Youths’ access to Playboy remains heated library issue

Thursday, Dec. 9, 1999 | 9:56 a.m.

The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District's policy that allows children to read Playboy is not on the agenda for tonight's library board meeting, but board members are expecting the issue to come up during public comment.

Since the issue recently came to light following a complaint that three boys were looking at the magazine at a local library, parents, students and public officials have spoken out against it.

At the last library meeting, Nov. 18, about 45 minutes were spent on public comment over the issue.

Playboy is kept behind the reference desk at a handful of local libraries and anyone with a library card -- regardless of age -- can ask to look at the magazine.

"Our policy is consistent with most urban libraries in the country," Daniel Walters, executive director for the library district said. "I think a lot of folks who don't use the library often seem to forget that the library has a wide range of materials."

To better inform parents, the board is looking into providing a handout to parents when cards are issued to minors that explains the diversity of library materials, he said.

Las Vegas Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald and County Commissioner Lance Malone support restricting access of the magazine to minors.

Gloria Sturman, a library board member for six years, doesn't recall the Playboy issue ever being addressed -- although similar issues with different content have come up at meetings, she said.

"It's a huge, complex issue and not one you can make a snap decision on," she added.

"My initial response is that it's an issue for parents," she said, rather than having the library decide what children can read. However, Sturman added, that she's willing to listen to other views.

"I realize it's hard. The core belief is that you have to make these items available to the whole."

The magazine is catalogued at the library for reference.

"I think this magazine is a little different from other adult magazines. This magazine has some content that deserves merit.

"It's not in the children's section," she said. "It's not on display in the children's section. It's not pushed on the children."

Sturman said she's concerned that placing an age limit on access to Playboy at local libraries would lead to further censorship.

Walters said the issue has already accelerated beyond Playboy.

"The issue isn't so much about Playboy," he said. "It's about children's access to objectionable adult material. That's where this really goes."

Malone suggests parents be informed of the policy.

"Right now many parents don't realize that Playboy is in the library," Malone said Tuesday on "POV Vegas," the Sun's news discussion show, which can be seen on channels 1 and 39.

As parents are learning of the policy, however, so are the children. Sturman says she's curious as to whether the concern is increasing the magazine's circulation at the libraries.

"If anything, the issue is educating the public that the magazine is there."