By: Journalist Kaytly Clift (OSU)
Rep. Z. Russell (OSU) brought House Bill OSU-528, titled, “Make Libraries More Accessible” to the House floor on Friday.
“All public libraries that are eligible to receive funding from the state or federal level are required to issue a statewide library card that grants access to check out books or other materials from all public libraries in the state,” the bill said.
“When I was looking for ideas to write about, I got asked what I was passionate about, and I have always been a big reader and have advocated for reading, especially in the midst of the book-banning practice,” Rep. Russell (OSU) said.
Russell said she was inspired to write this bill because she wanted to make books accessible to everyone.
“All public libraries should offer an individual an application to complete to receive the statewide library card,” Rep. Russell (OSU) said. “An individual under the age of 18 will need the permission and signature of a parent and/or guardian to obtain a statewide library.”
Russell modeled her bill after the current piece of legislation in Mississippi and decided to include digital and paper cards.
“My idea is to include both (paper and digital) forms, my idea was to have a physical card if someone doesn’t have that technology, but for the overall convenience have that digital card, but both are given when an application is filled out,” Rep. Russell (OSU) said.
This bill passed in the House of Representatives with a vote of 49-3, with the only concerns being the funding behind the program. Another concern is the returning of the books to any library and the means of funding the transportation of the book back to its original library.
This bill also passed through the Senate with a vote of 15-5 and is headed to the desk of the Governor of O.I.L.