Mother shocked to learn of library's all-access policy

Darin_Brittobad said on April 27, 2011 at 11:03 AM

Reason they are not rated in the library is because in Washington State they are exempt from law

dakotanative said on April 27, 2011 at 7:59 AM

What is this INGLISH they have in college?

smoocher1 said on April 27, 2011 at 3:46 AM

Another thought...why aren't these materials rated in libraries as they are in movie guides and restricted to sections of the library where someone who appears under age has to provide an I.D. to check it out? It really does take a village to raise a child when parents and teachers can't be everywhere, every minute.

smoocher1 said on April 27, 2011 at 3:40 AM

I have a good one. I have a friend who worked in the local prison here in Washington. She found out the inmates were allowed to get Playboy, and other such sexually explicit material in the prison library. When she complained to the librarian she was indignantly told it was not the mission of the library to promote censorship. It should be someone's job since it was Twin Rivers where the sex offenders are housed. This was a few years ago. Can one hope someone with common sense has restricted such materials in prison libraries the tax payers are paying for, particularly when inmates housed there are supposed to be learning how to control their deviencies, not be encouraged in them?

nkhseattle said on April 26, 2011 at 9:06 PM

It is not the job of librarians of of the public library in general to censor or withhold material that is generally available in the library. It is up to parents to oversee and monitor what their children checkout. If you do not want your child to read something, or see something or watch something, it is your responsibility to see that they do not. It is not up to the library staff to know what you want your child to have. And King 5 should know that as well as any parent. Of did the staff of King 5 news all see this as a titillating lead to get viewers for your news program? Shame on you!

tugthug said on April 26, 2011 at 6:51 PM

Hot D**n mom I'm going to the library see ya later and don't wait up for me I'll be late!

kyrissanean85 said on April 26, 2011 at 6:43 PM

Library Professionals are supposed to remain neutral when Patrons come to check items out. This is to protect privacy and uphold Intellectual Freedom. The Library Bill of Rights was created by the American Library Association and can be found on their website. In the Issues & Advocacy Section of the ALA website, under Intellectual Freedom and in the Library Bill of Rights Section there is detailed information about Access for Children and Young Adults to Nonprint Materials

angielaw23 said on April 26, 2011 at 6:07 PM

He has no tv in his room, the computer is in the living room and can only text and talk on his cell phone, which his grandparents bought and pay for. I'm not critizing anyone, people are not seeing the point of this article and video at all, that is what gets me the most. lets criticize the parents for not doing there job. If we the parents were not doing our job, this story would not be here! Granted maybe his mom went about it the wrong way, but now others who see this video might take a second look as to what there kids are doing in there spare time and become more involved with them. Its about being involved in your child's life and showing you care enough to share with others something you felt people should be aware of, whether they are already aware or not! I don't care if this bites me or my family hard, as it was just an informative video, so people think of it as an attack on the library system. Everyone is entitled to there own opinion!

genagee said on April 26, 2011 at 4:15 PM

Next time tell the kid to check out the book instead. At least then he can take an AR test on it.

smk999 said on April 26, 2011 at 4:12 PM

Really? He probably has his own computer in his room, internet on his phone and HBO on the TV in his room. He has probably seen more than deep throating.

datsuyama said on April 26, 2011 at 4:09 PM

@collegeguy - Really, if you're going to stick your neck out there and criticize someone else for their grammar, you should be very careful to not have mistakes in your own posting.

collegeguy said on April 26, 2011 at 3:54 PM

Darin, first of all if you are gonna complain about other, make sure you can write proper english sentences. Yes, I know it is just an internet forum but if you want to show you are more intelligent than the others here, you have to be able to write in proper inglish. Second, while I agree that doesn't make this mom stupid and lazy, it does make her look like one of the a-typical parents who complain first to the media instead of trying to actually change things. However, by now, anyone using the library system should actually have know this as it is clearly stated in library policy. Mostly, this story is a waste of space on this site.

freshair said on April 26, 2011 at 3:33 PM

Sometimes it is best not to alert the media, what comes back may bite you hard.

CrichSeattle said on April 26, 2011 at 3:30 PM

The libraries have a limited budget. I am happy with the job they are doing. When you see this rule, and you think to yourslef, Whoa. try putting another thought after the whoa. Parenting!. Yes, it's a little word with a big responsibility, and we know that parents don't have much time these days, but it is your responsibility to oversee what your child is doing. Try not to keep putting the burden on some government agency to do your job for you. The school, and the city, and the library, they just don't have the budget to raise your children. Rather than advertise to children that these movies are available to them, try keeping your mouth shut about it at home. The less kids know about it the better. Do your job. Keeping some info from them is a good thing, especially if you and your spouse are the ones that are ones that are responsible for keeping them away from things you don't think are appropriate. You teach them right from wrong and enforce it.

Darin_Brittobad said on April 26, 2011 at 2:11 PM

She is my ex-wife for 8 years now, but that doesn't matter. it just amazes me how some people can sit there and blame the parents for just having a story put out there to make others aware that it could happen to them. Oh well I guess that is life, who has time to care!

crone said on April 26, 2011 at 1:52 PM

Darin dont listen to these lame brained judgemental people. You and your wife are doing a fine job raising your son. Much ado about nothing.

paulabirchler741 said on April 26, 2011 at 1:50 PM

@ angielaw - Actually the librarian DID do their job. The libraries, as stated in the article, are exempted from policing who checks what out. When a child gets a library card it is with the understanding that parents are responsible for what their child checks out. The value of this article is that parents should be aware that their child can do so. It isn't, nor should it be, the libraries job to monitor what your child is checking out. This young man knew his parents would object to his taking this video and he is the one who is at fault.

Darin_Brittobad said on April 26, 2011 at 1:40 PM

The father has been watching this board all day and has even posted! Some of you need to grow the hell up! Why would you call his mother stupid and lazy? Sometimes the easiest way to get information and to let others know about things i through the media! That makes her Lazy and Stupid? No it actually makes her smart, if our child did this, how many other parents out there have dealt with the same thing, not knowing about the laws and stuff. This story as I posted earlier is about awareness of what your children are doing. His father (me) works 50 hours a week and tries to be involved in his sones life as much as possible! he is by no means unsupervised, he is a teenager and has some freedoms, He doesnt' need to be watched over 24/7! He made his choice, the library didnt question it, mom found it and did! That makes her stupid and lazy? so she called King 5, so what, they thought it would make a good story to alert other parents of what happens out of the house!

Shaniqua said on April 26, 2011 at 1:24 PM

The stupid mother calls KING 5? What did she think that would accomplish? Where's the father? Probably wasting his time someplace he shouldn't be while his child grows up unsupervised. We should all pray this boy doesn't end up as stupid and lazy as his mother.

angielaw23 said on April 26, 2011 at 12:40 PM

Hey at least Brandon may have made the libraries more interesting, hmm, do you think more kids will actually go to the library now, since they can get their hands on just about everything? I have 3 boys 13yr 15,yr 17 yr I am very open and honest with them but I know they don't care about the Library does this mean I am a bad parent too? The truth about this story is that a boy of 14 went to the library to pick up some movies and they both were above his age limit, common sense says the librarian should have known better since it is labeled on the movies or was the librarian unable to read R rated and NC 17 maybe he/she didn't know what those ratings mean, good thing the mother new and did something about it. I wish people would see the heart of this story and that a simple thing like being smart enough to NOT give a 14yr old a R rated and NC 17 rated movies, Please people Focus on the heart of the matter and stop being so ridged! this is about a librarian who failed to do his/her job!

bohocrashpad said on April 26, 2011 at 12:39 PM

Sure...those news people and their dang editorial license!

Darin_Brittobad said on April 26, 2011 at 12:30 PM

She talked about both to the reporter, they chose which one to air.

bohocrashpad said on April 26, 2011 at 12:22 PM

I thought this was interesting: The news story showed that 2 films were placed on hold and picked up by the teen, one the documentary with the titillating name and the other an R rated Horror Movie. Mom doesn't care about violence and carnage. Mom cares that son will hear long conversation about how much boob was too much boob to show for the censors. Son, on the other hand, knew exactly what he was after, and should get a prize for successful and creative use of the catalog. The KCLS news story is actually very illustrative of why libraries should stay out of the parenting business.

Darin_Brittobad said on April 26, 2011 at 12:20 PM

Exactly Paulabirchler. He went against our rules to check this movie out, when confronted he said that he didnt know why, he just did. Why would all these people assume we are using the library for a daycare? Not many children of his age have an interest in going to the library, with all the video games and computer games and internet and stuff. We are not looking at the library to police what he does there, we just wanted to let people know that these things happen, King 5 thought it would make a great story to say "Hey, do you know what your kids are doing?" Sorry all these people think we are bad parents who think we want someone else to police our child.

freemonttroll said on April 26, 2011 at 12:15 PM

Look on the bright side, the kid is going to the library!

paulabirchler741 said on April 26, 2011 at 12:03 PM

I do not think the parents are bad parents. They at least know what their child did because it sounds like they are active and engaged in his life. However, I do believe they need to be concerned not with the fact that the public library allowed him to check this documentary out, but with the fact that their son chose to do so. Personally, I wouldn't be thrilled if my children had done so but I wouldn't be looking to the library to police that. I'd first talk with my child about why they did so and if they broke MY rule by checking it out I'd have them on the hot seat. This kid is 14! He knew whether he should or should not have checked out that video.

spack005 said on April 26, 2011 at 12:02 PM

Oh My GOD, a 14 year old with a library card????? WTF??? I also leave it up to others to raise my child. I'm too busy with facebook and video games.

angielaw23 said on April 26, 2011 at 11:37 AM

Hey Seattle mom, get a grip really, Libraries are not day care and how many kids 13 and up go to the library? wow the funest place on earth whatever, I guess all kids these days aren't texting or going out with friends they are all at the library studying yeah right! Brandon is a good kid I know him well and his mom, and he went by himself with trust from mom and the library system to check out the movies, She was a very responsible parent by looking in his backpack to see what he checked out, far be it for me to tell her how to raise her kids, if she chooses to exclude things she finds innapropriate for her 14yr old son that's her buisness then she is doing her job. how many parents can say that, what are your kids up to? at least she checks up on her son every day, allways blame the parent yeah ok. As far as I am concered she has the right to feel that the library which is for learning has overstepped it's bounds by being dumb to give a 14yr old a NC 17 film hmm?

Darin_Brittobad said on April 26, 2011 at 11:35 AM

@seattlemom: she did censor what our child got from the library! We nover got that notice from the library, he has had a library card since he was 5 years old. This was not a story about parents being lazy, its about parents monitoring what there children do. It was a shocking to learn that our son went to the library and checked a movie out that is rated NC-17 with no questions asked. He did on his own with no parental knowledge, until he got home and his backpack what checked. You need to re-watch the story and learn that it was more of a parent beware of what your kids are doing story, than complaining about how the system failed as you think she is trying to say!

seattlemom said on April 26, 2011 at 11:26 AM

The library is NOT a daycare. "whenever a kid gets a library card, a parent gets a reminder in person or in the mail that they are responsible for what materials their child accesses." If a parent wants to censor her/his child's materials do not expect others to do the job for you. So Corrina Harper return to the library and check out a few parenting books (they even make movies if you have a hard time understanding basic parenting books).

clear2copy said on April 26, 2011 at 11:25 AM

This is why the rest of the world laughs at us and our Middle-Ages attitudes towards the human body.

wellthatslovely said on April 26, 2011 at 11:17 AM

I agree that parents need to monitor what their child is checking out and looking up at the library, but here's my experience: my 13 year old son and I were at the library and I saw that he was at the service desk asking about something on DVD. I went over to the desk to find out what he was doing and looking up and the person at the desk REFUSED to tell me what he was looking up because it was his business not mine! My son has a restricted internet access card and he ended up telling me what it was he wanted to check out, but how DARE someone tell me I do not have the right to know what MY child is looking up on the library computer!! I am very upset about this!

underserf said on April 26, 2011 at 10:19 AM

BTW, any kid has ALWAYS been able to access Grays Atlas - and if you want details on human female reproduction, it don't get any better than full-color overlays - though, I admit, it looked a lot like radio schematics when I was 11...

underserf said on April 26, 2011 at 10:17 AM

By all means, restrict access to sexual content but promote VIOLENT material! After all, it's the States job to regulate who can see what, right? Hope you like your Internet censored too - once censorship begins, it won't stop - ask any smartphone user what kind of GAMES they can play...

roving_reporter said on April 26, 2011 at 10:10 AM

Well, it is Burien, there ain't much else to do there.

Sir_Real said on April 26, 2011 at 9:53 AM

Just to remind people, the MPAA has no law enforcement what so ever and is voluntary.

ss427 said on April 26, 2011 at 9:46 AM

Darin_Brittobad Here's a question for you? Who made sexual childhood curiosity such a negative behavior? Parents too hung up to talk openly with their children? A couple comments about your post: First, any child can enter a movie theater and view a R rated movie as long as they're with a parent or guardian. The rating system was created by the movie industry so as to knock the legs from under Congressional Censors. And censorship is illegal, not the other way around. You might need to, well, treat your kids like adolescents. Ya think?

citizens101 said on April 26, 2011 at 9:35 AM

Why was he by himself at the library? If you leave your kids unattended.... And I agree with some of the other commentators - censorship is a slippery slope. This particular item does not interest me, but what if I were a college student in Women's Studies and was writing a paper about how women have been exploited by the media. In such a case, this would be a very appropriate item to watch. It absolutely belongs in the library, as do PARENTS. If you expect a public facility to babysit your kids, make sure you know all of the babysitter's policies first.

kameha said on April 26, 2011 at 9:35 AM

These parents think the library and schools are their free babysitters; they pick up their kids from school and drop them at the library where they play games on computers and run around the parking lot all night until their parents pick them up at closing. It's time to leave the bingo room and start raising your own kids, that's not what my tax dollars are for. And quit trying to impose your lazy uneducated censorship rules on me and my family; I know where my kids are and what they are reading and watching and if my son wants to check out a documentary with a few nude pictures than I will sit with him and educate him on what he is watching instead of trying to hide it from him.

ss427 said on April 26, 2011 at 9:31 AM

okedokee31922640 Now THAT'S FUNNY!!

hskers1 said on April 26, 2011 at 9:29 AM

I can see how the son would be able to check out the movie without her knowing. If they live close, walking to the library may be a privalage he has. No matter how great of a parent you are you never know exactly what your child is doing, saying, watching 100% of the time unless they are never allowed to go anywhere without you stuck to their side. My mom was a single mother when I was a teenager and she was always there for me. I had a midnight curfew, she always asked where I was going, and she liked to meet all my friends and boyfriends. I would consider her a great mother, however I was still able to do things she didn't know about. So is she now all of a sudden a terrible mom? No! All kids, especially teenagers, do things to get into trouble. If it's a law that stores and theaters can't rent, sell, or allow kids into movies with age restrictions without a parent present, then why is the Library above this law?

Darin_Brittobad said on April 26, 2011 at 9:15 AM

As the father of this teenager, I find some of your comments as insults! Yes we as parents are responsible for our children. We do the best we can with what we have. There is a rating system in place for all movies, you can not go to a "R" rated movie unless you show ID and you are over 17, you can not check out a movie or buy adult magazines from stores without showing proper ID, but yet at the Library you can do all that no questions asked? As you can see by the video, my ex-wife did her job as a parent by checking through his backpack to see what he had. I am just as shocked as her to find out that a library let my son rent a NC-17 movie without showing any ID! Why should the library system be exempt from the laws that us regular citizens have to abide by?

noskills said on April 26, 2011 at 9:15 AM

If the library removed every item that someone found offensive there would be nothing in the library.

twostepsback said on April 26, 2011 at 8:31 AM

"a parent gets a reminder in person or in the mail that they ARE RESPONSIBLE for what materials their child accesses." What? Parenting comes with responsibility? What a crazy concept.

myprofile said on April 26, 2011 at 8:24 AM

Well, looks like this mom has the perfect opportunity to talk with her son about sex, albeit a little late.

okedokee31922640 said on April 26, 2011 at 7:55 AM

I could be mistaken, but I remember my nephew checking out Playboy from KCLibrary when he was around 15. The magazine got damaged so he had to pay a fine.

kitsappatriot said on April 26, 2011 at 7:34 AM

Corrina Harper be a parent! It's not the job of the police to do this. I'm guessing with a different last name, that she's a single parent. What about the kids father? This state hates fathers.

Jerr04 said on April 26, 2011 at 7:26 AM

Its good to see that there are still people out there that believe parents should be doing more to keep their kids away from certain things, rather than relying on someone else to monitor your kids. My parents never placed blame on anyone else if I stepped out of line, or looked at a website/book/magazine/movie that they didn't approve of. They punished me for my actions if necessary and then explained to me why I shouldn't have done what I did. Parents need to stop being so lazy and just be better parents. Far too many parents don't pay enough attention to their children and don't monitor them in the ways they should. That's why more kids are getting in to trouble, having sex and seeing/reading about things way above their maturity level.

freedomthinker said on April 26, 2011 at 7:23 AM

this lady wants a bigger nanny state???? raise your kid yourself you stupi....... your kid is not the responsibility of the library system or the state at large for that matter

tootoo said on April 26, 2011 at 7:05 AM

Bet that kid is oversheltered and probably picked on at school because of it. It's called the first amendment. She needs to get over herself.

LuckyLou said on April 26, 2011 at 6:21 AM

Parents have a responsibility to monitor what they kids check out of the library; course there are a lot of lazy parents out there. Easier to complain about a library having materials they don't want their kids exposed to. Find something important to complain about and take responsibility for your own children.

dbreichel said on April 26, 2011 at 6:10 AM

The moral collapse of America continues...

mr_conservative said on April 26, 2011 at 5:52 AM

Looks like the library blew it.

melz10 said on April 26, 2011 at 4:54 AM

I think people need to calm down. I am very proud the ALA has continued to try and keep real free speech under a wave of people who say one thing, but really believe another. As someone who was very very sheltered as a child (to an extreme), the libraries were not only a way for me to escape into other worlds, but to help educate about the world. Yes. Sometimes that involved violence and sex, but it also included other things like cultures, religions, and traditions. If the library would have had a rating system, it would have been very bad for me and it would be bad for other young folks.

excoastie said on April 26, 2011 at 4:33 AM

I question why our public libraries feel the need to provide this type of material. Who's in charge of selecting what is on the shelves. Clearly there other places that provide such content but, it shouldn't be in our public libraries. Protected under the first amendment should also carry a level of common sense and the awareness of our moral decay which seems to increase at a rapid pace daily.The lunatics are taking over the asylum.

nomorekoolaid said on April 26, 2011 at 4:05 AM

I am shocked, shocked I tell you! Shocked that a parent has no more sense than this. It is all out there on the internet - and has been for years. Schools expend a good deal of cash and energy to keep kids away from things, but kids find a way around them. Libraries are not AND should not be in the censorship business. But parents are in the teaching business and need to teach their children well. The last paragraph says it all - parents are informed and sign a card...

clear2copy said on April 26, 2011 at 3:37 AM

This overreaction is hilarious..any 14 year old can get on the Internet and view whatever they want..