Wiggin Memorial Library
Rules
of Library Behavior & Unattended Children Policy
Policy Statement:
The Trustees and staff seek to provide a comfortable
environment for all library users, and to be stewards of the town’s property in
our care. We encourage people of all
ages to visit the library. Those using
the library and its resources have the right to expect a safe, comfortable
environment that supports library services.
We expect all library users to observe common courtesy toward other
library users and library staff.
Disruptive and discourteous behavior includes (but is not limited to)
misuse of library property and actions that deliberately disturb others or
prevent the legitimate use of the library and its resources.
Rules of Library Behavior
- Library users should respect the rights
of others and not engage in loud conversations or activities, profane or
abusive language, use of audio devices without headphones, or other
potentially disturbing actions.
- Harassment of others,
either verbally or by physical actions is prohibited. This includes any actions that library
users or staff members perceive to be harassing.
- In accordance with Town
Policy, threatening the safety of another person and/or possession of
weapons is prohibited.
- In accordance with Town
Policy, use of alcohol, tobacco in any form, or illegal drugs is
prohibited in the library.
- In accordance with Town
Policy, only animals assisting persons with disabilities or for training
or library programming purposes are allowed in the library.
- Children age 10 and under
may not be left unattended in the library and must be supervised by an
adult or caregiver 16 years or older.
Disruptive behavior or damage to library materials may result in a
request to take children out of the library. Please refer to the “Unattended
Children” policy for more information.
- Theft of or damage to
library property is prohibited and may result in appropriate prosecution
and/or necessary restitution.
Violations of this policy will result in increasing levels
of action starting with asking a library user to leave the library. The level of action will be determined on a
case-by-case basis and will be within the discretion of the Library Director or
the Board of Trustees or the supervising staff member
on duty. A library user may appeal any
such decision to the Board of Trustees who will review any appeals at their
next scheduled meeting.
Unattended
Children
The Wiggin Memorial Library welcomes children to visit the
library and encourages them to read, to explore various electronic formats, to
attend programs and to make full use of the library resources. Although staff members are committed to the
well-being and safety of children using the library, our facilities are not
designed or licensed to provide childcare or emergency care. Any public place may be dangerous for a child
who is unattended by a responsible adult or caregiver.
The library reminds parents to consider the safety and well
being of their children and the needs of other library users. Children should be supervised at all times
and taught and reminded that the materials in the library must be respected and
treated with care. With these
considerations in mind, the following rules apply:
- Children 10 years old and
younger in the library must be accompanied by a responsible adult or
caregiver aged 16 or older.
Children aged 10 or younger may not be left unattended in the
library for any amount of time. The
responsible caregiver must have contact information for an adult who is
legally responsible for the child.
- Children 5 years old and
younger must be directly supervised by a responsible adult or caregiver
aged 16 or older in all rooms of the library, including the Children’s
Room.
- Parents/guardians are
responsible for the behavior of their children in the library, whether or
not the parent or guardian is present.
- At the discretion of the
parent/guardian, a child older than age 10 may be left unattended in the
library for a reasonable period of time needed to select materials, work
on a homework assignment or attend a library program. The child must know how to reach the
parent/guardian or responsible caregiver (aged 16 or older) should a need
arise. Children should not be left
for excessively long (more than 2 hours) periods of time.
- When older children are
visiting the library by themselves, the adult responsible for the child
will be contacted if the child’s behavior is inappropriate for the library
and guidance from the staff has been ignored. If the adult cannot be reached and the
behavior is deemed dangerous or unacceptably disruptive, the police will
be notified.
- Children must be picked up
no later than five minutes before closing time. Children left unattended at closing time
will have the opportunity to contact an adult. If no contact can be made, or if a ride
has not arrived within 10 minutes of closing, the police will be called to
supervise the child until the adult arrives. Library employees are not permitted to
transport children to another location. Adults should note that the library
closes at 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and at 1:00 p.m. on
Saturday.