Board approves St. Louis County Library MOU to give students county library cards, allows parental opt-out

The University City Board of Education approved an MOU with the St. Louis County Library to provide library cards to district students, with a parental opt-out option.

Superintendent Dr. Sharonica Harden Bartley said the agreement will give students access to a broader range of library materials and resources aligned to literacy goals. "This effort will give our students more access to a Saint Louis County Library card," she said, noting the district will maintain its existing partnership with the U City public library.

A board member asked why families might choose to opt out; Dr. Harden Bartley explained that from a legal perspective some parents may have concerns about types of texts in library collections, referencing controversies around banned books and LGBTQ-related materials as reasons a parent might exercise an opt-out. "So some parents might just say, I want my child to have access to anything that I don't have my eyes on," she said.

The board moved and approved the MOU; administration said families who do not want the library card option can opt out under the agreement's parent-choice provisions. The item was described as increasing student access to culturally relevant texts and resources, and administration said it had shared draft language responding to an opt-out request.