| Patron Behavior Policy
I. Rules of Conduct
The purpose of the facilities of the Vernon Area Public Library District is to provide a safe and secure environment for the collection and use of materials, a meeting place for library sponsored programs and nonprofit community organizations, and for the necessary administrative and support activities required to fulfill the library’s mission.
Persons on the premises of the Vernon Area Public Library District accept the responsibility for conducting themselves in a manner that does not interfere with that purpose. Specific rules of conduct include, but are not limited to, the following.
Persons are not permitted to:
- Interfere with another person’s ability to use the facilities in appropriate and approved manners.
- Damage, mutilate or remove from the premises without authorization any part of the library collection, building, furnishings or equipment.
- Damage or alter any computer system hardware or software configurations.
- Talk loudly, make noise, use abusive or threatening language, or engage in other disruptive or inappropriate conduct.
- Use matches, lighters, or other means of ignition, illegal substances or alcoholic beverages. Smoking is not permitted in the building, or within 20 feet of building entrances.
- Play audio equipment so that others can hear it. The use of headsets is permitted only if their use does not disturb others.
- Use cellular telephones anywhere in the building, other than the outer lobby near the pay telephones.
- Eat in the building. Drinking is permitted from spill-proof containers only.
- Lie or lounge on the floor, or sleep anywhere in the building.
- Lie down on furniture, or move furniture in any way or to any location that may impede safe or easy passage.
- Use the building’s rest rooms as laundry facilities, bathing facilities or gathering places.
- Use the facilities to store personal belongings.
- Leave children in need of supervision unattended on the premises. Specifically:
- Children 5 years of age and younger must remain with an adult caregiver at all times these children are on the premises, except when these children are attending a library sponsored program, during which time the adult caregiver must remain in the building.
- Children 6, 7, 8, and 9 years of age must be accompanied by an adult caregiver who will remain in the building at all times when the children are present.
- Children must be picked up by closing time.
- Adult caregivers must be a minimum of 18 years old.
- Bring animals into the building, except those needed to assist a person with a disability.
- Solicit anywhere on the premises.
- Bring a bicycle into the building.
- Use roller blades, roller skates or skateboards anywhere on the premises.
- Go barefoot or without a shirt in the building.
- Bring onto the premises any dangerous weapon. Dangerous weapons include, but are not limited to, the weapons set forth and defined in Illinois Compiled Statutes, Chapter 720, section 5/24.1 et seq.
- Engage in any illegal acts or conduct in violation of Federal, State, or local law, ordinance or regulation.
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II. Enforcement
When a person engages in any prohibited activity, the following procedure shall be followed:
Library staff will inform the person that the behavior is not allowed in the library, and that it must cease immediately. Staff will inform the person at this time that if the behavior persists, the person will be told to leave the premises.
If the behavior persists, staff will tell the person that he or she must leave the premises immediately. If the person does not comply, staff will inform the person that police will be called. Staff will then immediately call the Lincolnshire Police Department, informing the police that a person needs to be removed from the premises.
When the police arrive, staff will identify the offender.
If possible, staff will record the name of the offender, or ask for it from the police.
If the offender has left the building before the police arrive, staff will give a description of the offender to the police, and ask that they check the parking lot and grounds to make sure the offender has left.
At its discretion, the library may file charges against violators of this policy.
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III. Suspension of Library Privileges
The Illinois Compiled Statutes, Chapter 75, Paragraph 5/4-7, permit the Board of Library Trustees to “exclude from use of the library any person who willfully violates the rules prescribed by the board.”
Library privileges may be suspended for any willful violation of the provisions of this or any other policy adopted by the Board of Library Trustees. Suspensions will be for a definite period of time, as set by the Board. Suspensions will apply to all library facilities and services. Suspensions my be appealed to the Board by a written request submitted to the Library Director within two weeks of receipt of the notice of suspension.
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