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Nevada Bills Would Open School Libraries to PublicA bill before the Nevada legislature would allow school libraries to open their collections to the public. The measure, which passed the Assembly 41–1 April 15, authorizes school districts to let residents with library cards check out materials during nonschool hours; it is now before the Senate.Assemblyman Joe Hardy (R-Boulder City) based AB407 on six school/public partnership libraries in Washoe County. Hardy's bill “will simply give permission for libraries to open their collections to the public,” said Ellen Fockler, library media technology coordinator for the Washoe County School District. A similar measure still in committee, AB345, would require high school libraries to open their doors to the public until 7 p.m. on school days, and for at least four hours on weekdays during the summer and on Saturdays and Sundays. “That would be a very difficult and expensive thing for schools,” Fockler told American Libraries, requiring major increases in staffing and collections and higher overhead costs. AB345 was originally developed by high-school students for a statewide contest sponsored by Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins (D-Henderson), who introduced the measure. Fockler said she believed that the original intention was to provide students with after-hours access to their libraries, without considering the fiscal ramifications of opening the facilities to the public. Posted May 5, 2003. |
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