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Immigrant advocates say library ID policy is unfair
By SUZAN CLARKE
THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: September 28, 2006)

The Rockland Immigration Coalition wants to meet with the directors of Rockland's public library branches because it is concerned that the policy requiring picture identification may prevent undocumented immigrants from obtaining library cards for themselves and their young children.

Gail Golden, president of the Rockland Immigration Coalition, expressed concern about the policy in an e-mailed letter to Richard Trelevan, a member of the informal Rockland County Public Library Directors Group.

In her Sept. 22 letter, Golden asked to talk with library directors about what forms of identification would be acceptable for undocumented women to be able to obtain a library card.

"Many of these are mothers of American citizens, small children who need to develop high levels of literacy to succeed," she wrote. "We always encourage these women to use the libraries, but then sometimes find there are barriers. This makes no sense in terms of our public policy to promote literacy in the children."

Library directors acknowledged yesterday that there was a need to find a solution to the situation.

Trelevan, director of the New City Public Library, said he has been aware of the issue for some time. He distributed Golden's e-mail to the other directors in the group, and said directors would be willing to meet with her about the immigrants' needs.

"They come here and they see all this material that they could be reading, and taking out videos and music and then we get these roadblocks. It is sad," he said.

Rockland's public libraries belong to the Ramapo Catskill Library System, which has had a requirement in place that library-card applicants possess picture identification, in order to verify the applicant's identity, and two other documents bearing a current address to prove residency in the area and the tax district, Trelevan said.

Undocumented immigrants may not have all the documents needed to qualify for a card, and some immigrant women have told coalition members that they have had trouble getting library cards because they lack acceptable photo identification.

Golden said she understood heightened security and identification concerns, but urged consideration of alternatives.

"I think sometimes we have conflicting social policies. You know we're very big on literacy, we have a lot of literacy programs especially for pre-schoolers … and pushing how books are important and people are criticizing immigrant communities for not getting hold of English well enough," she said. "One would think, then, that we would have a very open, easy policy in terms of library access ...."

Other libraries in the region have different ways of handling the needs of the growing immigrant population.

Susan Riley, director of the Mount Kisco Public Library, a member of the Westchester Library System, said applicants to her branch need only provide proof of address.

"Most people will bring in a piece of mail with the address on it and that is enough proof for us," she said. "Most children don't have access to a picture ID, and there are a lot of adults in the communities nearby who don't drive, so they wouldn't necessarily have a picture ID. We tend to be somewhat lenient in erring on the side of the patron in giving out library cards. We don't want to exclude library usage from anyone."

Bob Devino is director of the Finkelstein Memorial Library, the largest and busiest library in Rockland. The library is in Spring Valley, the most ethnically diverse municipality in Rockland and home to a growing Hispanic population, many of whom are thought to be undocumented.

"We have the reality that we have people that speak 22 different languages in our community, and we understand the financial, the cultural problems that some of these folks face," he said. "We've had to come up with an option that not only allows these folks to use our library, but at the same time doesn't pose problems for our neighbors throughout the county and throughout the system."

Finkelstein therefore grants cards to applicants who may not have proper photo identification, but the cards' use is limited only to that library and not to the other 46 member libraries of the Ramapo Catskill system.

"We think it's a fair compromise because it allows these folks to get a foot in the door ... but at the same time it doesn't open up everybody else's collections to them," Devino said.

A card is not necessary to access most library materials or programs on site.