DAVIS COUNTY — Will computer gaming of any kind be allowed soon at Davis County libraries?

The board of trustees has asked for information about how other libraries across the state are dealing with this issue. It could make a decision in its next meeting, tentatively scheduled for Nov. 17 in Farmington.

“As our policy currently states, game-playing is not permitted on the Internet,” said Library Director Chris Sanford.

That covers everything from M (mature) adult-type games to instructional games geared to children.

“The policy was written and passed quite a few years ago,” she said.

“The kinds of requests that we have received so far have been mostly educational in nature,” Sanford said. “For a lot of people, it’s not the games themselves. It’s the sites that allow them into ‘cheat codes’ that give them a way to solve and play games at a faster rate, advance to another level.”

County Commissioner Louenda Downs, who sits on the board, emphasized the need for the library “to create a better environment, something that reflects the community.” She supported taking a closer look at what other library systems are doing before any decision is made by the board.

Sanford said she would also confer with Assistant County Attorney Craig Bott on what action is advisable, legally.

“This could open it up to argument. Someone could say a war game is every bit as educational for a teen” as a teaching-oriented game for youngsters, she said.

Assistant Library Director Jerry Meyer has been conducting research with other Utah libraries. He said gaming on the Internet is allowed at not only Salt Lake City and County and Weber County Libraries, but it is also permitted by Murray, Orem, Provo and Logan, for example.

During a recent meeting, several board members said they wanted more information about how gaming is being handled elsewhere before giving approval to a policy change.

In other action, the board voted to make its meeting room policy uniform, not allowing use of the library kitchen in the South Branch in Bountiful. It was already prohibited in Clearfield.

Prepared food can still be served at functions held in the auditorium.

Holiday hours were approved for the Thanksgiving holiday. All libraries will be closed that day, Thursday, Nov. 26, and Friday, Nov. 27, following the county’s policy.

However, libraries will be open regular Saturday hours on Nov. 28, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

tbusselberg@davisclipper.com