Idaho Falls mother Carly Anderson could hardly believe her eyes on a recent trip to the public library.
With two of her daughters in tow, Anderson headed out of the children’s library to the adult section upstairs. Scarlett, her 11-year-old girl, had just finished Tolkien’s classic The Hobbit and was eager to continue the story. So her mother tried to bring her to the grown-up floor to pick up The Fellowship of the Rings, the next in the classic fantasy series.
Then they saw the sign. The most prominent words were “restricted library.” What does that mean? The sign explained that no one under 18 years of age was allowed in the adult section of the library unless the parents sign an affidavit giving the child permission.
Well, Scarlett did have Carly’s permission, obviously, so Carly strode right in with Scarlett. And then she was stopped for a reason most people would find unbelievable in a comedy caper: Carly’s one-year-old baby couldn’t come in.
Why? The helpful staffer explained to Carly that since her baby did not have a library card (obviously, as babies cannot read), it was against policy to bring in the unauthorized infant.
Amazingly, Carly herself had to stay outside the adult section with her baby while 11-year-old Scarlett browsed for her book.
Carly had a hard time believing that the library could be so bureaucratic and literal-minded, but she said she doesn’t blame the individual staff. She called the librarians on duty “nice and patient,” and said it seemed like the librarians themselves are “sick of” turning children away from the stacks.
Carly has since made several videos about the Kafka-esque policy for social media.
The situation is being blamed on a new Idaho law that allows parents to sue libraries who offer “harmful” material to children. The law may have to do with the increasing activism of parent groups who object to the actually obscene and pornographic “transgender” and “LGBTQ” offerings that are being given to children way too young.
But Carly says this is forcing libraries into ridiculous policies in order to avoid being sued.
