Letter: Library should not allow youngsters access to Playboy

Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2000 | 9:17 a.m.

Rather than deny those under the age of 18 access to Playboy, they would choose to deny those same students access to Periodic Tables, books on atmospheric astronomy, veterinary medicine, Nevada history and Mozart.

I had my first library card at the age of 10. I am now 52. I had access to books about the weather, photography, thoroughbred horses, beautiful flowers and yes, even Mozart.

While not arguing the claimed contributions of Playboy in the form of interviews and intelligent articles, we all know exactly why young men (boys) read Playboy.

And while I would not deny them that "education," the public library should exhibit the common sense of any legitimate book store and deny those under 18 access to such publications ... not to the library itself. That would really raise Nevada's scholastic levels, wouldn't it?

LARRY MARTIN

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