Policy Governing Patron Behavior
In accordance with the Illinois Compiled Statutes, (75 ILCS 5/4-7), the Board of Library Trustees of the Carol Stream Public Library has the following powers:
“To make and adopt…rules and regulations…for the government of the Library…” and
“To exclude from the use of the Library any person who willfully violates the rules prescribed by the Board.”
Therefore, the Board of Trustees of the Carol Stream Public Library adopts the following as its policy on patron behavior:
1. The Library Director is delegated the authority to develop and amend as necessary reasonable rules and regulations governing appropriate patron behavior. This Code of Conduct will be available for examination in the Library.
2. Any patron who engages in any activity that materially disrupts the use of library facilities, collections, or services by patrons or materially disrupts the ability of the staff to perform its duties shall be given a verbal warning that his/her behavior is unacceptable and informed of the consequences should the behavior continue.
3. If, following this direction, the patron fails or refuses to comply, or responds to the request in an abusive manner, he/she will be required to immediately leave the Library property for the balance of that calendar day. If he/she fails to leave, the Carol Stream Police will be summoned.
4. Library personnel will maintain a record of instances in which patrons are required to leave the Library.
5. The Library staff has the right to request to see identification of any person on the premises who is violating Library policies or rules governing patron behavior.
6. Parents or guardians of minors will be notified in writing, whenever possible, after the first recorded instance in which a minor is required to leave Library property, and advised of the consequences of any further recorded instances.
7. Upon the second recorded instance within a four week period in which a patron is required to leave the Library, the Director shall ban the patron from Library property for a period of thirty days.
8. In the event a patron banned from Library property attempts entry to Library property during any such period of exclusion, the police will be immediately summoned to respond to this trespassing violation.
9. In the event the patron persists in abusive conduct or disruptive behavior following a period of exclusion, the Library Director shall report to the Board of Library Trustees to request consideration of a long-term period of exclusion of that patron.
10. The Library is not required to go through the entire intervention process detailed in this policy. Intervention may begin at any step, including immediate involvement of the police and/or banning from Library property, depending upon the severity of the incident or behavior.
11. Any redress for grievance regarding any actions taken by the Library staff to enforce Library public behavior standards must be submitted in writing to the Director. The Director shall respond in writing to this grievance. If the patron does not accept the Director’s response to the written grievance, the patron may submit a written redress for grievance to the Board of Library Trustees. The Board shall review this grievance and provide a written response. The Board’s decision shall be final.
Also see: the Library Code of Conduct