Does Kanopy even have that option? To do an age verification? Off the top of my head, my thoughts are 1) I'm sure whatever streaming services their parents subscribe to at home contain far more graphic content than Kanopy and hoopla combined; 2) libraries do not have a legal obligation to act as parents; 3) does CIPA apply to resources that are used off-site? For example, my library isn't responsible if an adult takes Fifty Shades of Gray home and their teenager reads it, right? How is it up to us to make sure people aren't using our resources inappropriately in their own homes? Interesting question. I'll be curious to see what others' thoughts are. Deb Hemmye Library Director Huntington Woods Public Library 26415 Scotia Road Huntington Woods, MI 48070 248-543-9720, ext. 686 Currently listening to Heartwood, by Amity Gaige From: "Michlib" <michlib-l@liblists.org> To: "Michlib" <michlib-l@liblists.org> Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 11:50:14 AM Subject: [Michlib-l] Kanopy/Hoopla Hello fellow Michigan library colleagues, I am reaching out to the community to learn about common practices regarding digital resources like Kanopy and Hoopla. Specifically, does your library implement any age restrictions on these services for patrons? We recently added Kanopy to our digital offerings, and we are currently discussing whether to restrict access for minors. Some staff are concerned about potential CIPA violations and parental backlash due to mature content, such as nudity or sexual themes in certain films. Others believe that restricting access constitutes censorship. My thought is that since Kanopy offers a "KIDS" section and parental controls, it is the parent's responsibility to manage their child's viewing. Additionally, I do not believe this falls under CIPA, as we do not use E-Rate funds for this resource. We would appreciate hearing your perspectives or learning about the procedures your libraries have in place for these digital services. Thank you in advance for your help! --- Kind regards, Sarah Skinner (she/her) District Headquarters Manager Van Buren District Library 200 N. Phelps Street Decatur, MI 49045 _______________________________________________ Michlib-l mailing list -- michlib-l@liblists.org To unsubscribe send an email to michlib-l-leave@liblists.org
