Procedures for Disruptive Adults

Library staff who have acted on their best judgment in confronting a person will be supported by their supervisor, the person in charge, and the Library Director. Any staff member who observes or receives complaints of inappropriate behavior may:

• Handle the problem directly with the patron. Staff should use their judgment as to whether the situation requires assistance from another staff member.
• Immediately telephone the police if the situation is of a severe/violent or emergency medical situation.
• Contact the person in charge if the situation is of a nature that the staff member chooses not to confront the patron.
• Contact the police if the patron is not responding to staff requests to conform to Library policies.

In all cases, the Library Director should be notified as soon as possible when the staff member confronts a patron who violates Library policies.

Incident Reports
Incident reports must be in writing and given to the Library Director. Copies of all reports will be kept at the Circulation Desk. A log of incidents will be used to track the names of offenders, the dates and nature of the offenses, and the time period a patron is banned. This log will be kept at the Information, Youth Services, and Reference Desks.

Incident reports are Library records and are governed by the rules of confidentiality.

Inappropriate Conduct – Minor Offenses
The following list of behaviors, which is not intended to be an exhaustive list of such behaviors, are examples of “inappropriate” behavior and shall be deemed minor offenses: sleeping; excessive and/or disruptive conversations; eating or drinking in undesignated areas of the Library; talking on cell phones in undesignated areas of the Library; monopolizing unreasonable numbers of Library materials at any given time; monopolizing staff time thereby preventing them from carrying out their normal responsibilities; canvassing, selling, soliciting, or engaging in any other commercial activity; violating Internet and computer policies; excessive staring at patrons or staff; intoxication; smoking; bringing animals into the Library except for licensed guide and therapeutic animals; and any other activities listed in the Library’s Code of Conduct not covered under Major Offenses which are inconsistent with conduct normally associated with the use of public library facilities such as reading, studying, using library materials and equipment, and attending programs or events.

Treatment of Minor Offenses
Patrons will be:
• Verbally warned that their conduct violates Library policies.
• Given a copy of the Library’s Code of Conduct.
• Asked to exit the premises if they fail to immediately comply with the directive to cease the disruptive conduct. Refusal to comply with such request and/or hostile or threatening responses may result in Library staff notifying the police.
• Subject to the Banning Procedure if the disruptive behavior continues.

Inappropriate Conduct – Major Offenses
The following list of behaviors, which is not intended to be an exhaustive list of such behaviors, are examples of “inappropriate” behavior and shall be deemed major offenses: stealing, effacing or damaging Library property; abusive, indecent, profane, or drunken conversation and/or behavior; committing any crime, misdemeanor, or violation of a law, on Library premises; knowingly entering non-public areas of the Library; and any other activities listed in the Library’s Code of Conduct not covered under Minor Offenses.

Treatment of Major Offenses
Any persons committing major offenses will be asked to leave the building immediately. Refusal to comply with such request and/or hostile or threatening responses will result in Library staff notifying the police. The patron may be banned for a period from two (2) weeks up to six (6) months at the discretion of the Library Director, depending upon the nature and seriousness of the offense which required removal, the extent of damage or disruption caused, any history of prior infractions of Library policies, and other relevant circumstances.

Banning Procedure After staff consultation regarding repeat or major behavioral offenses, the Library Director may determine that the patron should be banned. The Library Director will:
• Provide a written decision that sets for the period during which the patron shall be banned from the Library and specifies the reasons for the determination. Staff will be notified of the banning and a copy of the written decision will be kept at the Circulation, Information, Youth Services, and Reference Desks.
• Send a certified letter to the patron notifying him/her of the reasons for and length of the banning and indicating that he/she will not be permitted to enter the Library until either the banning period ends or he/she writes a letter to the Library Director requesting a meeting with the Library Director and/or representatives of the Board of Trustees. At such meeting, the Library Director and/or representatives of the Board of Trustees will meet with the offending adult to discuss the behavior(s) at issue and to determine whether the banning period will be shortened or terminated if information submitted by the patron warrants modification.
• Send copies of the certified letter to the Chair of the Library Bylaws and Policy Committee and to the President of the Board of Trustees.

Repeat Offenders
Any patron who enters or remains on Library premises after having been notified by an authorized individual not to do so, and any person who enters or remains on Library premises during the period he/she has been banned from the Library, may be subject to civil and/or criminal penalties, up to and including arrest and prosecution for trespassing.

After the banning period ends, the patron may re-apply for readmission to the Library by submitting a written request to the Library Director. However, the patron will need to show evidence that the offending behavior will not re-occur.

In the event that a patron is granted readmission and then exhibits any of the behaviors described above, then he/she may be denied access with no further possibility of reinstatement.

Appeals Process
At any time during the banning period, the patron may appeal the ban. The patron must write a letter to the Library Director requesting a meeting with the Library Director and/or representatives of the Board of Trustees. At such meeting, the representatives of the Library will meet with the patron, who may be accompanied by an advocate, to determine whether, and under what circumstances, the patron will be given permission to return to the Library. The letter requesting such meeting must include the patron’s full name, address, and telephone number. Until such time as the patron requests a meeting with the Library Director and/or representatives of the Board of trustees, he/she will be prohibited from entering on Library premises.

If the patron is not satisfied with the decision of the representatives of the Library’s Board of Trustees, then he/she must write a letter to the President of the Board of Trustees that sets forth the reasons for the appeal and requests a meeting with the entire Board of Trustees at their next regularly scheduled Board meeting. The letter requesting such meeting must include the patron’s full name, address, and telephone number. The President of the Board of Trustees will:
• Send a certified letter to the patron notifying him/her of the date and time of the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Trustees.
• Place the patron’s appeal on the agenda for that meeting.
• Send copies of the certified letter to the Chair of the Library Bylaws and Policy Committee and to the Library Director.

Policy Adopted: November 18, 2009

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