Waterbury Public Library Policies

Mission:

To inspire our community to learn, connect and thrive.

Eating and Drinking in the Library

Although not sold in the Library, food and beverages may be consumed in the Café and/or as part of a Library program or meeting in the SAL Room. Please limit food and drinks to these areas.

Appropriate Library Behavior

Residents and visitors of all ages are welcome at the Waterbury Public Library.

All individuals are expected to treat the facilities, materials, and equipment with care and behave in a respectful manner toward other library users and staff.

If, in the opinion of the staff, any individual behaves in a manner inappropriate to a library setting and/or disturbing to other library users (including, but not limited to engaging in loud or long phone conversations, shouting, cursing, fighting, or threatening others, or throwing things) the individual will be asked to stop the behavior or leave the library. If the patron refuses, the police may be called.

Children and Young Adults

Welcome:  Waterbury Public Library welcomes children of all ages. The Library staff is committed to making the library an inviting place for children to develop a life-long love for books, learning, and libraries.

The Library offers weekly Baby/Toddler and Preschool Story Times, picture books and books for growing readers, puppets and puzzles, fiction and nonfiction, magazines, audiobooks and movies, a learning station with educational games, computers and the Internet, places to study and socialize with friends, special programs that provide opportunities to learn and discover, and assistance from the staff in accessing these resources.

Children and young adults are expected to behave appropriately. If, in the opinion of the Library staff, any child or young adult is behaving in a manner inappropriate to a library setting (see Appropriate Library Behavior above), that individual will be told to leave the Library.

Parental Responsibility:

The Library does not assume responsibility or liability for the actions, care, supervision, or safety of minors. Parents/guardians and designated caregivers over 16 are responsible for their children’s safety and behavior while in the Library or on the Library grounds, whether or not they are present on site.

It is the responsibility of parents/guardians and designated caregivers over 16, NOT the Library or Library employees, to provide appropriate supervision of minors.

Parents/guardians are responsible for paying for any damage to library or municipal facilities, materials, or equipment caused by their minor children.

Parents/guardians and designated caregivers are expected to be aware of the Library’s hours. All Library patrons must leave the building at closing time. If a parent/guardian or designated caregiver feels it is unsafe for their child to leave the building at closing or other time without adult supervision, he/she should make arrangements to have the child picked up before the library closes.

Supervision in the Library:

Unattended Child Policy: For the safety and comfort of all children, any child under the age of 8 must be supervised at all times while on Library property by a parent/guardian or designated caregiver over 16.

    • A child is considered unattended if he or she is out of sight of his or her parent/guardian or designated caregiver over 16.
    • Those using a computer are not able to provide adequate supervision.
    • In the event that an unattended child has not been picked up by closing time, and if the child has informed the Library staff of their situation, the staff will attempt to reach a parent guardian or designated caregiver, if possible. If the staff is unable to reach a parent/guardian or caregiver, it is the recommendation of Family Services Division of the Vermont Department for Children and Families that the staff should contact the Vermont State Police and request that the unattended child be picked up at the Library by an officer and held safely at the Police Department until a parent/guardian or designated caregiver can be reached.

Library personnel will not provide after-hours childcare or transportation.

Access to Physical Library Materials:

The Library does not impose limits on access to any materials in its collections or available through its services. Parents/guardians and/or caregivers are responsible for setting boundaries and/or restrictions for their own children regarding access to resources offered by the Library.

Access to Electronic Resources:

The Library is aware of parental and governmental concerns about child safety on the Internet. Library computers are not filtered and the Library staff does not monitor or control the content of materials offered through the Internet. Parents/guardians and/or caregivers are responsible for their children’s use of the Internet at all times. Parents/guardians who believe that their children cannot responsibly make use of the Library’s Internet access must monitor their children’s Internet use individually.

Children and young adults are expected to follow the same guidelines regarding acceptable and/or unacceptable computer use as other patrons. (See Computer and Internet Use.)

One Early Learning Station with educational games appropriate for children ages 6 to 12 is provided near the children’s computers. The Early Learning Station is not connected to the Internet.

Programs and Special Events:

Age designations are stated in notices and program publicity to ensure that those who attend Library programs and special events are capable of the behavior required. The Library staff has the right to deny program admittance to any child outside the recommended age guidelines for particular programs or special events.

Parents/guardians or designated caregivers are required to be in the same room with any child younger than age 8 attending any Library program or special event.

Use of volunteers

The Waterbury Public Library supports lifelong learning, cultural enrichment, and personal development and serves its community as a multigenerational gathering place. Volunteers are a vital resource for the library to ensure the highest quality patron service for the tens of thousands of visits each year. They are recruited, supervised, and trained by the Library Director and Patron Services staff and must adhere to all policies to the same extent as paid personnel. Volunteers under 18 must provide a reference letter or telephone call from an adult.

Volunteers need:
● Enthusiasm and willingness to learn
● Commitment to a regular schedule
○ At minimum a two hour volunteer block weekly or every other week
● Good work habits
● Compliance with library rules, policies, and procedures

Examples of projects
● Materials Shelver/Organizer
● Prepare program materials
● Assist with outreach (hanging posters in the community, materials delivery)
● Assist with other daily library tasks as needed.

Library volunteers will not be used to staff the help desk.

Review/revision of policy

This policy will be officially reviewed annually at a regular meeting of the Commissioners and will be modified at that time to the extent deemed necessary.