[Michlib-l] legal guardians and minor's cards

[Tracy Aldrich]

Hi Clare,

Can you advise us on how to handle the following situation? We have a
mother who didn't want her son to get a card. His grandmother did, and
brought him in and put herself down as the responsible adult on his
application. Staff made him a card, and the mother got angry with us and
wants us to close the account. We have not yet, as we don't actually know
who is the legal guardian (they are both claiming to be.)

We've been advised (at our director's meetings) that we can't actually
require an adult to show proof of legal guardianship when they ask for a
card for their child, and we never have (what would a parent even show to
prove that? I have no idea, unless they are going through a divorce and
have some sort of official custody papers.)  Another director said we
shouldn't do anything to an account unless its authorized by the person
whose name is on that account, in this case, the grandmother, and that it
should be up to the family to sort this out themselves (for example, by the
mother taking the card away and telling the grandmother not to do it again,
I guess.) That's what I've been doing, but the mother is really angry, my
staff are confused, and I am uncertain what to tell them.

I can tell you this is a common problem for many of us and I think a lot of
us are confused.

Thanks,
Tracy

-- 

Tracy Aldrich, Director
Ruth Hughes Memorial District Library
211 N. Almont Ave.
Imlay City, MI 48444

taldrich at ruthhughes.org

810-724-8043
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