POST FALLS, Idaho — A Community Library Network trustee's proposed policy to lock away objectionable materials in cabinets, closets or other adults-only areas is going nowhere, for now.
Trustee Tim Plass' Adult Access Only Restricted Areas draft policy was nixed during Thursday's regular meeting of the board, held at the Post Falls Library in a small, packed room where a few had to stand as each seat was full.
"I do not think we should have to take unreasonable steps of building another wing on the library or making a special locked room," Plass said. "Any of the libraries can afford a cabinet, maybe the libraries may have an extra closet with a lock on it or something."
The draft policy called for designing restricted areas inaccessible to anyone without an Adult Open Access library card, which would only be available to those 18 and older if the card were to be implemented. Patrons younger than 30 would be asked for government-issued photo identification for proof of age when acquiring such a card, which would be used to access the adults-only area after requesting a key that would be provided by staff. The patrons would have to print and sign their names and write their library card and key numbers in a logbook, with time and date recorded. Plass included that the adults-only areas would be monitored with video cameras.
"I'm very much against a locked cabinet, I'm very much against a video camera surveilling it, I'm very much against having to sign out a key and sign it back in with a timestamp," Trustee Vanessa Robinson said, adding that she feels the network is already covered regarding taking reasonable steps to follow Idaho's new library law to keep harmful materials out of minors' hands.
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