1.  PATRON CONDUCT POLICY

Motley County Library Patron Conduct Policy Approved by the Library Board July 3, 2007

The Library Board is responsible for determining the rules for public behavior in the library: 1. to protect the rights of individuals to use library materials and services, 2. to protect the rights of library employees and volunteers to conduct library business without interference, 3. to ensure the use of the buildings, materials and services by the greatest number of individuals, 4. to preserve those materials and facilities from harm and 5. to ensure the safety of library patrons, employees and volunteers. Procedures and Rules The Library Board authorizes the director or his designee to revoke or restrict library privileges of any individual who behaves contrary to these rules. The rules for public behavior are listed below. The director and/or volunteers are authorized to bring to an individual’s attention any act or omission which violates these rules and detracts from the decorum of the library. Such an individual will be asked to change his behavior to conform to the rules. If such a change is not evident or forthcoming, the director or volunteer will write an incident report (form to be found in the forms section of the policy notebook) and that individual will be asked to leave the library and its premises. Failure to leave as instructed is considered trespassing and the sheriff will be called for assistance. Depending on the severity of the misbehavior, individuals who have been asked to leave the library may be barred from returning to the library. Individuals who have been barred will have to talk to the director before being readmitted. Juveniles will be asked to bring a parent or guardian to such a conference. Rules of Conduct Any misconduct that hinders use of the library, library materials or library equipment is prohibited. Such misconduct might include but is not limited to: 1. Loud or boisterous behavior, 2. Conversation that is disturbing to other individuals or employees, 3. Profanity or other abusive language or actions toward other individuals or toward employees, 4. Abusing library furniture, equipment or materials or not checking out materials appropriately, 5. Running in a library building, 6. Harassing others, either verbally or through actions. Harassment may include, but is not limited to, initiating unwanted conversations, impeding access to the building, standing outside the building and rapping on the glass to get someone’s attention, etc., 7. Fighting on library property, 8. Using tobacco in any form while inside a library building, 9. Possession, sale or use of alcoholic beverages or illegal substances on library property, 10. Eating or drinking in a library building except for groups which are using meeting rooms, 11. Sleeping or loitering in a library building, 12. Buying or selling or soliciting for personal gain, 13. Using radios, tape players or other personal listening equipment at a level that can be heard by other individuals, 14. Use of skateboards, roller blades, etc. anywhere on library property, 15. Distributing literature, taking surveys or asking individuals or employees to sign petitions or other similar activities, 16. Bringing animals other than guide dogs and the like into a library building, 17. Not wearing a shirt or shoes, 18. Using the emergency exits at time other than during an emergency, 19. Misuse of the library’s restroom, 20. Using the library’s telephones excessively or for periods longer than 2 minutes, 21. Parking bicycles or other vehicles in a manner that blocks or hinders entry to the library or that blocks the bench situated in front of the library. 22. Looking over the shoulder of persons using the computers or sharing a computer. 23. Failing to comply with the rules for computer use as outlined in the library’s Internet Use Policy. 24. Failing to comply with the other policies of the library, such as the Library Access Policy and the Unattended Child Policy. The library reserves the right to limit the number of individuals who may sit together. The library reserves the right to inspect all bags, purses, briefcases, packs, etc. for library materials.Boom boxes, skateboard, basketballs or other athletic equipment may not be brought into library buildings.

2.  INTERNET USE POLICY

                   Motley County Library

  Internet Use Policy and Rules and Regulations

         Approved by the Library Board 9-11-07 

The Motley County Library provides access to the Internet as one means of fulfilling its mission to provide information in electronic format for recreational and educational use.  All Internet resources accessible through the Library are provided equally to all users, with the understanding that it is the individual user’s responsibility to demonstrate judgment, respect for others and appropriate conduct while using the public library’s resources and facilities.

Rules and Procedures

1.     Internet access computers may be used to access a variety of electronic communications resources including email, games and chat rooms.  Although the library does not provide email accounts to users, Internet access computers may be used to access free email accounts available from a variety of sources.  Users, including minors, are warned that other individuals may obtain unauthorized access to personal information and/or may misrepresent themselves.  Users, including minors, are advised not to share personal identification information to unknown or otherwise unverified sources via electronic communication.

2.     The library’s Internet access computers may not be used by ANY user to access inappropriate or illegal materials, including but not limited to materials of an obscene nature or child pornography.  In addition, minors are prohibited from accessing materials considered to be “Harmful to minors.”

3.     The library’s Internet access computers may be used to access information, except as otherwise specified as unacceptable, from a variety of sources such as educational or commercial.  The user is the selector of the material accessed and is therefore the responsible party.  The user is responsible for complying with all restrictions governing access to specific sites.  Any fees are the responsibility of the user, not the library.  In the case of minors, fees are the fiscal responsibility of the parent or guardian.  In no event shall the Motley County Library have any liability for lost profits or for any direct or indirect special, punitive or consequential damages, or any liability to a third party. 

4.     Internet computers will not be used for illegal activity, to access illegal materials or to access materials that, by local community standards, would be objectionable. Illegal materials include, but are not limited to, obscenity and child pornography as defined in US Code Title 18 and State Penal Code Chapters 42 and 43.  Access by minors to materials deemed “harmful to minors” is prohibited.  Library Administration, including Volunteers, reserves the right to determine, based on community standards, materials considered to be “Harmful to minors.”

5.     Installation, downloading or modification of software is prohibited.  Downloading information is acceptable only onto a floppy disk purchased at the library.  Memory sticks, CD’s or floppy disks may not be brought into the library and inserted into the library’s computers.

6.     Users will respect copyright laws and licensing agreements.  Materials obtained or copied on the Internet may be subject to laws that govern making reproductions of copyrighted works.  A work protected by copyright may not be copied without written permission of the copyright owner unless the proposed use falls within the definition of “Fair Use.”  Customers are responsible for compliance with all international, national and state laws governing copyrighted materials.

7.     Users will not make any attempt to misuse the computer.  Misuse includes, but is not limited to, using the computer for illegal activities, hacking into the library computer system or any other computer system, damaging or attempting to damage computer equipment or software, interfering with systems operations, integrity or security, gaining unauthorized access to another person’s files, sending harassing messages to other computer users, altering or attempting to alter the library’s computer settings and violating copyright laws and software licensing agreements. 

8.     Prompt payment is required by users who incur charges for printing or other fees.  Printing charges include $.25 per page for black and white printing and $.50 per page for color printing.  Users should be aware that the color printer is very slow.

9.     Users must sign up to use the Internet on a next-available-computer basis.  Computers will not be reserved for persons who are not in the immediate vicinity when their name is called and telephone reservations will not be taken.  Those waiting to use the computers must sit apart from the computers, ie., at the table or in the front of the library.

10.   Computer sessions will be limited to 30 minutes, unless otherwise authorized by the library staff.

11.  Users will end their session and leave the computer when asked to do so by authorized by library staff.

12.   Users will respect the privacy of other library users and will refrain from attempting to view or read material being used by others.  No one may stand behind, sit beside or look on with a computer user in the library.  No one may talk to another person who is using a computer.  Absolute privacy for individuals using electronic resources in the library cannot be guaranteed.  Users are prohibited from the unauthorized disclosure, use or dissemination of personal information of others.  Users are prohibited from misrepresenting themselves to others.  Users, including minors, are warned that other individuals may obtain unauthorized access to personal information and/or may represent themselves.

13.   The Motley County Library requires that users under eighteen have a parent or guardian sit with them as they use the computer or that a parent or guardian come in and sign a form giving the child under eighteen permission to use the computer un supervised.  The parent or guardian must come to the library to sign the permission form. 

14. The Motley County Library has installed a filtering software product on all Internet access computers.  The installation of such a product is the library’s means to comply with specific federal legislation.  The Motley County Library uses federal funds in a manner identified in Title XVII:  The Children’s Internet Protection Act.  However, parents of minor children should be aware that no filtering system is completely effective or efficient.  Adults, eighteen years old or older may request that the filter be disabled.

15.   The public library, unlike schools, does not serve in place of a parent.  Librarians cannot act in the place of parents in providing constant care and supervision of children as they explore the Internet.  The responsibility for what minors read or view on the Internet rests with the parent or guardian. 

16.   The computers at the Motley County Library will be shut down every day, fifteen minutes before library closing time.

17.   Internet users must sign in and out.

18.  Failure to abide by these rules and regulations will result in the loss of computer privileges.