My philosophy of library services to children, is that the library is an extension of school, a place where curious minds can find answers.

 

Censorship

I believe it is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to decide what a child may read or view.  It is important to develop policies that give young readers access to a range of ideas. The only thing I believe should be censored is speech not protected by the First Amendment that are obscene such, “child pornography, defamation, and “fighting words,” or speech that incites immediate and imminent lawless action.”

The freedom to read is guaranteed by the Constitution. I agree with the Freedom to Read Statement published by American Library Association (2019), “every American community must jealously guard the freedom to publish and to circulate, in order to preserve its own freedom to read.”

I am guided by the Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read Statement.

 

Internet filtering

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the Internet is a medium of free expression, so it is protected by the First Amendment; but I also agree with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) which requires schools and libraries who receive e-rate discounts for internet connections being required to create an internet safety policy and to install technology protection measures to block obscene images and child pornography that are not protected by the First Amendment. (American Library Association, 2018)

 

Internet safety

I feel library staff are not in a position to supervise children’s use of the Internet.  Internet safety is the responsibility of the parents or guardians. I feel parents or legal guardians must assume responsibility for ensuring their own minor children’s safety and security when using email, instant messaging, social networking sites, or other forms of electronic resource information.  The only exception of a library that accepts E-rate funds, then they must have internet protection measures to protect against obscene, child pornography, and anything that would be considered as harmful to minors.

 

Patron privacy

While policies for patron privacy may vary for children, where staff may be allowed to share information about what is checked out on a minor's card while other will not.  Children and young adults have the right to protection of their confidentiality, security, and the integrity of personal information and it is enforced by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998. (FCC, 2019)

Patron privacy should be protected to the fullest extent under the law.  The library should keep no permanent record of Internet sites visited, or searches on the databases.  Records of borrowed material should be deleted when items are returned, and not kept as public record. 

Library and staff should not be held responsible for information sent over the Internet by any patron.

According to the American Library Association, the Fourth Amendment protects a personal identifiable information, but it is the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Katz v. United States that defines the amendment as “protects people, not places” and what a person “seeks to preserve as private, even in an area accessible to the public, may be constitutionally protected.”  (American Library Association, 2017)

 

Philosophy of library programming

Programming provides a link between the library and the community. It creates a bond where the patrons think of the library as a go-to for workshops, activities for the family, to find advice, and literacy.

Our goal should be to provide the best for our patrons by collaborating with schools and organizations. All programming should be developed with care. I believe in listening to community’s input, and in engaging with the community by visiting their stores, parks, and attending community events when researching the needs of our library district.

 

Philosophy of reference service

One of the key aspects of reference service is to help patrons define their research needs, but it is more than just finding material.  It is our duty to show them how to choose resources, to learn research strategies, and to learn how to evaluate the results. Service to our patrons do not stop at research questions or book recommendations.  Our patrons have computer and other technology questions. Some may need help navigating the Internet in search of government forms.

 

Conduct

Proper conduct is important in creating a pleasant and productive environment. 

 

Staff Conduct

When speaking and providing service to the community, I believe it is important to have a customer service philosophy. 

• We must be courteous and try to always give the highest quality of service to our patrons.

• Everyone should be treated equally, no matter the race, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, educational background, or disability.

• We should routinely ensure that all policies are patron friendly.

• Our patron’s privacy should be our priority.

• Staff should be approachable, and attentive. 

I feel it is our duty to help young patrons gain confidence in exploring the library and to learn new skills.

Patron Conduct

Parents and caregivers should be held responsible for monitoring the behavior of their children in the library. When children are acting inappropriately, staff reserves the right to intervene. Have a friendly positive demeanor, but be firm when discouraging negative behavior. A warning should be given to the child and caregiver.  If the child continues to be disruptive, the child should be asked to leave.

 

Marketing

Marketing is an important component with our programming development plan.  We must think about the best way to communicate and attract the community.  We use marketing to develop ways to showcase the library collection and to advertise the events of the library to the community.  The best ways to advertise to our patrons are with a variety of methods from personal selling (speaking to our patrons), advertising (on community board, our displays, and social media), and through public engagements (visiting schools, childcare facilities, and other community events).

 

Serving Families with Special Needs

The library resources should be available to everyone regardless to class, color, culture, gender, languages, learning styles, and disability.

I feel it is important to education oneself with the tools to provide customer service that encompasses all educational and physical limitations.

To provide the best quality services for special need families, we should take time to reach out to support groups and special education professionals.

 

Library Management

We should have a clear policy and procedures manual that is easily understood by patrons.  The manual should include the mission statement, operation policies, collection development policy, and a policy for handling challenged material.

 

Technology

It is important to keep current.  I believe libraries should always be on the lookout for innovative technologies.  We must constantly adapt to incorporate new technology for learning, communicating, and researching. Technology can create an environment of creativity and foster collaboration.

New technology benefits patrons and the library.  It makes possible for the library to develop new and easier ways of maintaining library data management.

 

            I believe by having a personal policy in place, the library can be a place where children and teens can feel engaged, where they can learn, discover new passions, and form new identities.

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Reference

 

American Library Association. (2017, April 30). Privacy and Confidentiality: Library Core    Values. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/privacy/toolkit/corevalues

 

American Library Association. (2018, July 18). Internet Filtering. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/internet-filtering

 

American Library Association. (2019, January 01). Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read Statement Pamphlet. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/oif/LBOR-FTR-statement-pamphlet

 

Federal Communications Commission. (2019, March 12). Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Retrieved from https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/childrens-internet-protection-act