A policy being considered by the Iowa City Public Library’s board of trustees would keep registered sex offenders out of the library but grant them use of online resources and the ability to send a representative to check out material.
The proposed policy is in response to a new state law that went into effect July 1 ruling that sex offenders who have been convicted of a crime against a minor cannot enter a public library without the written permission of the library administrator. Sex offenders also are not allowed to loiter within 300 feet of a library.
The library board, which discussed the issue at its June meeting and is working to have a policy in place soon to address the new law, could vote on the matter at a 5 p.m. meeting today at the library.
How Do You Know
so how are they going to know who is and who isn’t? Are their photos going to be posted for the staff to see? Do they have to wear a sign or something?
Enforcement might be a problem, unless these offenders are already well known amongst the community and easily identifiable.
>^..^<
in my library
In my library, we have a folder with pictures of all of the offenders in the area who are prohibited from coming to the library by the conditions of their parole/probation. But that’s Megan’s Law in New Jersey. I’m not certain what the state or nationwide enforcement actions are.
easy.
“so how are they going to know who is and who isn’t?”
if you come into the library you are not a sex offender. but everyone else…
Sometimes I wonder if we are
Sometimes I wonder if we are becoming more civilized, or if we are regressing through our good intentions. There are plenty of people on those lists who do not deserve to be treated like second-class citizens. Of course I would not want child molesters in my library. I think that if we are going to have these lists, we need legislative reform so that the lists represent only the true undesirables. Another thought, we have prisons overflowing with non-violent offenders who have life sentences, yet there are child molesters roaming the streets?
Understand the reasoning but think it’s wrong
I understand the “reasoning” behind this policy, but I think it’s just wrong. As the person above me said, there are a lot of people on those lists who do not deserve to be treated like 2nd class citizens. There are a LOT of crimes out there that can get you on a registered sex offender list that most people would not consider dangerous to the average person.
Also, if the patron is obeying the library’s rules of behavior then they should have every right to be there. I understand the thought of wanting to protect the community from these felons, however, I think in doing so, it also takes away from the responsibility of the parent/guardian/caregiver to watch their children and know where they are and what they’re doing.
I think there’s way too much of an attitude of the library being “safe” and that kids can be left alone and it shouldn’t be that way. It’s still a public building, just like a mall or a supermarket. Anyone can walk into a public building. Children should not be left alone.
Can terrible things happen even when parents are paying attention? Yes. I know it can. I was the victim of that, but I still think it’s the responsibility of the parent/caregiver to prevent that and not the library’s job.
Just my $.02.