Philadelphia Councilman Questions Access to R-rated Videos

Staff -- Library Journal, 3/8/1999

Philadelphia city councilman Frank Rizzo has asked the Free Library for a list of all its R-rated titles so that experts can inspect them and decide if they are "appropriate" for children, reported the February 25 Philadelphia Inquirer. Rizzo -- son of the former Philadelphia mayor -- said that children under 17 shouldn't be allowed to check out R-rated videos. Under library policy, anyone 14 or older has open access to the collection; those younger require parental permission to access the entire library. Director Eliot Shelkrot said he understood Rizzo's concerns, "but my answer to him is that it's up to the parents, not the library, to supervise what youngsters read."