Minor Card Types

Updated December 18, 2023

Minors must have parent or legal guardian authorization to sign up for a library card. The parent or legal guardian is responsible for all content checked out to minors. The Community Library Network has three card types available for minors, with varying levels of access to our collections. A parent or legal guardian must be present to change the access level of their child’s card.

Please choose one of the following card types:

  1. Child Limited: Access to CLN Children’s collection geared for ages 0-12. This card type cannot reserve or borrow material from Cooperative Information Network (CIN) libraries or interlibrary loan (ILL). This card type does not provide access to e-books, streaming content, or the library’s online databases.
  2. Teen Limited: Access to CLN Teen collection geared for ages 13 – 15 and CLN Children’s collection geared for ages 0 – 12. This card type cannot reserve or borrow material from CIN libraries or ILL. This card type does not provide access to e-books, streaming content, or the library’s online databases.
  3. Minor (open access): Full access to all collections within CLN. This card type can reserve and borrow material from CIN libraries and ILL. This card type provides access to e-books, streaming content, and the library’s online databases.
This linked image will open the PDF that can be downloaded for printing.

Click image to download flyer PDF

Creating the Best Library Experience for Your Family

A Guide for Parents and Caregivers

Welcome to the Community Library Network!

We want every child to enjoy a safe and fun time in our libraries. You’ll find terrific children’s collections, programs, and expert staff to help inspire your child’s love of reading and learning. We are here to help you find content that fits with your family’s interests and values.

RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES

As a parent or caregiver, the responsibility for use of library materials by your child rests ultimately with you. You should feel empowered to set parameters that are right for your family, and we encourage you to discuss with your child what is and is not appropriate for them to read, view, and listen to.

As a public library, it is our responsibility to include materials in our collection that meet the needs of all of the different people in our community. We strive to have something for everyone. With that in mind, every family is unique. What is right for some community members and some families may not be appropriate for others.

This is why we want to empower you to set those boundaries for your family. There are a number of ways we can help you do that, and they are outlined in this guide.

PERSONALIZED RECOMMENDATIONS

Our trained and experienced library staff are here to help you navigate the library’s collection so that you may find something that is just right for your child or teen. We can talk with you about your family’s reading, viewing, and listening interests. This is an opportunity for you to tell us about any subject matter you would like to avoid. This will help us identify items in the collection that specifically meet your family’s needs, interests, and standards.

There are a few ways to do this:
BROWSING & NAVIGATING THE LIBRARY COLLECTION

Our collection is organized by age group to give our patrons an idea of where they can browse for materials that would be appropriate for them.

In general:

The children’s department contains juvenile materials for children between the ages of birth through 12.

Books in the easy fiction collection are designed to be shared by a caregiver to children birth-5 years. Topics ranges from farm animals and the alphabet to princesses and construction vehicles.

The teen space contains young adult materials for middle school and high school age youth between the ages of 12 to 18.

The main library area has materials for adults.

The difference between books for older kids and teens:

Although material in the teen space is considered by librarians and the publishing industry as generally appropriate for teens between the ages of 12 and 18, this does not necessarily mean that the reading level is higher or more advanced than juvenile books in the children’s department. In fact, it is possible that the reading level could be higher for some books in the juvenile fiction collection than those in the young adult collection in the teen space.

What is a guarantee however, is that the content of young adult books in the teen space, for ages 12 to 18, is more mature than what you’d find in the juvenile fiction collection in the children’s department.

Additionally, books for older teens (15 to 18 years old) may contain content of a more mature nature, including explicit language and sexual content. You would be less likely to find these topics in the juvenile fiction collection.

There are some wonderful, gentle, teen reads with protagonists aged 14 to 18 years old that can be found in the teen space. Library staff aim to make these gentle teen reads easily accessible by curating book lists and putting up displays on a variety of themes.

HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?

Stop by a Community Library Network library to talk with our staff!

Or reach out at 208-773-1506, or contact@communitylibrary.net.

Find Your Local Library!

Athol
30399 Third Street,
Athol, ID 83801

Bookmobile
For schedule, visit:
communitylibrary.net/outreach/

Harrison
111 S Coeur d’Alene Ave,
Harrison, ID 83833

Hayden
8385 N Government Way,
Hayden, ID 83835

Pinehurst
107 Main St,
Pinehurst, ID 83850

Post Falls
821 N Spokane St,
Post Falls, ID 83854

Rathdrum
16320 Hwy 41,
Rathdrum, ID 83858

Spirit Lake
32575 N 5th Ave,
Spirit Lake, ID 83869

MANAGING YOUR CHILD’S LIBRARY ACCOUNT

Every member of your family is welcome to have a library card of their own. If you decide to get your child their own library card, you can select how you want to set up and monitor your child’s account:

  • You can log in to your child’s account using their library card number and the pin you set up when you opened the account. This will let you see everything that is checked out on the account.
  • You can add your email address to your child’s account. You will receive notifications when items on the account have been placed on hold or renewed. You will also receive notifications when items are overdue or deemed lost.
  • You can link your child’s account to your own library card account. This allows you to pick up items on hold under your child’s account. However, you will still need to log into your child’s account separately to see items they have checked out.
  • You can choose not to monitor your child’s library account. However, a parent or guardian will still need to be listed on the account. That person is financially responsible for charges on the account.

Printable CLN Parent & Caregiver Guide (PDF)

Library Materials & Programs

Updated June 2023

Overview

As part of its mission, the Community Library Network ensures freedom of information for all. The choice of library materials is an individual matter and, while anyone is free to reject for themselves materials of which they do not approve, they cannot exercise censorship to restrict the freedom of use and access to others. The responsibility for use of library materials by minors rests ultimately with their parents or legal guardians. Public libraries in the United States help protect the freedom to read guaranteed by the First Amendment. The Supreme court and other courts have continued to uphold public libraries’ right to provide free access to materials. The District subscribes to the Freedom to Read Statement and the Library Bill of Rights adopted by the American Library Association. The Community Library Network is committed to providing books and resources for our entire community.

The Community Library Network seeks to provide a balanced collection representing a wide range of viewpoints, including controversial issues that may be objectionable to some individuals. The purchase of controversial items does not constitute endorsement of the views expressed.

The Community Library Network participates in a consortium with over 20 library systems in north Idaho and eastern Washington known as the Cooperative Information Network (CIN). You can place holds on items at the libraries in our consortium and they will be delivered to your home library. Minors’ access to material placed on hold from other library systems is the responsibility of parents or legal guardians. Each library system in the consortium is responsible for purchasing and selecting its own materials. Materials owned by other library systems will not be on display at Community Library Network libraries.

Library Materials

Each library in the Community Library Network has four designated shelving areas.

Children’s material is specified for children ages 0 – 12 and for parents, caregivers, and teachers. Items in this collection are designed to develop the enjoyment of reading by providing materials that are current, educational, and fun to read.

Teen material is specified for ages 13 – 15. Items in this collection help support the interests and development of teens as they transition from childhood into teen years. Items in this section have more complex plots, themes, and story intensity. Items in this section can include historical depictions of war and violence, age-appropriate humor, and age-appropriate interpersonal relations.

Young Adult material is specified for ages 16 – 18. Material in this collection supports the transition from teen to adult. Items in this section include books with portrayals of multifaceted interpersonal relations, complex themes, realistic coming of age stories, contemporary trends, and difficult life circumstances.

Adult material is specified for ages 18 and older. Material in this collection covers a wide range of fictional topics, themes, circumstances, and contemporary trends. This collection also includes non-fiction material covering many topics including home improvement, cooking, interpersonal relations, religion, social issues, history, poetry, and biographies.

Items in the library have been selected based on criteria set forth in our Material Selection policy. We encourage parents and caregivers to be actively involved with their children and teens in the selection of library materials. Library staff are always happy to help parents find the right books for their kids. As a parent/guardian, you can select how you want to set up and monitor your child's account, please ask a staff member for more information.

Library Card Types

The Community Library Network offers multiple library card types to meet the needs of the community. Library card types for minors are outlined in Library Cards for Minors policy. The following card types are available.

  1. Children’s limited access card. Provides access to materials designated for ages 0 – 12. Requires parent or guardian signature.
  2. Teen limited access card. Provides access to materials designated for ages 0 – 12 and 13 – 15. Requires parent or guardian signature.
  3. Minor open access card. Provides access to all material and online databases. Requires parent or guardian signature.
  4. Adult open access card. Provides access to all material and online databases.
  5. Minor basic card. Issued to children not residing in a CIN taxing district. Provides access to all materials except for online databases.
  6. Adult basic card. Issued to persons not residing in a CIN taxing district. Provides access to all materials except for online databases.
  7. Non-resident card. Issued to persons not residing in a CIN taxing district. Provides access to all materials and online databases for a $25 annual fee.

Reconsideration of Materials

The Community Library Network recognizes that a collection of diverse materials may result in some complaints or requests for reconsideration. The following procedures have been developed ensure that complaints are handled in an attentive and consistent manner.

  1. Staff members will explain the material selection policy to the member. If the member wishes, a Citizen's Request for Reconsideration may be submitted to the Library Director.
  2. The completed form is reviewed by 2 members of the library staff and by the Library Director. The item in question will be objectively reviewed to ascertain that the selection criteria and principles stated above were applied in the selection process.
  3. The Library Director will respond to the requester of the decision within 30 days of the date that the reconsideration form was submitted. The Library Director shall also notify the District’s Board of Trustees of the outcome of each Request for Reconsideration submitted.
  4. Should the requester wish to appeal the Library Director’s decision, a final appeal in writing may be made within 14 days to the Community Library Network’s Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees will review the selection criteria (described above in this document and the Materials Selection policy) and consider other appropriate information, including professional reviews and recommendations, comments from the Library staff, decision from the Library Director, and comments from the requester.

Library Programs

The Community Library Network empowers discovery by developing and presenting programs that meet the educational, informational, and cultural needs of the community. Programming helps to further the mission and vision of the Community Library Network.

The Library’s philosophy of open access to information and ideas extends to Library programming, and the library does not knowingly discriminate through its programming. The presentation of a program by or on behalf of the Library does not constitute Library endorsement of the program’s content or the views expressed by any presenter(s) or participants. The Library recognizes that some programs may be controversial and that any given program may offend some members. As with other Library provided services, minors’ access to programs is the responsibility of their parents or legal guardians. All Library programs are supervised by Library staff.

The Community Library Network opens all programs to the general public; however, the Library may limit some programs (i.e., children’s programs and story times) to age-specific audiences.

The Library offers many different teen programs including; Middle School Anime Club, High School Anime Club, Rainbow Squad, Cooking Club, Cosplay Club, Little Weird Painting Club, Dungeons & Dragons, Teen Publishing, Reading Challenges, Music Club, Drawing Club, and more. All Teens are welcome to join us for Rainbow Squad, a gathering for the LGBTQ+ community and allies. The program consists of crafts, games, and snacks similar to other Library teen programs. A parent edition of the program is now offered which occurs at the same time.

Occasionally, the Library will hold programs after hours. Programs such as Nerf Wars, movie nights, special author events, Rainbow Squad and others have been held after hours. Holding a program after hours allows us to use a variety of spaces for a program in addition to not worrying about the program disturbing other Library members.

Printable Library Materials and Programs (PDF)

Check out our FAQs

Get News From Your Library