TAMPA, Fla. — Hillsborough County just cleared the way for major changes in its public library system when it comes to kids and the books they can borrow.
The new library card system is designed to give parents far more control over what their children can access.
“I like having access over what it is that my kids see and don’t see,” said Becca Sierra, a Tampa mother of two. Sierra, like many parents, wants to make sure the library materials her children can access are age-appropriate.
“I think that’s great because I don’t want my 13-year-old reading Fifty Shades of Grey yet,” she said.
Now, by a unanimous vote, Hillsborough County has cleared the way for a new library card system that will categorize access by age and then by levels within those age groups.
- Restricted: only the most basic age-appropriate materials.
- Plus: adds more mature materials, nonfiction and classics.
- Unrestricted: allows parents to give their child complete access to all library materials.
“You know, nobody knows their kid better than their parents,” Hillsborough County Commissioner Michael Owen said. “And I just think this is critically important that our library system provide that opportunity for parents to determine what their kids can and cannot read.”
There are an estimated 600,000 library card holders in Hillsborough County. About 18,000 of those are kids through age 12. Another 12,000 are between the ages of 13 and 16.
The new system will default to the most basic access to materials. Library workers say the new changes follow guidelines similar to age restrictions that are already in place when it comes to accessing movies and online materials at the county's libraries.
Parents or guardians would have to physically visit the library to opt for expanded access.
“It gives parents the choice to decide which books their kids check out as opposed to completely checking bucks off the shelf,” said Taylor Cooney, also a mother of two. “You know, because every kid is different.”
Library workers say the biggest criticism they heard from the public was concern over any potential book bans or censorship, but workers say no materials are being removed from the shelves.
“Whatever you and your child have access to today, you and your child will have access if that is your choice when we're done,” Hillsborough Library Services Director Andrew Breidenbaugh said.
Library workers say their next step is to test the system. They also still need to train staff about the new options and plan to launch a public awareness campaign.
Look for the changes to take effect just after the start of the new year.