Conduct/Behavior Rules Governing the Use of the Wood County District Public Library

The Wood County District Public Library's behavior rules have a threefold purpose: to protect the rights and safety of patrons, to protect the rights and safety of staff members, and to preserve and protect library materials, facilities and property.  These behavior rules shall apply in all buildings, interior and exterior, and all grounds controlled and operated by the Library (such buildings and grounds are hereafter referred to as the "premises") and to all persons entering in or on the premises.

Any person who violates rules 1 - 6 will be immediately ejected and excluded from all Library premises without first being given a warning. Any person so excluded shall lose all Library privileges for a period of at least three years, and the incident will be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

1. Committing or attempting to commit any activity that would constitute a violation of any federal, state or local ordinance, including theft of library materials.
2. Directing a specific threat of physical harm against an individual, group of individuals or property.
3. Engaging in conduct of a sexual nature.
4. Being under the influence of any controlled substance or intoxicating liquor.
5. Possessing, selling, distributing or using a controlled substance.
6. Possessing, selling, distributing or consuming an alcoholic beverage, except as allowed at a library-approved event.

Any person who violates rules 7 - 18 will be given up to one warning at the discretion of staff; then the person will be asked to leave the premises for the day. Subsequent offenses by that person will result in that person's immediate ejection and exclusion from all library premises. Any person so excluded shall lose all Library privileges for a period of up to three years.

7. Engaging in conduct that disrupts or interferes with the normal operation of the Library, or disturbs Library staff or patrons, including, but not limited to, conduct that involves the use of abusive or threatening language or gestures, conduct that creates unreasonable noise, or conduct that consists of loud or boisterous physical behavior or talking.
8. Using Library materials, equipment, furniture, fixtures or buildings in a manner inconsistent with the customary use thereof; or in a destructive, abusive or potentially damaging manner; or which results in the defacing of Library materials and property; or in a manner likely to cause personal injury to the actor or others.
9. Disobeying the reasonable direction of a Library staff member or Library security officer.
10. Soliciting, petitioning, or distributing written materials or canvassing for political, charitable or religious purposes inside a Library building, including the doorway or vestibule of any such Library building or in a manner on the Library premises that unreasonably interferes with or impedes access to the Library. Please refer to the Petitioning on Library Property Policy for further details.
11. Interfering with the free passage of Library staff or patrons in or on the Library premises, including, but not limited to, placing objects such as bicycles, skateboards, backpacks or other items in a manner that interferes with free passage.
12.  Operating roller skates, skateboards or other similar devices in or on Library premises.
13. Parking vehicles on Library premises for purposes other than Library use. Vehicles parked in violation of this rule may be towed at the owner's expense.
14. Smoking or use of tobacco/nicotine products, including electronic substitutes, in library buildings or near entrances.  They are also completely banned from the grounds of the Carter House.
15. Consuming food or drink that creates a nuisance because of odor, garbage, or spills. Non-alcoholic beverages in closed containers and small amounts of snack foods are allowed. No food or drink of any kind is allowed inside the Local History room or at any computer workstation.
16. Bringing animals inside Library buildings (with the exception of already-trained and certified service animals), except as allowed at a Library-approved event, or leaving an animal tethered and unattended on Library premises.
17. Violating the Library's Public Computer Use/Internet Access Policy
18. Taking Library materials into restrooms if the materials have not been checked out.

Any person who violates rules 19 - 22 will be given up to two warnings at the discretion of Library staff; then the person will be asked to leave the premises for the day. Subsequent offenses by that person will result in that person's immediate ejection and exclusion from all Library premises. Any person so excluded shall lose all Library privileges for a period of up to six months.

19. Sleeping in or on Library premises.
20. Improperly using Library restrooms, including, but not limited to, bathing, shaving, washing hair and changing clothes.
21. Using personal electronic equipment at a volume that disturbs others, including, but not limited to, pagers, stereos, televisions and cellular telephones.
22. Leaving one or more small children, who reasonably appear to be unsupervised or unattended, anywhere in or on Library premises.

Any person who violates rules 23 and 24 will be excluded from the premises until the problem is corrected.

23. Entering Library buildings with bare feet or a bare chest.
24. Disturbing others because of offensive body odor.

Use of cameras and other recording devices:

Given the potential adverse effect on an individual’s fundamental right to privacy, it is reasonable for a library, as a Limited Public Forum, to regulate the use of cameras and other recording devices in a manner that preserves an individual’s right to library services free from harassment, intimidation, or threats to their safety, well-being, and privacy.

Ohio Revised Code sections 149.432(A)(3) and (B) require that “personally identifiable information about an individual who has used any library service” remain confidential.  This would include recording a person’s image or presence while on library premises. Therefore, any use of cameras and other recording devices while on Library premises requires prior written permission from (1) the library administration, (2) the subject being photographed/recorded, and (3) the parent or legal guardian of any minor subject.

The sole exception to the requirement for prior permission is the recording of a public meeting of the Library Board of Trustees.

Lost or stolen articles:

The Library cannot be responsible for lost or stolen articles.

Repeat Offenses:

Individuals who violate these Behavior Rules after having been previously excluded for Library rule violations may face a longer exclusion than indicated in these guidelines. Repeat offenders need not violate the same rule to be subject to stricter enforcement and may not be warned that their behavior is inappropriate before being excluded, possibly permanently.

Approved by the Board of Trustees, January 19, 2010.

Updates: September 18, 2013; March 16, 2016; July 16, 2018.

Updated February 18, 2020.

--------------

A downloadable pdf of these rules is available in the attachment below.