Carly Anderson (@carlyjdot) is a mom of three living in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Recently, she ran into a bizarre situation while at her local library with two of her daughters, and her TikTok about it is going viral.
In the video, Carly starts by saying, “Kids have lost access to public libraries. That sounds dramatic, but this is a real-life story that happened to us yesterday in Idaho.” She goes on to share that her 11-year-old daughter Scarlett (who has great taste in summer reading) had just finished reading The Hobbit, so they were heading upstairs into the adult’s section to pick up The Fellowship of the Ring. But they were stopped by a sign that wasn’t there before.
Carly explains, “The sign says that if you are under 18, you’re not allowed up there unless you have an unrestricted library card or your parent that is over 18 signs an affidavit for you.” So Carly shows her ID and her daughter’s library card, thinking she’s in the clear. But the librarians still don’t allow her to enter the adult section.
“But no, why don’t they let me? Because I’m holding a baby, my 1-year-old.” Yep, you read that right. Even a literal baby now needs the proper documents to be in Carly’s library. “They said that because I had a baby there (who can’t read), I’m not allowed in the library with her unless she has a library card or I signed an affidavit. So me and Daphne just watched from the edge while Scarlett goes in to find her book. The librarian ended up helping her.” Carly’s clear in her video that she doesn’t blame the librarians, saying, “They were being so nice and patient… I felt like the librarians are sick of it. They feel so bad turning kids away from going into the library.”
She also voices concerns for the kids who won’t be allowed to explore the library, saying, “My heart broke because what about these kids that aren’t coming in with parents? What about the Matildas out there that literally come to the library to just read, read, and read and then gain superpowers because they’re Matilda? What about the Hermiones out there that find amazing answers because they go into the Restricted Section of the library?”
So what in tarnation is going on with Carly’s library? It has to do with House Bill 710, a new Idaho state law that went into effect on July 1. Under this law, parents can sue public or school libraries if they believe that they’re offering “harmful” materials to minors.
In a follow-up video discussing this bill, Carly says, “All public and school libraries are having to work around this new bill to make sure they don’t get sued. For some libraries, it’s doing something like this: having an unrestricted card, or making sure that a parent, a legal guardian, signs an affidavit. Even sadder, some of the smaller community libraries have been closed since July 1 because they just don’t have the funding to restructure a library like this, or the funding to get sued every time someone gets offended.”
And she shares even more concerns about the kids who could be turned away from the library due to this law. “The problem is, what about our marginalized groups? What about these smaller communities? What about these kids that don’t get to come in with their parents? What about grandparents taking their grandchildren and they’re not their legal guardian? What about teenagers that are looking for answers about eating disorders, about abuse? They don’t get to unless they talk to their parent about it and can drag their parent to the library with them or talk them into giving them an unrestricted library card.”
Commenters on Carly’s videos expressed shock and sadness at the new rules in Idaho libraries:
Some people shared fond memories of summer days spent at the library in their childhoods:
And library professionals also chimed in to share their thoughts:
Carly told BuzzFeed that she and her daughters have always loved their local library, saying, “The Idaho Falls Public Library has always been one of our favorite places! I want to encourage a love of learning in my children, and the library is such an easy and impactful way to do this. In the summer, we try to go weekly, taking advantage of their summer reading program and educational activities. The librarians put in a lot of work to provide free and fun programs inclusive of everyone in the community. Our experience has always been positive, thanks to them!”
She also shared her reaction to the comments on her videos. “I think their overall response of concern for Idaho’s children was more than warranted. Many commenters recalled the library as a positive part of their upbringing, noting that these restrictions are taking away a wholesome part of childhood from this next generation. Our elected officials are to blame. State representatives like Barbara Ehardt are putting work into banning, restricting, and limiting access to citizen rights and liberties.”
Carly went on to add that this situation shows why it’s crucial to vote in local elections, too. “This library bill is exactly why local politics matter. In Idaho, only 17% of registered voters elected these legislators [in 2020]. This rewarded the most extreme candidates, resulting in these extremely weird bills. We need average, everyday Idahoans to get out and vote! The more people we can get out to vote, the greater our community will reflect the opinions of who actually live there.”
A lawsuit to stop enforcement of the bill was filed last week on behalf of the Northwest Association of Independent Schools, Sun Valley Community School, Foothills School of Arts and Sciences, the Community Library Association, and Collister United Methodist Church, plus four parents. The suit claims that the library law violates first amendment rights.
Finally, Carly says, “Thank you to our Idaho librarians for putting up with this nonsense.”
