In the end I think it’s safe to say it’s both the parent and child’s fault. It’s the parent’s fault for not teaching his child what is proper for his age to read and what isn’t, and it’s the child’s fault for ignoring the age rating warnings. Mature titles make their content very explicit. There is no way this kid didn’t know he was bringing home material not meant for him.

Yes, you are still young, and it is the parent’s job to correct their children so they know what is right and what is wrong, so it would be very appropriate for the parent to punish their child for doing something wrong and not the library. That’s the parent taking responsibility for his parenting. It’s what we’re supposed to do.

No matter what you may think, the responsibility for raising a child lies SOLELY with the parent. The librarian has two duties, follow the law and follow their job description. I’m sure no librarian anywhere has a requirement to help you raise your kids. That’s like saying the auto mechanic needs to balance your checkbook because you pay him for service.

From what I recall from my library, children have children library cards, but can get an adult card after a certain age (Don’t remember what). They can also use their parent’s card. The story doesn’t say who’s card was used, just that the books were checked out.

The books in question, Battle Vixens and Battle Club are not porn. Crass fan service perhaps, but not by any means porn. I’ve never been to a library that had PORN of any kind available for checkout, so it’s really a moot point. Librarians don’t need to be yelled at for any reason (except if they go postal from all the stupid parents yelling at them).

Yes, this situation does require common sense, but the librarian’s job is NOT to raise a child. Their job is to manage the library and help patrons find the information they are looking for. Their job is not to raise other people’s children, anymore than it is a teacher’s job, theirs is to teach, or the police, theirs is to protect. All of these professions have more than enough to deal with without having raising other people’s children pushed on them.

If it’s an automated system then its even easier to set up. Just make sure the manga market as mature are in the adult section, and set it so anyone with a kids card can’t take them out. It’s how it’s done in the UK. The kids card only allows them to cvheck out books from the childrens section. If the parents want them to have access to everything they can request them to be given a full adult card. In which case it’s upto the parents to monitor.

Yes it’s a parents job to raise their children. However it’s also the librarians job to make sure that kids don’t check out porn. It dosen’t take long to say no. And i’d rather have a parent shouting at me for not letting their kid check out something, than for letting them.

It just requires that thing called common sense, on the parts of both librarian and parent. Both have a job to do, and both have a part to play in raising a child, just as teachers, police etc etc do

Also for the commentor who feels the circ clerk should have refused to check out to the child, many libraries have self-checkout machines so the kid may not have even approached a library employee at all.

There has to be a line drawn somewhere where people have to take personal responsibility for their actions, parents for their kids. The library did what it was supposed to do. It put those books in the adult section of the library. The kid was just as aware of the Mature ratings.

But the last thing anyone should want is a public agency telling people what they can and can’t read. Parents are there for a reason. They can discipline the boy and leave the library out of it. The library is not a porn peddler, and librarians don’t need to police the books. Parents did that for years, and I don’t see a need for it to change now.

That’s parenting. Too bad most people don’t know how to do it.

Dad is at fault for not ensring his son follows house rules. If he didnt want his son reading stuff like that then he should of said so, and made sure his son new if he broke the rule he’s get a stiff punishment.

However i also see the library at fault here. Manga like Battle Vixens are covered, both back and front with warnings and age ratings, and i think the library showed bad judgement in allowing a 12 year old to check out an adult book.

To me, it would be the same as if someone were to give a 12 year old a 6 pack without question. These are rated as mature/adult for a reason, they arent what kids should be reading.

If the family dosent mind their kids reading smut, then they can infom the library. In a digiital age there’s no reason or excuse for not enforcing age limits in libraries.