Statement on 15 CSR 30-200.015 Library Certification Requirement for the Protection of minors

Effective August 1, 2023, all Missouri public libraries must comply with 15 CSR 30-200.015 Library Certification Requirement for the Protection of Minors to qualify for state aid funding. The rule was introduced by Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, whose office oversees the Missouri State Library.

Section C of the rule states:

“The library has or will adopt a written, publicly accessible policy allowing a minor’s parent or guardian to determine what materials and access will be available to that minor, and no person employed by or acting on behalf of the library shall knowingly grant access to a minor to any material in any form not approved by that minor’s parent or guardian;”

To maintain compliance, Washington Public Library has expired the library cards of all minors (anyone age 17 or lower) on July 31. This was done in coordination with Scenic Regional Library.

To renew a minor’s library card, a parent (or legal guardian) must accompany their minor to Washington Public Library or any branch of Scenic Regional Library. The new consent language acknowledges that the parent (or legal guardian) understands that the library cannot control or monitor a minor’s access to the library’s collections, including the Internet.

A parent (or legal guardian) who is uncomfortable being solely responsible for monitoring what their minor accesses at the library (including online) are advised to not renew their minor’s library card.

We apologize for any inconvenience that this new state rule may create.

Thank you,
Nelson Appell, Director
Washington Public Library