Equal Access to Libraries for Minors

In accordance with Article V of the Bill of Rights, the Malden Public Library does not deny or abridge a person’s right to use the library because of age. Librarians strive to ensure that all members of the community they serve have free and equal access to the entire range of library resources regardless of content, approach, and format. Children mature and develop at different rates, and their reading and informational needs vary accordingly. Libraries are not authorized to act as parents and do not function in loco parentis. Decisions about what materials are suitable for particular children should be made by the people who know them best-their parents or guardians. Parents and guardians, not the library staff, are responsible for determining what their children may read, listen to, or view; therefore, the Malden Public Library encourages parents and guardians to actively participate in their child’s library use.

-Approved January 10, 2008, by the Trustees of the Malden Public Library