NSLA Summary on Legislative Bill 390
NSLA Advocacy
Dear NSLA Members,
As part of our ongoing efforts to stay informed and engaged with legislative matters affecting school libraries, we want to share our thoughts regarding Legislative Bill 390, introduced by Senators Murman, Andersen, Clements, and Lonowski. This bill outlines new policies related to parental access to school library materials, with implementation set for the 2026-27 school year. Below is a summary of key provisions and our position on them:
Online Publicly Viewable Library Catalog: We recognize that an online catalog is a standard best practice for libraries. Transparency in library holdings benefits both students and parents, ensuring accessibility to educational resources.
Parental Notification of Student Checkouts: The bill provides parents with the option to request notifications when their child checks out a book from the school library, which has always been the case. Notification would only be required upon formal request by the parent. This allows parents to stay informed about their child's reading materials without imposing restrictions on access. While most school libraries do not have automated notification systems, districts can determine how to implement this process in a way that works best for them.
NSLA’s Position: Overall, this bill promotes transparency and parental involvement without restricting library collections. However, funding concerns exist for smaller Nebraska school districts that do not currently have an online catalog, as purchasing and maintaining such a system is expensive.
Additionally, allowing parents to receive notifications about the books their child is borrowing from the school library may reduce formal challenges and help protect library collections from broader book challenges. Rather than opposing this bill, we see it as an opportunity to reinforce good library practices and strengthen parent partnerships.
As always, we encourage our members to stay informed and engaged with legislative matters impacting school libraries. If you want to share your thoughts on LB 390 with your local representatives we encourage you to do so, as we always value open dialogue with our state representatives. The NSLA website includes more information about how to contact your state representatives. Thank you for your continued dedication to supporting students, families, and library access in Nebraska.
Sincerely,
Joy Harvey
President
Nebraska School Library Association
Jeralynn Moser
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