Conduct

Library Code of Conduct

The Library is a place to be shared with other patrons, visitors, and staff. It is a place to study, read, and reflect. We ask your voluntary compliance with the following behaviors we believe govern all public libraries.

Maintain conversation at an acceptable level and refrain from offensive and abusive language to staff and patrons.
Be respectful of furniture, equipment and materials.
No food, or tobacco products are permitted in the Library. (See Activity Room Policy for exceptions.). Drinks are allowed in containers with sealable lids.
Children must be supervised in accordance with our Unattended Children Policy. Parents and caregivers are asked to monitor their children's behavior to ensure they are not disturbing patrons or abusing or misusing library materials or equipment.
No animals, outside of assistance animals, are permitted in the Library. Exceptions may be made for special library programs.
Shoes and shirts are required at all times.
The Library reserves the right to restrict rearranging furniture and the number of individuals who may work in a group.

Patrons who refuse to comply with the above will be asked to leave the premises. Although it is not our intent to restrict library use, repeat offenders of the Code of Conduct will lose library privileges.

Unattended Children Policy

The Shenandoah County Library welcomes children and families to benefit from the resources, materials, and programs that the library offers. To provide for the general welfare of all persons using the Shenandoah County Library and to provide for the general safety of children using the library, the Library Board has established the following policies:

Parents or Caregivers may not leave children ages twelve or younger alone in the library unattended. If a parent or caregiver of an unattended child cannot be located within one-half hour of the discovery that the child is unattended, the library will involve appropriate law enforcement to contact the child's family.

Children ages six and younger must be directly supervised at all times by a parent or caregiver ages sixteen or older. That means the parent/caregiver is with the child at all times and is supervising their behavior in the library. Children six and under will be considered unattended if the parent/caregiver is elsewhere in the building.
Children ages seven through twelve do not have to be directly supervised providing that they are mature enough to stay alone and observe proper conduct. An adult caregiver sixteen or over must remain in the building at all times and is responsible for the children's behavior at all times while in the library. Such children are subject to the same rules of conduct as other patrons and the same consequences.
Children ages thirteen through sixteen are permitted to use the library without an adult caregiver. These children are subject to the same rules of conduct as adult patrons and the same consequences will occur if the child is considered by a staff member to be disruptive to other library patrons. This possibility should be considered when deciding whether to leave a child unattended in the library.
Volunteers ages sixteen and under are supervised by the staff and are not considered to be unattended during their scheduled volunteering time. Parents need to be aware that prior arrangements need to be made with the Volunteer Coordinator to schedule volunteer duty. As soon as the scheduled volunteer time is over, the volunteer is subject to the same rules as any other young patron visiting the library.
Staff is not permitted to remain after hours with an unattended child, or to provide transport to another location. For the safety of the child, the staff will not leave a child outside to wait for a ride. If a parent cannot be reached by the time the library is to close, appropriate law enforcement will be called to escort the child home or to keep the child until the family can be reached.

Revised and Adopted 11-03-2022
Shenandoah County Library Board of Trustees
Next Scheduled Review, November 2025