Access to Library Resources and Services for Minors: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights

All people, of all ages, should have equal and equitable access to all library resources and services. The American Library Association (ALA) opposes any efforts to restrict access based on age. Policies and procedures that prevent minors[i] from accessing the same resources and services as adults violate the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights. Libraries and their governing bodies should not use age as a reason to avoid potential objections. Not acquiring materials because minors might access them reduces the credibility of the library and limits access for everyone.

Article V of the Library Bill of Rights states, “A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.” The right to use a library means that people should have free access to all services, materials, and facilities and unrestricted use of everything the library offers. Any restriction based solely on the following criteria violates Article V:

  • age;
  • apparent maturity;
  • educational level;
  • literacy skills; or
  • legal status.

Further violations of Article V include setting limits on:

  • how old someone must be to get a library card;
  • demonstrated skills or abilities required to get a library card (like signing their name);
  • requiring parental/guardian permission to get a card for anyone old enough to be in the library without parental/guardian supervision;
  • how many or what kinds of items minors can check out compared to adults; or
  • creating trial periods for library use based on age.

Violations to Article V also include restricting access for minors who don’t have a parent or guardian available to sign a library card application or permission slip, who can’t provide legal ID to verify their name or address, or who can’t visit a library in person.

Libraries can make reasonable exceptions to protect the safety of minors or financial liability to the library. Reasonable exceptions may include limiting access to multipurpose rooms, expensive/rare materials, or high cost circulating items or technology.

Libraries: An American Value states the following: “We affirm the responsibility and the right of all parents and guardians to guide their own children’s use of the library and its resources and services.”[ii] Libraries and their governing bodies can’t take on the role of parents or act “in loco parentis.” Examples include:

  • setting up computer systems that hide or block certain materials without parental permission;
  • limiting which parts of the library or what kinds of books and services minors can use;
  • not letting minors check out certain items or making comments about whether materials are appropriate based on assumed age or maturity; and
  • using ratings to stop young people from getting certain materials.

There are many resources available for parents/guardians to find information on how a book, resource, or other material aligns with their family’s values. Libraries are not responsible for determining the appropriateness of any book, material, or resource for an individual beyond the already existing collection designations. Only parents or guardians should restrict their own children’s access to library materials and services.

The freedom to read is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.[iii] This includes minors. Minors have the right to receive information from the library in all forms, such as:

  • print;
  • sound;
  • images;
  • data;
  • social media;
  • online applications;
  • games;
  • technologies;
  • programming; and
  • other formats.[iv]

The right to privacy is fundamental to the freedom to read.[v] Article VII of the ALA Library Bill of Rights states, “All people, regardless of origin, age, background, or views, possess a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use.” Minors also have the right to use the library without being watched or monitored.[vi]

Libraries and their governing bodies have a legal and professional obligation to provide free and equitable access to a diverse range of library resources and services that is inclusive, regardless of content, approach, or format to everyone in their community equally, including minors. School and public libraries, in particular, must provide resources and services to meet the diverse interests and informational needs of everyone in their community. This means:

  • offering services, materials, and spaces that work for all community members, no matter their age;
  • curating developmentally appropriate collections;
  • understanding that people need different things at different stages of their lives; and
  • not making decisions about what’s appropriate for each person individually.

Libraries cannot censor constitutionally protected speech to protect minors from ideas or images lawmakers deem unsuitable.[vii] Denying access to information to anyone, including minors, can be harmful. Libraries and their governing bodies must uphold this principle to protect the rights to intellectual freedom and the freedom to read for people of all ages.

Notes

[i] Check local laws for definitions.

[ii] “Libraries: An American Value,” adopted on February 3, 1999, by ALA Council.

[iii] “The Freedom to Read Statement,” adopted June 25, 1953, by the ALA Council and the AAP Freedom to Read Committee; amended January 28, 1972; January 16, 1991; July 12, 2000; June 30, 2004; reaffirmed by ALA, AAP on June 26, 2023.

[iv] Brown v. Entertainment Merchant’s Association, et al. 564 U.S. 08-1448 (2011).

[v] “Privacy: ALA Core Values of Librarianship,” adopted January 2024 by the ALA Council.

[vi] “Privacy: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights,” adopted June 19, 2002, by the ALA Council; amended July 1, 2014; June 24, 2019; and June 29, 2025.

[vii] Erznoznik v. City of Jacksonville, 422 U.S. 205 (1975): “Speech that is neither obscene as to youths nor subject to some other legitimate proscription cannot be suppressed solely to protect the young from ideas or images that a legislative body thinks unsuitable for them. In most circumstances, the values protected by the First Amendment are no less applicable when government seeks to control the flow of information to minors.” See also Tinker v. Des Moines School Dist., 393 U.S.503 (1969); West Virginia Bd. of Ed. v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943); AAMA v. Kendrick, 244 F.3d 572 (7th Cir. 2001).

Adopted June 30, 1972, by the ALA Council; amended July 1, 1981; July 3, 1991; June 30, 2004; July 2, 2008 (under previous name “Free Access to Libraries for Minors”); July 1, 2014; June 25, 2019; and May 29, 2025.