General Policies

I. Patron Code of Conduct

The Michigan City Public Library Patron Code of Conduct is intended to protect the rights and safety of individuals who are in the library or use library materials and/or services, to protect the rights and safety of staff members, and to preserve and protect library materials, facilities and property. Library staff and security have the authority to maintain order and enforce these and other regulations to ensure the safety of all.

The Youth Services Department is reserved for use by children, their parents or guardians, and adults interested in children’s materials. The Young Adults’ area is reserved for young adults and those who accompany them.

Library users who violate the code of conduct may be subject to the suspension of their library privileges, be banned from using the library, and/or face legal action. Upon violation of any part of the code of conduct, the patron will be asked to stop the unacceptable activity. If behavior is not changed, the patron will be told to leave the library for the remainder of the day. If behavior is unchanged in subsequent days, the patron will be barred from using the library for a period of 90 days or more at the discretion of the Director. The Director will inform the patron of this decision via certified or legally served letter.

The Library reserves the right to enlist the assistance of the Police or other authorities to enforce the code of conduct.

II. Posted Rules

These rules and regulations are posted at the front entrance to the Michigan City Public Library:

The library reserves the right to inspect all bags, purses or backpacks.

Shirts, Shoes and Proper Attire Required

No Animals allowed except for Canine Assistance

No Alcohol or Being Under the Influence of Alcohol

No Smoking or Other Tobacco Products

No Illegal Drugs

No Food or Drinks

No Gambling or Game Playing

No Inappropriate Displays of Affection, Obscene Gestures, Indecent Exposure

No Loitering or Disruptive Behavior No Sleeping

No Stalking or Staring

No Soliciting

No Running, Horseplay, Roughhousing, Pushing, etc.

No Bicycles, Skateboards, Rollerblades, etc.

Do Not Leave Children Unattended

No Verbal or Physical Abuse

No Weapons

No Cell Phones in Use

No Bathing, Shaving, or Clothes / Hair Washing in Bathrooms

No Open Flames

No Offensive Odors

No Disruption / Abuse of Library Furniture or Property

No Blocking of Aisles or Monopolization of Furniture / Space

No Bedrolls and/or Large, Bulky Personal Belongings

III. Rules and Regulations Explained

For the comfort and safety of patrons, staff, and volunteers, and for the protection of Library property, the following behaviors and actions are considered unacceptable in the library and will be subject to discipline:

Shirt, shoes and proper attire required. Appropriate attire must be worn at all times. Wearing unbuttoned or unzipped shirts, dresses, or pants is not permitted.

No animals allowed except for canine assistance – excludes library-sponsored programs. Patrons may be required to show proof for canine assistance.

No alcohol or being under the influence of alcohol. Patrons appearing to be intoxicated will be asked to leave.

No smoking or other tobacco products. This includes, but is not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, etc. Any open tobacco products are not allowed.

No illegal drugs. Anyone suspected of being under the influence of illegal drugs will be asked to leave.

No food or drinks. Patrons will be asked to take food and drinks outside. Food and drink allowed in staff areas and in the meeting room(s) with permission.

No gambling or game playing. Playing games in the Youth Services Department as part of its services is allowed.

No inappropriate displays of affection, obscene gestures, indecent exposure. Any other kinds of fondling or offensive touching are not permitted.

No loitering or disruptive behavior. Loitering is described as: “Individuals who are not using library resources or services but are merely sleeping, lingering, wandering aimlessly, or following others through the library, all without apparent legitimate reason for being in the library.” Disruptive behavior may also include loud talking, singing, audio and video device playing, etc.

No sleeping - includes snoring.

No stalking or staring. Voyeurism and any other forms of suspicious lurking are not permitted.

No soliciting - either inside or outside the library. Soliciting, petitioning or distributing written materials or canvassing on library property for any purpose, without permission, is prohibited. Panhandling, selling, surveys, or other activities that result in the disruption of normal library activities are also prohibited.

No running, horseplay, roughhousing, pushing, etc. Any other disruptive behavior that could cause physical harm is not allowed.

No bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades, etc. Other wheeled devices, other than baby carriages or equipment for the disabled, are not permitted.

Unattended children are not allowed. Please see Child Safety Policy for details.

No verbal or physical abuse. Any disorderly conduct, profane language, physical contact, or inciting to fight that is likely to provoke violence will result in immediate expulsion.

No weapons. Other than security officers, possession of any dangerous weapons, including but not limited to the following, is prohibited: firearms, knives, billy clubs, martial arts weapons, pellet or BB guns, bats, etc.

No cell phones in use. Cell phones and other electronic communication devices should be turned off or set to vibrate while patrons are in the library. Patrons should be directed outside to use their cell phones.

No bathing, shaving, or clothes/hair washing in the bathrooms. Bathrooms are not to be used for any other inappropriate purposes.

No open flames - except with permission of the library as part of programs.

No offensive odors. Bodily hygiene or condition of personal effects that is offensive so as to constitute a nuisance to patrons or staff is prohibited.

No disruption/abuse of library furniture or property. This includes, but is not limited to: moving furniture; overcrowding furniture; feet on furniture; lounging on furniture not intended for that purpose; damage to library property, including materials, equipment, plants and trees; stealing, attempting to steal, damaging, and/or altering library property.

No blocking of aisles or monopolization of furniture. This includes blocking or monopolizing any physical library space with personal belongings or large groups.

No bedrolls and/or large, bulky personal belongings. Numerous quantities of personal property, luggage, bags of food, etc., are not allowed. Patrons will be asked to put their personal belongings outside the building until they are ready to leave. The library is not responsible for patrons’ personal property left unattended.

IV. Other Issues

Trespassing in nonpublic areas or being in the library without permission before or after operating hours is prohibited. Patrons are not allowed in library offices unless accompanied by a staff member or with prior approval from the department head.

Intentional non-emergency activation of alarmed exits, fire alarms, etc., is prohibited.

The use of photography, film, or television equipment is prohibited without prior permission.

Any other illegal acts or conduct in violation of Federal, State, or local laws, ordinances or regulations.

Computer Use Policy

The library will provide access to electronic information systems as is sufficient to fulfill its mission. Use of these systems shall be consistent with the library's mission, goals, policies and procedures, and with local, state and federal laws. The library expects that the users of these systems shall not interfere with the systems' operation, integrity, or security. Additionally, the following rules govern use of all the Library's computer services:

The library reserves the right to set rules as needed for these systems and their use.

Adding, modifying, or deleting any system element is prohibited.

Impeding a system's use through monopolization or unreasonable consumption of system resources is prohibited.

Use of the computers is on a first-come, first-served basis.

The library does not provide e-mail services to patrons.

Library staff will assist patrons with computer use when possible.

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17 of the U.S Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The person using the library's equipment is liable for any copyright infringement.

I. Internet Use

If, in the estimation of a staff member, the Internet site being viewed is causing or is likely to cause a disturbance, he or she can ask the patron to turn off the monitor or leave the web site.

There is a 1 hour time limit per session Monday through Saturday.

There is a 30 minute time limit per session on Sundays.

An express computer is available for 10 minute sessions.

The demand for the use of the library's Internet workstations may exceed the available supply. Therefore, it is necessary to manage Internet access fairly and equitably so that all patrons will have an equal opportunity to use the resource.

II. Word Processing

There is a 2 hour limit per session.

It is understood that all patrons using word processing have a basic knowledge of how to use it.

III. Printing

Printing is .15 cents per page.

The library may suspend or terminate any public access computer privileges if the library reasonably believes that any patron has violated these guidelines.

IV. Rules for Behavior In Computer Service Areas

Internet and word processing stations are for use for one person at a time.

If a second person is absolutely needed, the main user should ask library staff is an exception may be made. This person might be teaching another to use the Internet or word processing or explaining how they want something done. The computer service areas are designed for individuals working alone, not group activities.

V. Appropriate behavior is expected from children and adults.

A parent or responsible adult is expected to monitor the behavior of his or her child or children at all times, including while either is using the library's computer or related services. Although it is not appropriate for them to sit with the adult at a station unless the adult is teaching the child to use the system, the child must still be supervised by the accompanying adult.

If, in the estimation of staff, the child or children become unruly, disturbs other patrons, blocks aisles or access to other equipment, or abuses equipment, the accompanying adult will be asked to correct their behavior.

If the behavior continues to be a problem, both the children and the accompanying adult will be asked to leave the library.

You are welcome to borrow books and puzzles from the Youth Services area to provide constructive activities for your children. these books and puzzles must be returned to the Youth Services area.

We appreciate your cooperation in helping to make our computer service areas a more pleasant place for everyone.

Board Approved: August 29, 2002

Cell Phone Policy

Cell phones and other portable communication devices (herein referred to as cell phones collectively) are not to be used in the library. Cell phones must be turned off or set to vibrate while in the library. Patrons shall move their cell phone use (both incoming and outgoing calls) outside of the building. Patrons violating this policy may be asked to leave the library or face greater penalties as determined by the Director.

Adopted June 22, 2005

Child Safety Policy

For the safety of your children, the Michigan City Public Library has adopted the following polices regarding children in the library:

Children under the age of 10 (ages 0-9) must have adult supervision at all times while in the library, except while participating in library programs.

Children ages 10 - 12 (excluding scheduled volunteers) must have an adult somewhere in the library.

Children ages 13 and over may be in the library without adult supervision.

An "adult" is defined as one who has obtained legal age and/or exhibits an acceptable level of maturity.

The library reserves the right to require children ages 10 years and over to have adult supervision at all times, if the child's behavior warrants supervision. Examples of behaviors that warrant supervision are, but not limited to: loud outbursts, running, and disregarding staff instructions.

Meeting Room Policy

Purpose

The purpose of the library meeting room is to provide space for programs or meetings either sponsored by the library or initiated by the public for cultural, educational, or informational purposes.

Types of Meetings

All meetings scheduled in the meeting room shall be free and open to the public.

The meeting room is not to be used for solicitation purposes. The library adheres to a strict no solicitation policy in the building and on its grounds with the exception of library and Friends of the Library business.

Library premises may be used for non-partisan political meetings or events such as candidate's nights, which invite all candidates and are sponsored by independent organizations.

Library premises may be used by religious groups in order to hold non-denominational or interdenominational meetings.

Private social gatherings are not permitted.

Only the library or library-related groups may conduct a fundraiser in the library.

Facilities & Fees

The full meeting room has a seated capacity of 125. A half-room divider can create two rooms.

Groups serving food and.or beverages must provide their own supplies. All groups are responsible for cleaning up after their meeting and leaving the room as they found it.

The meeting room is free of charge. Groups who wish to serve refreshments at their meeting must pay a $10 fee to cover cleaning costs.

Scheduling and Reservations

Library-sponsored activities will always take precedence when scheduling meeting room use. Non-library groups who wish to use the room will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. To check meeting room availability, pelase call (219) 873-3049 on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Meeting room reservations will not be considered final until the library has reviewed the application. The application must contain complete information about the nature and content of the program. The library reserved the right to refuse a group based on an incomplete application and/or a program that is not in keeping with the purpose of the room and the policies of the library.

Meetings are to be scheduled during regular library hours. All meetings must end 15 minutes prior to the library's scheduled closing time.

Library Hours

Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday & Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The library is closed on Sundays frmo Memorial Day through Labor Day weekends.

The meeting room application and applicable fee must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the desired meeting date. The application may be mailed to the library, faxed to (219) 873-3475, or turned in to the Circulation Desk to the attention of Robin Kohn.

The library cannot guarantee the meeting room to non-library groups more than 90 days or less than one week in advance. No more than two meetings per calendar year may be held by individuals or groups that are not library sponsored. If you meeting has been canceled or postponed, please notify the library as soon as possible. Another group may be waiting to use the room.

Rules for Meeting Room Use

No activitiy shall be permitted which shall in any manner be potentially or directly destructive to library property or to the operation of the library. Organizations that reserve the meeting room assume full financial responsibility for any damage incurred resulting from the use of the meeting room.

The library assumes no responsibility for the personal belongings of those attending meetings.

Permission to use the meeting room does not in any way constitute approval or endorsement by the library of the group's policies, beliefs, or activities.

Medical organizations using the room to perform tests, vaccinations, or other procedures are responsible for the clean up and disposal of any medical and/or hazardous waste.

Alcoholic beverages may not be served or consumed in the library.

No smoking is permitted in the library.

All open flames, including the use of candles, are prohibited.

The use of balloons or other non-secured decorations is prohibited in the library.