Policy: Children in the Library

A. Purpose

Fayetteville Public Library welcomes children of all ages. This policy is intended to support the safety and well-being of children while maintaining the library as a public space accessible to all.

For the purpose of this policy, children are defined as birth to age 17.

B. Responsibility of Caregivers

1. Parents and/or adult caregivers are responsible for the care, supervision, behavior, and safety of their children while using the library.
2. Any child who cannot use the library safely and independently, for any reason, must be accompanied by a responsible adult caregiver who provides the level of supervision appropriate to the child’s needs.
3. Children ages 5 and under, or those not yet in kindergarten, must be actively supervised at all times, meaning the parent or adult caregiver remains within sight and close enough to intervene promptly.

C. Staff Role

Library staff and volunteers do not serve “in loco parentis”. Staff cannot provide short-term or long-term childcare regardless of outside existing relationships. The library is a public facility with open access, and staff cannot monitor children on behalf of caregivers.

D. Situations Requiring Staff Contact with Caregivers

Library staff will promptly contact a parent or caregiver when staff reasonably observe any of the following:

1. A child is lost, separated from a caregiver, injured, ill, visibly distressed, or requesting assistance.
2. A child is engaging in conduct that poses an immediate risk of physical harm to the child or another person.
3. Staff observe conduct or receive credible information indicating that another person poses an immediate safety threat to a child.
4. A child’s conduct violates library rules or creates an immediate risk of physical harm or material property damage.
5. A child who is expected to be picked up remains at the library at closing time.

E.  Staff Procedures in Situations Involving Child Safety

1. Staff will promptly notify the child’s parent or caregiver using contact information provided by the child or otherwise reasonably available, unless staff reasonably believe that doing so would increase an immediate safety risk; in that event, staff will call 911.
2. If there is an immediate threat to health or safety, staff will call 911 without delay. In other situations requiring continued supervision, staff will contact local law enforcement if a parent or caregiver cannot be reached or does not arrive within 15 minutes after the first contact attempt.
3. Two staff members must remain with the child in a safe, public area until the parent, caregiver, or law enforcement arrives.
4. Under no circumstances shall staff remain alone with an unattended child or transport a child away from the library.
5. Staff will complete an incident report documenting the circumstances, contact attempts and times, law-enforcement involvement, and how the child left the library.

F.  Unattended Minors at Closing

If a minor remains at the Library after closing, staff will follow Section E and these additional procedures:

1. Two staff members will remain with the minor in a safe, public area until the minor safely leaves under the minor’s usual or caregiver-approved arrangement or is released to a parent, caregiver, or law-enforcement officer.
2. Staff will ask the minor for the parent’s or caregiver’s name and contact information and will immediately attempt to contact using all reasonably available telephone numbers.
3. 15 minutes after closing, if the minor has not been picked up and cannot safely leave under the minor’s usual or caregiver-approved transportation plan, staff will contact local law enforcement, regardless of the minor’s age.
4. Staff will call 911 immediately if the minor is injured, ill, threatened, or otherwise faces an immediate safety risk; otherwise, staff will use the non-emergency law-enforcement contact.
5. Staff will not remain alone with the child or transport the child offsite.
6. Staff will complete an incident report containing the information required by Section E.

Code ND

Date 10/19/20

Date Revised 08/17/26