Idaho Requires Proof Of Age For Libraries, Is Texas Next?

It is tough to write about this without a sense of rage.

Libraries Are Essential

I'd rather not "rage-bait" you with this. I can only tell you that some of the best and most productive years of my childhood were spent in public libraries. I can also tell you that my visits almost always resulted in me checking things out like "Charlie & The Chocolate Factor" and The Boy Scout Manual. Being of a certain age, I was only interested in books that were targeted towards me.

Politics Are A Joke

Now, along come politicians deciding that something that was never a problem, is a problem, so they can take credit for it. Idaho passed a law allowing parents to sue libraries over books that they find inappropriate for children. Does no one else see how "nanny state" this is? Seriously, maybe the libraries should be allowed to sue the parents for allowing their kids for getting into stuff they shouldn't get into.

The Solution

As part of the law libraries had to create monitored adult spaces (that's not real great for adults either) for some books. Smaller and less-funded libraries had to react by requiring proof of I.D., effectively banning kids from libraries unless accompanied by an adult.  This is truly an amazing moment in history, where stupidity is valued over learning.

It Won't Help

How useless is this law? Let's start with the fact that every kid has a smartphone and can find anything they want. This weirdness of demonizing libraries is sheer craziness and even a burden on people who can't afford to buy books. It should also go without saying that these days, there's not a whole heck of a lot of kids going to the library in the first place and that's a very bad thing.

Will This Movement Grow?

So could this type of thing happen in Texas? Oh, yes. We specialize in getting worked up about non-problems here. I'm pretty surprised we haven't had to face this already.