RAPIDES PARISH LIBRARY

UNATTENDED AND DISRUPTIVE CHILDREN POLICY

The Rapides Parish Library welcomes the use of its facilities and services by children.  Our services and programs are offered to make the Library enticing to children, to encourage them to visit the Library and to develop in them a love of books, reading, and libraries.

The safety and the welfare of children left alone in the Library is a serious concern of the Library Board of Control and the administration.  Children, left unattended, may become frightened, anxious, bored, or disruptive.  Their behavior can easily have a negative impact on the enjoyment of the Library by others.

The Library staff cannot be responsible for children left without proper supervision.  The Library is a public building, and the staff cannot always know if children are leaving the facility with parents or strangers, or even by themselves.  Parents are responsible for their children’s care and behavior at all times while in the library.

For the protection and well-being of children who use the library, and to prevent undue disruption of normal Library activities the following rules have been adopted by the Rapides Parish Library Board of Control:

  1)      Children age nine or younger may not be left unattended in any branch of the Rapides Parish Library.  They must be accompanied by a responsible person – an adult or mature adolescent (sixteen years of age or older).  Responsible parties for children age nine or younger must remain inside the Library facility during programs attended by the child.

  2)      The parents, guardians, and assigned chaperons are responsible for their children’s behavior while in the library.

  3)      Children age ten and older may use the Library unattended, but must display acceptable behavior.

  4)      Disruptive behavior to be avoided (by persons of all ages) induces excessive noise or activity that reduces the ability of other patrons to enjoy the Library, threats to or damage to property of the Library or of other patrons, and endangering the safety of the child or others.

  5)      Staff members are not allowed to assume responsibility for any child in the absence of a parent or assigned chaperon, even for a short period of time.

  6)      Continued and repeated disruptive behavior by a child, as determined by Library management, or leaving children unattended will result in the loss of the child’s Library privileges.

                            Adopted by the    Rapides Parish Library
                                                        Board of Control
                                                        August 21, 2001