RULES OF BEHAVIOR

Behavior in the Public Sectors of the Ann Arbor District Library

According to Michigan Statutes, the Library Board may exclude from the use of the Library any and all persons who shall willfully violate such reasonable rules and regulations as the Library Board may adopt (MCL 397.206). Such exclusion from this Library shall occur on the orders of the Director or Director's designee. In this document, "withholding of Library privileges" is defined as meaning that an individual may not enter or use the Library.

Behavior prohibited by Ann Arbor City Charter and Ordinances, as well as Federal or State Law, is also prohibited on the premises of the Ann Arbor District Library.

The Ann Arbor District Library reserves the right to establish and implement policies and procedures as needed, including, but not limited to: user registration; scheduling and regulating use of audio, video, and computer equipment; scheduling and collecting fees for public use of meeting rooms; regulating usage of any Library property and materials, including without limitation, specialized equipment and/or services provided by the Library and made available to the public. Such policies and procedures are intended to make Library property and/or services available to everyone on an equitable basis, to protect the rights of staff members to conduct Library business, and to safeguard the Library's property against misuse or abuse.

The Ann Arbor District Library Board hereby adopts the Rules of Behavior attached to this declaration of policy, and directs the Library Director to institute the necessary proceedings of enforcement. The Library Director is further authorized to propose additional Rules of Behavior to the Board as the need may arise.

In addition, the Ann Arbor District Library:

1. Prohibits the consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages on Library property.
2. Prohibits smoking on Library property, or in any other designated NO SMOKING area.
3. Bans all weapons from Library premises, except for concealed weapons that are exempt from licensure under Michigan law or lawfully licensed and carried in compliance with Act 372 of 1927, as amended.

PERSONS WHO VIOLATE THE ABOVE RULES ARE SUBJECT TO THE WITHHOLDING OF LIBRARY PRIVILEGES AS FOLLOWS:

FIRST OFFENSE: LIBRARY PRIVILEGES WILL BE REVOKED FOR SIX MONTHS.

SECOND OFFENSE: LIBRARY PRIVILEGES WILL BE REVOKED FOR ONE YEAR.

4. Requires patrons to wear shirts and shoes, or other footwear, at all times in the Library for hygiene and safety purposes.
5. Prohibits the disturbance of other Library patrons and staff, or interfere with other Library patrons or staff's use of the facilities through extremely poor personal hygiene.
6. Prohibits foods in the Library except in designated areas. Beverages in covered containers are permissible.
7. Prohibits sleeping on Library property.
8. Prohibits the use of roller skates, roller blades, or skateboards on Library property.
9. Prohibits patrons from bringing bicycles into the Library buildings, securing bicycles to the handicapped ramp railing at any entrance or exit, or parking bicycles in such a manner that they obstruct patrons entering or exiting the Library.
10. Prohibits all campaigning, petitioning, interviewing, survey-taking, soliciting, sales, or other speech or conduct, which results in the disruption of normal Library activities.
11. Prohibits board games, gambling, card playing, or other games of chance or skill on Library property, except patrons may play board games when such games are provided by the Library as part of an organized activity.
12. Bans conversation and other sounds in louder volume than the general noise level of the area.
13. Bans animals from the Library and entrance/exit areas except those used to assist the handicapped.
14. Prohibits loitering in areas posted as "No Loitering."

PERSONS WHO VIOLATE THE ABOVE RULES ARE SUBJECT TO THE WITHHOLDING OF LIBRARY PRIVILEGES AS FOLLOWS:

FIRST OFFENSE: ONE WARNING, THEN OUT FOR THE DAY.

SECOND OFFENSE: LIBRARY PRIVILEGES WILL BE REVOKED FOR ONE MONTH.

SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE: LIBRARY PRIVILEGES WILL BE REVOKED FOR ONE YEAR.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, any person may, without prior notice or warning, be immediately removed from the Ann Arbor District Library if his or her presence or conduct on the premises poses an immediate and imminent danger to any person or property.

Persons whose library privileges are withheld for more than 30 days pursuant to the above rules may appeal to the library Board of Trustees by appearing in person during the Citizens' Comments portion of the agenda at a special or regularly-scheduled Board meeting. This appearance must be within sixty days after the Library’s mailing of notice of withholding of privileges. Such persons' suspension from library premises shall be rescinded for the limited purpose of attending any Board meeting necessary to hear their appeal. To ensure such persons sufficient time to address the Board, time limits placed on Citizens' Comments shall be extended at the discretion of the Board. The Board shall hear the appeal, and respond in writing within 10 days.

Policy adopted by the AADL Board December 12, 1995
Revisions adopted August 1, 1997, December 1998, October 20, 2003, September 20, 2004 and January 28, 2008

PATRON USE OF PHONES AT LIBRARY SERVICE DESKS

Library desk phones are for staff use in conducting library business and are to be used at their discretion. Public Service desks do not take messages for or page customers, but Library Staff will offer assistance in contacting customers in an emergency.

Policy adopted by the Ann Arbor District Library Board December 19, 1995
Revisions adopted March 24, 2003

UNATTENDED CHILD POLICY

The Ann Arbor District Library wants children who use our libraries to find them warm, inviting, enjoyable and secure.

To ensure their complete safety, children should be attended by a responsible party. Children left unattended in the library and not involved in a program may become restless, frightened, hungry, sick, or lonely.

For the protection and well-being of children using our libraries, the following policy has been established.

I. Policy

A. The responsibility for children using the library rests not with the library staff but with the parent/guardian/assigned chaperone. (*The American Heritage Dictionary defines "parent" as the "one who best begets, gives birth to, or nurtures and raises a child...").

B. A child under 6 years of age or an older child who, because of evident stress or special circumstances, may need constant assistance, must be attended by a parent/guardian/assigned chaperone who is in close physical proximity at all times while in any Ann Arbor District Library building.

C. Disruptive behavior by children shall be dealt with following Policy 5.1 Behavior in Public Sectors of the Ann Arbor District Library.

II. Definitions

A. Unattended child: 1) any child under 6 years of age whose parent/guardian/assigned chaperone is not within close physical proximity to the child, 2) any older child that may need constant assistance because of evident stress or special circumstances and whose parent/guardian/assigned chaperone is not within close physical proximity.

B. Assigned chaperone: a person of at least 13 years of age who is responsible for a child under 6 years of age.

C. Close physical proximity: within the library buildings or on the bookmobile and within sight of the child.

D. Disruptive behavior: any violation of Policy 5.1 Behavior in Public Sectors of the Ann Arbor District Library.

III. Procedures

All staff shall follow the procedure in the AADL Emergency Manual when there is an unattended child in any Library building.

Policy adopted by the Ann Arbor District Library Board December 12, 1995
Revisions adopted June 19, 2006