View and Reflect
| Site: | MSL Learn |
| Course: | Legal Topics: Children/Minors in the Library |
| Book: | View and Reflect |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Sunday, 5 October 2025, 6:02 AM |
Description
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About our Speaker
Kris Goss is the Director of Library Learning Hub at Helena College - University of Montana. Kris also serves as an attorney and currently works with the firm of Jackson, Murdo, & Grant, P.C. in Helena.
Kris previously worked with the Montana School Boards Association and served as a law clerk in the chambers of the Honorable Sam E. Haddon in the United States District Court for the District of Montana. Prior to law school, Kris worked as the Governor’s K-12 Education Policy Advisor and Deputy Communications Director in the administration of Governor Judy Martz.
Kris earned a law degree from the University of Montana School of Law, a Master of Arts in Library and Information Studies from the University of Wisconsin, and a Bachelor of Arts from Carroll College. He serves as the Vice Chair of the Trust for Montana Libraries Board of Directors and serves on the Montana Library Association Intellectual Freedom and Government Affairs Committees.
Discussion Questions
1. Balancing Rights
How can libraries effectively balance minors’ constitutional rights to access information with the parental rights outlined in MCA §40-6-701?
2. Staff Boundaries
What are appropriate boundaries for library staff when interacting with minors, especially regarding confidentiality and communication with parents?
3. Policy Clarity
How can libraries ensure their policies are both legally compliant and clearly understood by staff, patrons, and parents—especially around supervision and conduct?
4. Confidentiality vs. Safety
In what situations might a library need to override confidentiality protections for minors, and how should those decisions be documented and communicated?
5. Age vs. Behavior
Should libraries continue to use age-based rules for unattended minors, or shift toward behavior-based criteria? What are the pros and cons of each approach?
6. Community Context
How should libraries in rural or underserved areas adapt their policies to reflect limited access to law enforcement or social services?
7. Library Card Access
What are the implications of allowing minors to obtain library cards without parental permission, and how can libraries support both access and accountability?
8. Risk and Liability
What steps can libraries take to minimize legal risk when dealing with disruptive or unattended minors, especially in extreme weather or closing time scenarios?
Discussion questions generated from the webinar transcript using Microsoft Copilot.
Recording
(1:01:52)
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