For GA COMO 2015 conference. Presented on 10/8/2015 in Athens, GA. Slides designed by Abbie Gettys

1. ID, Please!
Cristina Hernández Trotter, MLIS
Abbie Gettys, MLIS
Age and
Access in
Georgia’s
Public
Libraries
ID, PLEASE!

2. ALA PoliciesALA Statements
“Library policies and procedures that effectively
deny minors equal and equitable access to all
library resources available to other users violate
the Library Bill of Rights. The American Library
Association opposes all attempts to restrict access
to library services, materials, and facilities based
on the age of library users.” - Free Access to Libraries for Minors
“A person’s right to use a library should not be
denied or abridged because of origin, age,
background, or views.” - Library Bill of Rights

3. ALA Policies
“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.” - Free Access to Libraries for 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.” - Access for Children and Young Adults to Nonprint Materials
ALA Statements

4. Latchkey Kids
History of Unattended Children &
the Library
• ALSC, PLA and ALA jointly published
Latchkey Children in the Public Library:
A Position Paper.
1988
• Survey by Francis Dowd found that
fewer than 1/3 of public libraries had
written policies regarding unattended
children.
1991
• 1988 publication was updated, under
a new title, changing "latchkey" to
"unattended."
2000
(ALA, 2000)

5. Latchkey KidsOpposing Views
Unattended children
in the library:
An obstacle
to effective
library service
An
opportunity to
serve children
(Tinnish, 1995)

6. Why Unattended Children in the Library can be an Issue:
Why Unattended Children in the Library can
be an Issue:
Complaints from patrons about noise and disruption
Damaged equipment/vandalism
Limited seating available for other patrons
The need to handle discipline problems at the expense
of service to other patrons
(Arrighetti, 2001)

7. Why Unattended Children in the
Library can be an Issue:
Why Unattended Children in the Library can be an Issue:
Why Unattended Children in the Library can
be an Issue:
Newspaper articles focusing on the problems caused by
children in the library portray a negative image of the
library to its community
The issue of legal liability
The safety of unattended children
(Arrighetti, 2001)

8. Is the Library a Safe Place?Is the Library a Safe Place?
The library is considered a safe place by parents and considered a
major reason to use the library by 71%.
(Pew Research Center, 2013)

9. Libraries provide various reasons they
are not safe:
Is the Library a Safe Place?Is the Library a Safe Place?
Libraries provide various reasons why they are not safe:
• The library is a public place that anyone may enter
• Libraries are not qualified to provide child or emergency care
• Library staff cannot assume responsibility for minors
Unsupervised children:
• May encounter hazardous equipment or structures
• Could get lost or wander outside into traffic
• May be approached or abducted by strangers

10. Is the Library a Safe Place? QuoteIs the Library a Safe Place?Is the Library a Safe Place?
(Barber, 2003)
“Libraries cannot guarantee safety to anyone and
cannot deny access to anyone. A library’s
relationship to children therefore has twin aspects,
offering special resources and programs for
children, while simultaneously serving as a public
facility fraught with all the perils of any public
place.” - NJLA Task Force on Unattended Children

11. School vs. Public LibrariesSchools vs. Public Libraries
Schools:
• Limited access with strict
sign-in procedures for visitors
• School library staff may act
in loco parentis--or in place
of a parent/guardian.
Public Libraries:
• Open access with few
restrictions for visitors
• Public library staff cannot
act in the place of a child’s
parent/guardian.
(New Jersey Library Association, 2003)

12. “The library may be the
safest place for that
particular child at that time
of day.” – Unattended Children, No Easy Answers
Does the library really want to start
asking children questions like these?
In 2013, a Public Libraries Online opinion piece
asked:
At what point do we begin to sound like we
are asking for “papers”? The question
we face is how
to provide
safety without
prying into a
child’s privacy.

13. Current National Context Regarding
Parents’ Decisions & Childhood
Independence
National Context Regarding Parents’ Decisions &
Childhood Independence
What's Behind the Arrests of Mothers for
Leaving Their Children Unattended?
While less children are being left alone, more attention is on
parents who leave them unattended.
(Sneed, 2014)
According to a 2011 Census report, the following age groups
are often left in self-care:
• 2% of children 5 to 8 years old
• 8% of 9 to 11-year-olds
• 27% of 12 to 14-year olds

14. Parents in Trouble Again for Letting Kids
Walk Alone
Children’s Protective Services take children into custody
after parents allow them to walk around the neighborhood
alone.
Current National Context Regarding Parents’
Decisions & Childhood Independence
National Context Regarding Parents’ Decisions &
Childhood Independence
(McCarren, 2015)

15. Current National Context Regarding Parents’
Decisions & Childhood Independence
National Context Regarding Parents’ Decisions &
Childhood Independence
Working Mom Arrested for Letting Her
9-Year-Old Play Alone at Park
A SC woman thought it was better than forcing her kid to sit
at McDonald's all day. Now the state has taken custody.
(Friedersdorf, 2014)

16. Current National Context Regarding Parents’
Decisions & Childhood Independence
National Context Regarding Parents’ Decisions &
Childhood Independence
UPDATE!! Kids Under 12
Can’t be Alone in Library
Due to “Dangers” of Stairs,
People & Furniture
Just how dangerous is the library
when it comes to kids? Apparently
too dangerous to have any of them
under the age of 12 anywhere on
the premises unsupervised — even if
their parents are just a room away.
(Skenazy, 2012)

17. Laws & Guidelines for Unattended
Children
Laws & Guidelines
for Unattended Children
Five U.S. states have laws that specify the age at
which a child can be left unsupervised.
Illinois (14), Maryland (8), New Mexico (10), North Carolina (8), Oregon (10)
Nine states, including GA, provide guidelines, but do
not have laws regarding child supervision.
The remaining 36 U.S. states have no known laws or
guidelines concerning unattended children.
Colorado (12), Delaware (12), Georgia (8), Kansas (6), Michigan (11),
Mississippi (12), North Dakota (9), Tennessee (10), Washington (10)
(Database Systems Corp., 2015)

18. Laws & Guidelines for Unattended
Children - GA
Laws & Guidelines
for Unattended Children
Georgia has no state laws regarding
the supervision of children.
Georgia DFCS Guidelines:
• Children 8 years or younger should not be left alone.
• Children between the ages of 9 and 12 (based on
maturity level) may be left alone for less than 2 hours.
• Children 13 years and older (based on maturity level) may
be left alone and may perform the role of a babysitter,
as authorized by a parent, for up to 12 hours.
(Georgia Department of Human Services)

19. Laws & Guidelines for Unattended
Children - GA
Laws & Guidelines
for Unattended Children
“Consideration may be given to a child younger than 13 years,
who exhibits strong maturity skills and has participated in a
course on babysitting, to be alone or to care for other children.”
Further Considerations
“There are sometimes circumstances where
an unsupervised older child is at risk,
or where a younger child has the maturity
level to be left alone or to care for other children”
“It may not be advisable to leave an older child who has a
special condition or disability alone.”
(Georgia Department of Human Services)

20. Laws & Guidelines for Unattended
Children
Laws & Guidelines for Unattended
Children - GA
Laws & Guidelines
for Unattended Children
Chronological age is an insufficient determining factor.
(Barber, 2003)
Multiple factors should be considered before deciding to
leave a child unsupervised.
Maturity HealthCompetence

21. Is the Library a Safe Place? QuoteIs the Library a Safe Place?
Other Factors That Could Affect
Library Policies:
• Urban? Rural?
• Homes within walking distance?
• School within walking distance?
Where is the
library
located?
• Separate children’s area?
• Location of exits?
• How many nooks & crannies?
What is the
library building
like?
Community
expectations &
partnerships?

22. Graph – Percentage of GA Public
Library Systems that Specify Age of
Access without a Caregiver
Yes
90%
No
10%
Percentage of GA Public Library Systems that
Specify Age Limits for Unattended Children
Age Limits for Unattended Children

23. Graph – Age of Access without a
Caregiver
4
4
5
9
12
7
9
5
1
1
5
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Age
Number of GA Public Library Systems
Age of Access without a Caregiver

24. Graph – Minimum Age of Caregiver
Minimum Age of Caregiver
1
1
6
1
1
14
20
16
11
12
13
14
15
16
18
Age not
specified
0 3 6 9 12 15 18
Age
Number of GA Public Library Systems

25. Unattended Children After HoursUnattended Children
After Hours
(Minor, 2013)
What is the library’s responsibility
regarding unattended minors left at
the library after closing?
In Georgia, there is no law that holds public
library staff responsible for unattended
children left on library property after the
library is closed.
However, libraries are strongly encouraged to have
policies on how to address the situation of
unattended minors at closing.

26. Graph – Age Limits for Unattended
Children after Hours
1
2
3
2
2
2
2
14
17
14
4
7
10
12
13
14
15
17
18
Age not specified
Not Addressed in Policy
No policy
0 3 6 9 12 15 18
Age
Number of GA Public Library Systems
Age Limits for Children After Hours Not
Requiring Staff Intervention

27. Internet Access and AgeInternet Access & Age
There is no federal or Georgia state law that
requires parental permission for Internet
access in public libraries.

28. CIPAChildren’s Internet Protection Act
CIPA imposes certain requirements on
schools and libraries that receive discounts
through the federally funded E-rate
program.
• Schools and libraries must have Internet Safety
Policies that include the use of filtering software.
• The filtering software must attempt to block access
to images that are (a) obscene, (b) child
pornography, or (c) harmful to minors.
(Federal Communications Commission, 2014)

29. CIPA: Internet Safety Policies must
address the following
CIPAChildren’s Internet Protection Act
(Federal Communications Commission, 2014)
Subject to CIPA, the Internet Safety Policies of
schools and libraries must address the following:
• The safety and security of minors when using email, chat
rooms and other forms of direct electronic
communications
• Unauthorized access, including “hacking” and other
unlawful activities by minors online
• Unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of
personal information regarding minors
• Measures restricting minors’ access to materials harmful
to them.

30. CIPA: Definition of minorCIPAChildren’s Internet Protection Act
CIPA defines a “minor” as “any individual who has
not attained the age of 17 years.”
Under CIPA, schools and libraries may disable filtering
software at the request of an adult “to enable access
for bona fide research or other lawful purpose.”
(Children’s Internet Protection Act certifications, 2011)
Adults, therefore, include anyone who is 17 years-
old and older.

31. CIPA: School vs. Public LibrariesSchool vs. Public Libraries
Schools:
• Must have an Internet
Safety Policy
• Must utilize filtering software
• Internet Safety Policy must
include monitoring the
online activities of minors
• Must educate students
about appropriate online
behavior
Public Libraries:
• Must have an Internet
Safety Policy
• Must utilize filtering software
Schools vs. Public Libraries
(Federal Communications Commission, 2014)

32. What about libraries that do not
receive E-rate funding?
CIPA
What about libraries that do not receive E-
rate funding?
(Internet Safety Policies in Public Libraries, 2006)
Public libraries that do not participate in the
E-rate program do not have to abide by
the requirements of CIPA.
However, in Georgia, these public libraries
are still required to adhere to the statute:
Internet Safety Policies in Public Libraries

33. O.C.G.A. § 20-5-5 Internet Safety
Policies in Public Libraries
Internet Access and AgeO.C.G.A. § 20-5-5
Internet Safety Policies
in Public Libraries
Public library systems must have an
acceptable-use policy that is designed to:
1. Prevent library patrons and employees from
using any computer equipment and
communication services owned or leased by the
library for sending, receiving, viewing, or
downloading visual depictions of obscenity, child
pornography, or material that is harmful to minors
2. Establish appropriate measures to be taken
against patrons and employees who willfully
violate the acceptable-use policy
(Internet Safety Policies in Public Libraries, 2006)

34. O.C.G.A. § 20-5-5 Internet Safety
Policies in Public Libraries
Internet Access and AgeO.C.G.A. § 20-5-5
Internet Safety Policies
in Public Libraries
The public library must take steps to
implement and enforce its acceptable-use
policy, which shall include, but not be limited to:
1. Use software programs designed to block
access to visual depictions of obscenity, child
pornography, and material that is harmful to
minors
2. Use online servers that block access to visual
depictions of obscenity, child pornography,
and material that is harmful to minors.
(Internet Safety Policies in Public Libraries, 2006)

35. COPPACIPA
Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act
(Federal Trade Commission, 2015; Watters, 2011)
• COPPA was enacted to allow parents control over
what information is collected from their young
children online.
• It applies only to operators of commercial websites
and online services that collect, use, or disclose
personal information from children.
COPPA does not prevent a website
from allowing users under 13 to join.
It simply requires verified parental consent.

36. COPPACIPA
Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act
(Federal Trade Commission, 2015; Watters, 2011)
“Congress determined to apply the statute’s
protections only to children under 13, recognizing
that younger children are particularly vulnerable to
overreaching by marketers and may not
understand the safety and privacy issues created
by the online collection of personal information.”

37. Graph – Age Limits for Internet Access
No
21%
Yes
79%
Percentage of GA Public Library Systems that
Require Parental Consent for Internet Access
Permission for Internet Access

38. Graph – Age Limits for Internet Access
1
4
1
4
2
1
37
12
13
14
16
17
17.5
18
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40
Age
Number of GA Public Library Systems
Age of Consent for Internet Access

39. 6%
73%
21%
Percentage of GA Public Library Systems that Require
Parental Supervision for Internet Access
Not required by policy
Supervision assumed based on unattended policy
Yes, specifically stated in Internet policy
Supervision for Internet Access

40. Graph – Age at which Supervision is No
Longer Required for Internet Use
Age at which Supervision is No Longer
Required for Internet Use
2
1
5
5
8
8
7
10
6
1
2
2
2
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Age Not Specified
Not Required
0 2 4 6 8 10
Age
Number of GA Public Libraries

41. References
American Library Association (1996). Library Bill of Rights. Retrieved from
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill
American Library Association (2004). Free access to libraries for minors: An
interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights. Retrieved from
http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=interpretations&Template=/Cont
entManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=8639%29
American Library Association (2004). Access for children and young adults to
nonprint materials: An interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights.
http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=interpretations&Template=/Cont
entManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=31870
American Library Association (1999). Libraries: An American value. Retrieved from
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/statementspols/librariesamerican
American Library Association (2000). Unattended children in the public library: A
resource guide.

42. ReferencesReferences
Arrighetti, J. (2001). The challenge of unattended children in the public library.
Reference Services Review 29(1), 65-71.
Barber, G. (2003). NJLA task force on unattended children, legal analysis for policy
development. Retrieved from
http://njla.org/sites/default/files/children_background.pdf
Database Systems Corp. (2015). Legal age restrictions for latchkey kids. Retrieved
from http://www.latchkey-kids.com/latchkey-kids-age-limits.htm
Federal Communications Commission (2014). Children’s Internet Protection Act.
Retrieved from https://www.fcc.gov/guides/childrens-internet-protection-act
Federal Trade Commission (2015). Complying with COPPA: Frequently asked
questions. Retrieved from https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-
center/guidance/complying-coppa-frequently-asked-questions

43. ReferencesReferencesReferences
Friedersdorf, C. (2014). Working mom arrested for letting her 9-year-old play alone
at park. The Atlantic. Retrieved from
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/07/arrested-for-letting-a-
9-year-old-play-at-the-park-alone/374436/
Georgia Department of Human Services (n.d.). Lack of supervision guidelines.
Retrieved from
http://www.cherokee.k12.ga.us/parentinfo/Bulletin%20Board/DFCS%20Guide
lines%20for%20Leaving%20Children%20Home%20Alone.pdf
Internet Safety Policies in Public Libraries, O.C.G.A. § 20-5-5 (2006). Retrieved from
LexisNexis.
McCarren, A. (2015). Parents in trouble again for letting kids walk alone. USA
Today. Retrieved from
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/04/13/parents-
investigated-letting-children-walk-alone/25700823/
Minor, M. A. (2013). Legal issues in Georgia’s public libraries, 2d ed. GPLS

44. ReferencesReferencesReferences
New Jersey Library Association (2003). NJLA statement on school/public library joint
use standards. Retrieved from http://www.njla.org/content/njla-statement-
schoolpublic-library-joint-use-standards
Pew Research Center (2013). Parents, children, libraries and reading. Retrieved
from http://libraries.pewinternet.org/files/legacy-
pdf/PIP_Library_Services_Parents_PDF.pdf
Public Libraries Online (2013). Unattended children, no easy answers. Retrieved
from http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2013/03/unattended-children-no-easy-
answers/
Skenazy, L. (2012). Update!! Kids under 12 can’t be alone in library due to
“dangers” of stairs, people & furniture. Retrieved from
http://www.freerangekids.com/kids-under-12-cant-be-alone-in-library-due-to-
dangers-of-stairs-people-furniture/

45. ReferencesReferencesReferences
Sneed, T. (2014). What's behind the arrests of mothers for leaving their children
unattended?. US News & World Report. Retrieved from
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/07/31/whats-behind-the-arrests-
of-mothers-for-leaving-their-children-unattended
Spacey, R., Cooke, L., Creaser, C. & Muir, A. (2015). Regulating Internet access
and content in UK public libraries: Findings from the MAIPLE project. Journal of
Librarianship and Information Science, 47(1), 71-84.
Tinnish, D. (1995). Latchkey kids & the library. Emergency Librarian, 23(2), 17.

46. Questions? Comments?
Cristina Hernández Trotter
chtrotter@ocrl.org
Abbie Gettys
agettys@ocrl.org
This presentation is available at
slideshare.net/chtrotter