Appeals Court: Michigan Libraries Can't Ban Guns - WLNS TV 6 Lansing - Jackson | Your Local News Leader

The Michigan Court of Appeals says public libraries in the state can't bar gun-toting patrons.

The ruling announced Friday says it's up to the state to regulate firearms. The decision reverses a lower court's ruling involving Lansing's library.

Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Rosemarie Aquilina earlier restricted patrons from openly carrying firearms onto the property of the Capital Area District Library. The gun rights advocacy group Michigan Open Carry had sought to allow the public to bring guns to the Lansing library. 

"It's a victory for anyone who carries a firearm or may carry a firearm in the future for personal protection," said President of MI Open Carry Phillip Hofmeister. "Bad things happen everywhere."

The new ruling is for open carry, but not everyone agrees with the decision.

"Kids don't need to be seeing that kind of thing. There's no need to protect yourselves in a library, absolutely not. If anything, I feel safer there than on the street," said David Hollis, a frequent library patron.

"It's as safe as any public place," said Director of the Capital Area District Library Maureen Hirten. "With all of the gun activity in our society, it would be nice if we just had a nice place where you can go and not have guns."