UNATTENDED CHILDREN AND/OR DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR POLICY

Policy Statement

Parents are responsible for their children’s behavior while the children are in the library. Parents are encouraged to not leave children of insufficient age and maturity to avoid harm to themselves unattended in the library. Disruptive children nine or over will be asked to leave after receiving one warning. (Unattended means not attended by another person who is at least age nine or over.)

Child Left Unattended

1. If it is determined that a child is lost or left unattended, a staff member should bring the child to the person in charge of that department.
2. The staff person should try to identify and locate the parent or responsible adult:
   1. Walk around the library with the child, looking for the parent.           
   2. Page the child’s parent using the parent’s name if known, or the child’s name, if known. If no name is available, describe the child’s physical appearance.
   3. When the parent is located, explain firmly the library policy on unattended children.
   4. If the parent is not found in the building, a staff member should stay with the child until the parent can be located, through searching the database, phone book, BYU information, city directory. etc.
   5. If the parent has not been located within a reasonable time (15 minutes), or if the library is closing, the staff member shall call the police, and release the child to the officer’s custody upon his arrival.
   6. Under no circumstances shall a staff member take the child out of the building.
      

Disruptive Behavior

1. Disruptive Attended Children under Age Nine
   1. Children who are being disruptive will be asked by staff to behave.
   2. If the disruptive behavior continues, a staff member should inform the parent that his/her child is disturbing others.
   3. If the parent refuses or is unable to control the child, the family will be asked to leave.
      
      
2. Disruptive Unattended Children under Age Nine
   1. The staff member will ask the child to correct the behavior.
   2. If the child persists he/she will be told to sit quietly at the table closest to the Children’s Services desk.
   3. Obtain the child’s and parent’s names and attempt to locate the parent within the building. If located in the building, explain that the child is being disruptive and inform him/her of the library policy. If the parent refuses or is unable to control the child, the family will be asked to leave.
   4. If the parent cannot be located within the building, the staff member will attempt to contact the parent through searching the database, phone book, BYU information, city directory, etc. When the parent is contacted he/she will be told that the child is being disruptive, will be reminded of the library policy, and will be told he/she must pick up the child immediately. If he/she is unable to come immediately, he/she will be told the child may stay at a table close to the Children’s Services desk until picked up, but that the police as well as the parent, will be called next time.
   5. If the parent cannot be contacted within a reasonable time (15 minutes), or if the library is closing, the staff member on duty may ask the child to leave, only after making a determination that the child is old enough and mature enough to avoid reasonable harm to themselves in their travels, otherwise the police will be called.
   6. If the parent cannot be located and the child must leave (to catch a ride, e.g.), the staff member will give the child’s name, address and an account of the disruptive behavior to the Department Coordinator, who will then write the parent, describing the incident and informing him/her of the library policy.
      
      
3. Disruptive Children, Age Nine and over
   1. Tell the young person he/she is causing a disturbance and this is a warning. The next time he/she will be asked to leave.
   2. If the disruptive behavior continues, tell the youngster to leave. Follow through to insure that he/she does leave the building.
   3. If the youngster continues to be disruptive after being warned, or refuses to leave the building when asked, the police should be called to deal with the problem. (This may be the only means of determining the youngster's name and address as well so that the parents can be notified.)
   4. The Department Coordinator will contact the parents in writing, describing the incident and informing him/her of the library policy.

Staff Member Follow-up

Staff members involved in situations with disruptive persons shall document the time and circumstances in writing and give the report to their department coordinator at their earliest opportunity.

Board of Directors
Provo City Library
Approved March 18, 2010
Revised & Approved January 9, 2019