Parental permission clause

put in library circulation policy

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Parents will be able to limit their children's access to videos, the Internet and the number of items that they can check out at the New Ulm Public Library as the result of a circulation policy insert approved Thursday by the Library Board.

Parents or legal guardians can now place a note on the child's library card record to limit access to videos, Internet use and number of circulated items. These limits also will apply to those items requested via Inter-Library Loan.

"I feel this will resolve the issues that parents may have with the library's policies on what minors can check out in R or NC-17 rated VHS/DVD movies or access on the Internet from library computers," Library Director Carolyn Baird told the board.

The circulation policy insert also includes a provision for minors to limit data access to the minor's records by a parent or guardian. This privacy protection is provided under Minnesota Government Data Practices Statute Section 13.02, Subd 8.

The policy insert was approved, 5-0, without comment from the board.

Also approved was a library governance provision affecting board members. A member who has had three consecutive unexcused absences will forfeit his or her seat on the board; a replacement will be appointed by the mayor.

Work continues on library renovation and rearranging areas of the library, Baird reported. A baby changer has been added to the unisex restroom which was created from a men's room on second floor.

Baird said she would be talking to the board at a future meeting about replacing the patron computers.

"We have two computers that are not working well, and I would like to get them replaced," Baird explained. She later noted that she wants 10 new patron computers, averaging about $1,000 apiece; however, she noted that it wouldn't be necessary to get all of them at once.

Several board members, including new Board Chairman Jim Aufderheide, reported receiving favorable comments about recent changes made at the library.

The board also deferred the election of a new secretary and treasurer until the next monthly meeting.