American Libraries magazine has created a new online column called Letters of the Law which explores a wide range of legal issues that arise in libraries. The column is authored by Mary Minow, a consultant with LibraryLaw.com, and Tomas A. Lipinski, dean and professor at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee School of Information Studies – which just happens to be my alma mater.
In each column, Minow and Lipinski respond to legal questions facing libraries. So far they’ve tackled questions such as:
- Do library employees or volunteers face liability if they administer Narcan to a patron who appears to have overdosed on opiates?
- May my public library ban guns on its premises?
- Is there any way to regulate or ban false or misleading content on library premises?
- Must libraries allow political groups to use the rooms for advocacy and campaigning?
- Is a library liable if a patron posts fake news or commentary that is defamatory or harmful on its social media platforms, or on the comments section of its online catalog?