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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.
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