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The Board of Trustees of the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District (FVRL) has established the following rules of conduct to protect the rights and safety of library patrons and staff and to preserve and protect the library’s materials, equipment, and property. The Board is committed to providing all patrons a pleasant library environment and to enabling staff to give quality service both in person and online.
When using the library:
- Expect to receive fair, courteous, and equitable treatment. Request physical accommodation or assistance when needed to allow you full use of library services.
- Ask library staff for help; they are here to assist you. Share with library staff your suggestions about how we can improve our services, collections, and facilities.
- Adhere to established library policies and procedures.
- Respect the rights and privacy of other library patrons and staff. Set cell phones to silent or vibrate and use in a manner that is not disruptive to others. Be mindful of noise levels when talking or comforting an upset child. Ask permission of others before taking pictures.
- Eat and drink in designated areas only. Beverages in securely covered containers are permitted; only water is allowed near vulnerable equipment and materials.
- All belongings/bags brought into the library must be carried in a single trip, kept contained, out of the way of others and within your reach at all times. Do not leave belongings unattended. The library is not responsible for items that are lost, stolen or damaged in the library or on library grounds.
- Maintain order and safe entry/exit by not loitering in high traffic areas, doorways, aisles and stairways, and keep personal items from interfering with others' access to the library.
- Small carts and baby strollers are welcome unless they interfere with others' ability to access the library.
The following behaviors are prohibited at the library:
- Engaging in or attempting to engage in any activity that would be a violation of any federal, state or local criminal law, statute or ordinance.
- Engaging in sexual activities including physical contact with self or others as well as sexually harassing comments or behaviors.
- Possessing, selling, distributing, consuming or being impaired by or under the influence of a controlled substance or alcohol. (See Meeting Space Usage Policy for exceptions to alcoholic beverages.)
- Refusing to comply with the direction of a library staff member.
- Violating US copyright laws or the Library Internet Use Policy.
- Engaging in loud, disruptive, destructive, or unsafe behavior that interferes with others’ use of the library or with the ability of staff to perform their job duties.
- Engaging in threatening or harassing behavior that creates a hostile environment on library premises or through remote communication such as frequent or abusive chats, texts or phone calls.
- Consuming tobacco products or e-cigarettes in library buildings or within 25 feet of any entrance or open window, per RCW 70.160.
- Destroying, damaging, or defacing library facilities, materials, equipment or software.
- Bringing animals into the library other than trained service animals (as defined by law), except as approved by authorized library staff.
- Using another person's library account without their permission.
- Openly viewing explicit sexual material.
- Dressing inappropriately (bare feet or bare chest), per RCW 27.12.290.
- Discomforting others due to offensive body odor, per RCW 27.12.290.
- Improper use of library grounds (camping, skateboarding, overnight parking, etc.); or library restrooms (bathing, shaving, loitering, washing clothes, etc.).
- Monopolizing library spaces (sleeping, excessive belongings, congregating, etc.) or otherwise interfering with others' access to the library.
Consequences for violating Rules 1-4:
Violators may be immediately excluded from all FVRL premises without prior warning at discretion of staff. Any person engaged in illegal activity may lose all library privileges for up to life and the incident may be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
Consequences for violating Rules 5-16:
Violators will be given up to two warnings at the discretion of staff and may be excluded for up to one year. Consequences for repeated behavioral infractions of the same or similar nature may have cumulative exclusions (i.e. one day, one week, one month, one year) at the discretion of library staff. FVRL reserves the right to trespass repeat offenders through the appropriate law enforcement agency.
Unattended minor children (under 18) at the library:
Children under the age of 18 are welcome at the library at all times. Parents and guardians are responsible for the behavior of their minor children whenever they are in library buildings or on library property, including the materials they choose to read or view including through the use of library computers. Compliance with US copyright law and the FVRL Library Internet Use Policy is the joint responsibility of the minor and their parent or guardian.
Leaving children unsupervised or unattended anywhere on library premises is not acceptable when the child's behavior becomes an issue to their own or others' comfort, wellbeing, and safety. Young children must remain under the supervision of an adult or responsible caregiver at all times.
Right of Appeal:
All library staff are expected to apply library policy in a fair, reasonable, and positive manner. Individual patrons who question the way that library policies have been applied may use the appeal process that is described in FVRL’s Appeal Rights of Patrons document.
Authorization:
The FVRL Rules of Conduct Policy shall be enforced by the Branch Manager in charge of each library unit or their designee. Authority for this policy includes: RCW 27.12.210 (2); RCW 27.12.270; RCW 27.12.290; and RCW 27.12.330.
Board Approved: Original Policy 12/13/93
Revised: 06/12/00
Revised: 04/11/06
Revised: 08/15/16
Revised: 05/15/17
Revised 02/20/18