The Verona Public Library’s Code of Conduct is intended to protect the rights and safety of Library patrons, employees, volunteers, and contractors, as well as preserve and protect the Library’s materials, facilities, and property. The Library strives to provide a safe space for people of all ages and backgrounds, to operate its premises safely, and to reduce the chance of harm.
The Library encourages and seeks mutual respect among patrons, and between patrons and Library employees.
1. Guidelines
Library users must not engage in the following prohibited behaviors.
1.1 Illegal Activities, including but not limited to:
• Committing or attempting to commit any activity that constitutes a violation of any federal, state, or local statute or ordinance.
• Engaging in sexual conduct or lewd behavior on Library premises.
• Use of controlled substances on Library premises.
• Smoking or vaping on Library premises or within 25 feet of a library entrance.
• Drinking alcoholic beverages on Library premises except for in Library-sponsored programs approved by the Board of Trustees.
This applies to all Library patrons, employees, volunteers, and contractors.
1.2 Harmful, Disruptive, or Destructive behavior, including but not limited to:
• Engaging in conduct that disrupts or interferes with the normal operation of the Library, or disturbs employees and Library users. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to:
o The use of abusive or threatening language or gestures.
o Loud or boisterous behavior.
o Recording patrons or patron service areas during normal hours of operation unless express permission from the Library Director is granted.
• Using Library materials, equipment, furniture, fixtures, or buildings in a destructive, abusive, or potentially damaging manner, in a manner likely to cause personal injury to any person, or in any other manner inconsistent with the customary use thereof.
• Interfering with the free passage of Library employees or patrons in or onto Library premises including, but not limited to, placing objects such as bicycles, strollers, shopping carts, or bags in such a manner as to impede free passage in or onto the premises. The Library also reserves the right to limit the size and number of items brought into the Library
• Soliciting, petitioning, or distributing written materials or canvassing on Library premises for any purpose without express permission of the Library Director.
• Disobeying the reasonable direction of Library employees.
1.3 Other inappropriate behavior:
• Use of any communication or entertainment devices at a volume that disturbs others, with or without headphones.
• Sleeping inside the Library or anywhere on Library property.
• Entering the Library with bare feet or bare chest.
• Use of Library restrooms for bathing, shaving, or washing hair.
• Disturbing other patrons because of offensive body odor.
• Unhygienic behavior such as spitting, clipping nails, or changing diapers in public areas.
2. Youth Safety
Parents/guardians are responsible for the behavior of their children in the Library, whether or not the parent/guardian is present. Although Library employees attempt to ensure the safety of children in the Library, their duties as providers of Library services prevent them from being able to supervise each individual child. It is the responsibility of parents/guardians, and not that of employees, to supervise their children.
Library employees are committed to:
• Helping children find materials for educational and recreational pursuits;
• Providing an environment that encourages study and exploration;
• Planning programs that inform and enrich.
Parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring that:
• Children act in accordance with the guidelines outlined in Section 1;
• Children’s behavior does not present a safety hazard to themselves, other users, or Library property;
• Children’s behavior does not interfere with the use and enjoyment of the Library by others.
3. Youth Safety Procedures
3.1 Unattended Children Under Age 10 (or 5th Grade)
If it is determined that a child is lost or unattended, Library employees will attempt to locate the parent/guardian or responsible adult through the following steps:
1. Ask the child where their parent/guardian is and attempt to locate the parent/guardian in the building.
2. If the parent/guardian is not found in the building, the employee will attempt to call the parent/guardian. The Library employee will stay with the child until a parent/guardian arrives at the Library.
3. If the parent/guardian has not arrived within an hour, or if the Library is closing, the employee in charge will call the police.
4. Under no circumstances will a Library employee take a child out of the Library building. If the Library has been closed, then two employees will wait with the child inside the Library building. No employee will take the child home.
3.2 Disruptive Attended Children
1. Children who are disruptive will be asked by Library employees to correct the behavior.
2. If the disruptive behavior continues, an employee will inform the parent/guardian that their child is disturbing others.
3. If the parent/guardian refuses or is unable to control the behavior of the child, the family will be asked to leave the Library.
4. Suspension of Privileges
The Library Director is authorized to suspend Library privileges of patrons for periods of time based on the severity of the violation(s).
In the case of any suspensions, a letter noting the cause and length of the ban will be kept on file with an incident report and any other applicable documents. If necessary, The Library reserves the right to forward these documents to the police or other parties.
If possible based on the availability of a mailing address or email account, suspension of a patron’s privileges longer than a week will be communicated to the patron in writing, by the Director of the Director’s designee. For patrons under the age of 18, written notice shall be sent to the patron’s parent or guardian.
Suspension of patron access includes the denial of entry onto the Library’s premises. Such entry will be considered trespass. The Library reserves the right to extend the length of the ban, call the police, and/or take appropriate legal action depending on the circumstances of entry onto the premises. Extensions to the length of the ban will be communicated to the banned patron and noted in a separate Incident Report.
At the completion of the ban, the patron may be required to meet with the Library Director or the Director’s designee before being allowed access to the Library again.
Library employees may ask a patron to leave the premises with or without prior warning, depending upon the seriousness of the violation. Criminal violations may result in prosecution under state and/or federal law.
4.1 Suspension for Health and Safety Reasons
It is the responsibility of the Library to maintain a healthy and clean environment and to protect Library collections, equipment, and property. In order to fulfill this responsibility, the Library may restrict a patron’s ability to borrow materials and/or to visit Library facilities when such use may jeopardize the health and cleanliness of Library facilities, collections, and other patrons.
Examples of situations where borrowing of materials may be suspended include, but are not limited to:
• Evidence that items on loan to a patron may have been returned with insects that are known to be damaging to Library materials, e.g. roaches, termites, silverfish, and some types of beetles;
• Evidence that items on loan to a patron may have been returned with insects that can result in pest infestations in Library facilities, e.g. bed bugs, ants, or roaches;
• Evidence that items on loan to patrons may have been returned with fungi that can be damaging to Library materials, e.g. black mold.
Examples of situations where access to Library facilities may be suspended include, but are not limited to:
• Patrons or patron possessions have bed bugs, fleas, or lice;
• Patrons with clothing that is stained with urine or feces.
Access to facilities and borrowing will be restored when the suspended patron demonstrates that the situation that caused the loss of privileges has been remediated.
For reinstatement requests relating to suspensions due to pest infestation, decisions will be made based upon evidence showing that the address in question has been inspected with no sign of infestation of that the residence has been treated. Confirming information may include copies of receipts for treatment, a letter from a licensed pest control company, or a written statement from the owner or property manager of a multi-family or apartment residence. In some circumstances, proof of a change of residential address may also be accepted.
4.2 Appealing Suspension of Privileges
Any patron may appeal to the Library Board of Trustees in respect to any action taken under this Code of Conduct policy. Actions that violate local, state or federal law will be prosecuted.
Violators of the Code of Conduct will be subject to the following penalties:
• For first infractions, violators will be asked to stop such actions. If they do not desist, they will be required to leave the library for the remainder of the day.
• For repeat offenses, the Library Director or designee may withdraw library privileges for up to 30 days.
• On a case-by-case basis because of the serious or repeated nature of the offense, the Library Board may extend the loss of library privileges to 90 days.
• The police will be called in the case of illegal activity or when the safety of the staff or patrons is a concern.
Adopted by the Verona Public Library Board of Trustees May 18, 2023