BEHAVIOR POLICIES
Progressive consequences
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Producing excessive noise
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Behaving in a disorderly, disruptive, or threatening manner that jeopardizes personal safety of patrons or staff.
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Consuming food, beverages without lids, narcotics, alcohol, or tobacco products in any inside public area, including restrooms. Smoking is not permitted on the grounds except within personal vehicles.
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Loitering
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Soliciting donations of money or anything of value; selling materials or services.
Discipline will be progressive whenever possible:
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Ask patron to cease behavior.
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Repeat request to cease behavior and warn of potential expulsion if behavior continues.
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Ask patron to leave, and if necessary, call security or police if patron refuses to comply.
Actions may involve:
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Leaving the building for the day.
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Suspension for one week or more, based upon age and circumstances.
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Criminal trespass filed.
No-tolerance consequences
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Stealing, damaging, or altering library property including defacing library materials, vandalizing equipment, furniture, computers.
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Carrying concealed or obvious weapons without proper permit under Indiana law; brandishing weapons
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Stalking - aggressive pursuit of others that is unsolicited, unwelcome, and unreasonable, and creates a threatening or intimidating environment
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Committing sexual offenses, including indecent exposure, unwelcome or inappropriate sexual advancement or harassment, solicitation.
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Displaying any pornography
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Displaying harmful matters to minors.
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Verbal, physical, written, or electronic harassment or abuse. This includes cursing at patrons or staff; approaching patrons or staff in unwanted or inappropriate interactions; threats to anyone's personal safety; transmission of threatening, harassing, malicious, or abusive language or images.
These examples will result in zero-tolerance responses from library staff, and there are no progressive steps.
The standard response will be expulsion until either legal action is complete or the director revies the incident and meets with the offender. If the patron is under 18, an attempt will be made to contact parents to discuss the incident and consequences.
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