LISNews: Librarian News

Here\'s an interesting story on the library in Massachusetts that allows young patrons rent R-Rated Videos. It seems there is more opposition than originally expected.

A patron showed up, carrying a petition with approximately 135 signatures, asking the executive board to consider changing that policy. -- Read More

The Toronto Star has This Story on how osme libraries are letting people eat. Good to see libraries changing with the times.

For years, librarians have read the riot act to patrons caught eating or drinking in the stacks. But they now say the influence of Chapters and other big bookstores - where customers wander the aisles with food and drink from the in-store cafés - has spilled over to libraries, making it tougher to enforce the no-food-or-drink rule. ``I think people are a little on edge\'\' about the change, said chief librarian Mike Ridley. ``There\'s concern that the collection may be at risk. The fact is, people take books out and do even worse things to them at home.\'\' -- Read More

Not everyone is happy about the video rental policy in MA, Story Here.

An Easthampton woman whose 13-year-old son recently came home from the library with several R-rated videos is mounting a campaign to give parents a say in what their children can check out from the library\'s collection.
Bennett, however, was not so happy. She and \"quite a few\" supporters plan to petition the library\'s executive board at its monthly meeting March 13 to set up a card system for library patrons under the age of 17 that will allow parents to indicate whether their children should be allowed to check out R-rated videos.

\"I\'m not (trying to) take away anybody\'s freedom,\" Bennett said yesterday, stressing that it should be up to parents to decide for their own children under age 17 whether they should have access to films that the movie industry has deemed suitable only for those aged 17 and above.

A story from Philadelphia shows kids
where to get R-Rated movies.

UPDATEA Report on the lack of protests.

Most favor
the Philadelphia system\'s decision to open access for
children as young as 12, down from 14.

Last year, the Free Library of Philadelphia got into a flap
over its policy of letting children as young as 14 borrow
R-rated movies.

Yesterday, library president Elliot L. Shelkrot acknowledged
that the policy had been changed. Now borrowers as young as
12 have access to all material, including videos.

\"The change in age is in response to the public,\" Shelkrot
said.
Only in four systems surveyed, including Detroit and San
Diego, were borrowers required to be 18 or older to take -- Read More