Report: “As New Missouri Library Rules Kick In, Many Teens Won’t Need New Cards Right Away”

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

Although libraries in Missouri now require teens as old as 17 to have adult permission to check out materials, many young patrons won’t need new library cards immediately.

Current cards are good until their expiration dates, say librarians with the St. Louis County Library, St. Louis Public Library, and St. Charles City-County Library.

Still, smaller libraries, such as Rock Hill Public Library, will “expire” all children’s cards soon. On Monday, 215 cards will expire and parents or guardians will need to sign permission forms for new cards, said Erin Phelps, the library director.

“Some families have been proactive and have already filled out the new form, which we began making available earlier this month,” she said.

In Jefferson County, Tony Benningfield was in the process this week of cutting off cards for “a couple thousand” older teens.

“We were a little more cautious” about the new requirement for minors, said Benningfield, director of the county’s public library.

“It stinks that we have to take some access away from 16- and 17-year-olds,” he said. “They can drive around wherever they want and get a job, but they can’t get a library card.”

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Filed under: Libraries, News, Patrons and Users, Public Libraries