
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, October 18, 1993                   TAG: 9310180110
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: FAIRFAX                                LENGTH: Short

6-YEAR-OLD'S READING LIST IS TOP-SECRET

Nancy Rosenkranz wanted to know if her family had any overdue library books, but a Fairfax County librarian wouldn't tell her, citing the privacy of Rosenkranz's daughter, Margarete.

Margarete is 6 years old.

"We thought we had misplaced `The Little Red Hen,' " Rosenkranz said. "They wouldn't let me into the account. They said it violated my 6-year-old's right to privacy. I said, `Excuse me?' "

Complaints from incredulous parents have prompted Fairfax County officials to review their privacy policy, which guarantees the confidentiality of every patron.

"That goes back to a basic tenet of libraries - that someone's reading, listening and viewing habits are very personal," said Georgette Blanchfield, library spokeswoman.

The Fairfax Board of Supervisors asked County Attorney David Bobzien for an opinion. He said state law does not require libraries to protect the privacy of minors' checkout records.

"A parent who wants to find out what's on the kid's library card ought to be able to get it," Supervisor Thomas Davis said.

Under the confidentiality policy, librarians may tell parents the number and types of books - such as "picture book" - checked out, but the title remains private unless the child is present when the parent asks for the information and the child agrees to release it.

by CNB