stated that she cannot tell parents what is on their child's library card once they are 16, so she questioned if the system may only be able to be implemented up to the age of 16. However, Jenny said a lawyer told her that this system could be implemented to the age of 18.
Feeling the idea had merit, Becky also added, "We will already do this for you. If you came into the library and said that you didn't want your minor child to be able to check out adult materials, we would put a note on their account, and we wouldn't let them check out adult materials." She felt that if the board voted in support of a tiered library card system, it could be implemented rather easily.
Jenny added, "This is a good faith gesture to parents and grandparents in our community. It's like we're saying, 'We heard your concerns, look what we're offering you; come back to the library and love it.'"
This proposal will be back on the agenda at the next meeting for discussion and action, if everyone is ready to take action at that time. Public input is welcome, and people can sign up to make public comments at the next meeting, which will be Thursday, November 21, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. at the Phillips Public Library.
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