Going to the Library

As with most families, we are frequent patrons of our library system. We generally have 30-50 books checked out at any given moment and are very thankful for the wonderful online system that allows us to order and renew books and manage our account online.

Recently a couple of different library issues have arisen that have made me try to consider what a library should be.

This article Dallas libraries let you pay to check out hot titles really bothered me. To me, a library’s mission is to provided free, equal, and confidential access to its resources. (I did check, and the Dallas Library Mission statement does not state this.) I understand that libraries, like other institutions, are probably fighting budget cuts and are trying to find ways to combat that. But to me, this idea of giving certain patrons extra privileges based on their ability to pay seems to run contrary to what the library is all about.

Today at our local library I was made to feel like a criminal because I asked if I could check out two books on my card that I had requested using Camille’s card. I know both numbers, I had a photo id; I had Camille, too. Why make it so hard? Is this to protect Camille’s confidentiality (which is a library mission I will support)? She’s a minor. As a parent, don’t I have the right to see her library records?