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APPENDIX A

GARDEN CITY LIBRARY

DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR
AND/OR

UNATTENDED CHILDREN
POLICY 

POLICY STATEMENT To
the best of their ability, Library staff has the responsibility to maintain
order in the Library.  From time to time, the staff may have to
deal with patrons who violate the rights of others or who create disorder
in the Library.  When and if such incidents occur, the staff shall
take the following actions: 

Emergency Situations

An emergency situation can be defined
as any in which a patron’s actions present an imminent danger to the
life or safety of self or others.  Such incidents include threatened,
attempted, or actual assaults and other crimes of violence.  Any
staff member who observes or receives a report of such behavior should
call the police immediately.  Any witnesses should be asked to
remain in order to complete the police investigation.  

Theft and Vandalism

When a staff member observes or receives
a report of a patron attempting to steal or to maliciously destroy Library
property, the staff member should report the incident to Library management
immediately. If there is reasonable cause to believe that a patron has
actually stolen or vandalized Library property, the incident should
be reported to Library management and the police should be called. 
The Library will prosecute anyone who steals or maliciously destroys
Library property.   Refer to Idaho Code §18-7001, §18-24 

Disruptive Behavior

Patrons shall be engaged in activities
associated with the use of a public library while in the building. 
These activities include reading, studying, and research, using Library
materials and computers, or participating in Library programs. 

Patrons shall respect the rights of others
and shall not harass or annoy others through noisy or boisterous activities,
staring at another person that causes that person to feel uncomfortable,
by playing audio equipment so that others can hear it, by singing or
talking to others loudly, by verbally or physically abusing staff/ patrons
or by behaving in a manner which disturbs others. 

When a patron willfully and purposefully
disturbs others or is behaving in an inappropriate way, a staff member
or Library management will approach the patron, explain Library policy,
and ask him/her to stop the disruptive behavior.  If the disruptive
behavior continues, Library management will tell the patron to stop
the behavior or leave the Library.  If the problem persists and
the patron refuses to leave, the police will be called.  If at
any time during this process the patron becomes dangerous, the police
shall be called immediately.  An Incident Report needs to be filed
after any such occurrence with a patron.   (10-03-05) 

Child Left Unattended

Guardians are responsible for their children’s
behavior while the children are in the Library. Guardians are not to
leave children under age ten years (10 years) unattended or persons
lacking the mental capacity to be left unattended in the Library. Disruptive
children eleven years or over (11 years) will be asked to leave after
receiving one warning. (Unattended means not within eyesight
of the caretaker.)  

1. If it is determined that a
   child is lost or left unattended, a staff member should bring the child
   to the attention of Library management.

2. The staff member should try
   to identify and locate the parent or responsible adult:

1.  
   
   1. Walk around the Library with
      the child, looking for the guardian.

1.  
   
   2. Page the child’s guardian
      using the guardian’s name if known, or the child’s name, if known.
      If no name is available, describe the child’s physical appearance.

1.  
   
   3. If the parent is not found
      in the building, a staff member should stay with the child until the
      parent can be located, through searching the database, phone book, city
      directory etc.

3. When the guardian is located,
   explain the Library policy on unattended children.

4. If the guardian has not been
   located within a reasonable time (15 minutes), or if the Library is
   closing, the staff member shall call the police, and release the child
   to the officer’s custody upon their arrival.

5. Under no circumstances shall
   a staff member take the child out of the Library premises.

Disruptive Behavior  

1. Disruptive
   Attended Children under Age
   Ten (10) Years

1.  
   
   1. Children who are being disruptive
      will be asked by staff to behave.

1.  
   
   2. If the disruptive behavior
      continues, a staff member should inform the guardian that the child
      is disturbing others.

1.  
   
   3. If the guardian refuses or
      is unable to control the child, the family will be asked to leave.

2. Disruptive
   Unattended Children under Age
   Ten (10) Years or persons lacking the mental capacity to be left unattended.

1.  
   
   1. The staff member will ask
      the child to correct the behavior. If the child persists the child will
      be told to sit quietly at the table closest to the Circulation desk.

1.  
   
   2. Obtain the child’s and guardian’s
      names and attempt to locate the guardian within the building. If located
      in the building, explain that the child is being disruptive and inform
      the guardian of the Library policy. If the parent refuses or is unable
      to control the child, the family will be asked to leave.

1.  
   
   3. If the parent cannot be located
      within the building, the staff member will attempt to contact the parent
      through searching the database, phone book, city directory, etc. When
      the parent is contacted the guardian will be told that the child is
      being disruptive, will be reminded of the Library policy, and will be
      told the guardian must pick up the child immediately.

1.  
   
   4. If the guardian is unable
      to come immediately, the guardian will be told the child may stay at
      a table close to the Circulation desk until picked up if the child’s
      behavior is acceptable,  If the behavior is not acceptable the
      police will be called. Next time the child is left the police, as well
      as the parent, will be called. If the guardian can not be contacted
      within a reasonable time (15 minutes), or if the Library is closing,
      the police will be called.

1.  
   
   5. If the guardian cannot be
      located and the child must leave (to catch a ride, e.g.), the staff
      member will give the child’s name, address and an account of the disruptive
      behavior to Library Director, who will then write the guardian, describing
      the incident and informing the parent of the Library policy.

3. Disruptive Children, Age
   Eleven (11) Years and Over

1.  
   
   1. Tell the young person that
      they are causing a disturbance and explain this as being a warning.

1.  
   
   2. If the disruptive behavior
      continues, tell the youngster to leave. Follow through to insure that
      the child does leave the building.

1.  
   
   3. If the youngster continues
      to be disruptive after being warned, or refuses to leave the building
      when asked, the police should be called to deal with the problem. (This
      may be the only means of determining the youngsters name and address
      as well so that the guardian can be notified.)

1.  
   
   4. The Library Director will
      contact the guardian in writing, describing the incident and informing
      the guardian of the Library policy.

Staff Member Follow-up  

Staff members involved in situations
with disruptive persons shall, using an Incident Report Form, document
the time and circumstances in writing and give the report to the Library
Director at their earliest opportunity.

(Adopted 7/11/07, Revised
12/12/07 Garden City Library Board of Trustees)