Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed House Bill 273 Friday, which mandates that libraries provide parents access to their children’s library records. (Photo by Dana Wormald/New Hampshire Bulletin)
Borrowing records at public libraries have long been confidential under New Hampshire state law, even for the parents of a child borrower. A new law changes that.
Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed House Bill 273 Friday, which creates an exception to the confidentiality requirements and mandates that libraries provide parents access to their children’s library records.
State Rep. Mike Drago, a Raymond Republican, said the change is about ensuring parents have control over what is appropriate for their children to be reading. The bill comes as many Republicans continue to argue that libraries are allowing inappropriate materials on shelves. Drago acknowledged that debate wouldn’t be resolved any time soon, but said this bill was meant to give parents a workaround.
Some Democrats criticized the bill for not having mechanisms to verify that the person seeking the records is indeed the child’s parent.
