Library Use Policy & Rules

Purpose 

Wyoming law establishes that county libraries are “free to all residents of the county on the condition that such persons comply with the rules and regulations of the library as prescribed by the board of directors.” W.S. §18-7-105(c). 

The Teton County Library adopts this Library Use Policy & Rules to protect everyone’s right to access and use the library and its resources; to preserve library materials, equipment, facilities, and other resources; to facilitate the work of library staff; to provide for the safety of patrons, volunteers, and employees; and to provide notice of what behaviors are prohibited. 

Policy Statement 

The Teton County Library welcomes everyone and strives to provide clean, comfortable, and safe places to fulfill the Library’s mission and purpose. This Library Use Policy & Rules are intended to ensure that all patrons conduct themselves in a manner that does not prevent or interfere with others’ rights to access and use the library and its resources. 

These rules apply to everyone and will be applied equally, fairly, and consistently by Library staff, the Director of Library Services, and the Library Board of Directors. 

The Library Use Policy & Rules apply everywhere the Teton County Library provides services including library facilities and property, the library website and social media accounts, online and virtual resources and activities, and phone and email communication . The Library Use Policy & Rules shall be posted in each Library facility and on the Library website. 

Library Rules 

1. Patrons shall not engage in behavior that may reasonably be expected to prevent, inhibit, or interfere with other patrons’ access and use of the library or the staffs’ performance of their jobs.
2. Throwing objects, running, chasing, fighting and other physical activity that is disruptive and disturbs others is not permitted.
3. The blocking of aisles, corridors, walkways, entranceways, and doors with personal items or library property or engaging in any activity that creates a safety hazard for others is not permitted.
4. Putting feet and legs up on tables, chairs, and walls is not permitted.
5. Rearranging library furniture such as tables, chairs, couches, and lamps or moving library fixtures such as partitions and moveable walls without the permission of library staff is not permitted.
6. Speaking, using electronic equipment such as phones or audio devices, or otherwise producing noise in a manner that intrudes upon and unreasonably disturbs other library patrons or library staff is not permitted.
7. Threatening, harassing, abusive, or obscene language or conduct that can reasonably be expected to disturb or intimidate others is prohibited.
8. Engaging in conduct such as continuous staring, following, photographing, touching, unsolicited attempts at conversation, and other behavior which can reasonably be expected to discomfort others and interfere with their use of the library or their work at the library is prohibited.
9. Sexual conduct and overt displays of intimacy including extensive or extended kissing or touching, other than hand holding, is not permitted.
10. Smoking and the use of any electronic smoking device or nicotine delivery system such as an e-cigarette, vape pen, tank, pod, or mod is not permitted inside library facilities or within 25 feet of library facilities.
11. Responsible consumption of food and/or covered non-alcoholic beverages is allowed in public areas of the library unless otherwise posted. Consuming food or beverages in a manner that creates an unclean environment, attracts insects or vermin, disrupts other patrons, or is harmful to library resources is not permitted. Patrons are expected to clean up after themselves and to immediately report spills to staff.
12. The consumption of alcohol is not permitted. Alcoholic beverages may be served at events approved by the Library Board.
13. Leaving personal possessions unattended in the library is not permitted. Personal items which reasonably appear to be abandoned or which have been left unattended for thirty minutes or more may be placed in Lost & Found or immediately disposed of by the Library.
14. The Library is not responsible for patrons’ personal items under any circumstances.
15. Sleeping in the library is not permitted. Library staff will wake patrons who appear to be asleep.
16. Patrons in library facilities must be wearing clothing on their upper and lower bodies and footwear at all times. Any patron in violation will be asked to put those items on or leave the library until they have corrected the problem. This does not apply when breastfeeding infants.
17. Strong smells and scents, such as a person’s body odor or perfume, which prohibit or unreasonably interfere with other patrons’ use of the library or staff performing their jobs is prohibited. Patrons shall be required to leave the premises until they resolve the odor problem.
18. Animals are not permitted in library facilities except: a) service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act that are individually trained to do work or perform specific tasks for people with disabilities and are housebroken and under the control of its handler while in library; and b) animals used in library programs.
19. Animals shall not be left unattended outside library facilities on library property in a way that impedes others’ access to or use of the library.
20. Children under the age of eight and vulnerable adults (as defined in W.S. § 35-20-103 (xviii)) must be accompanied and supervised by a parent, legal guardian, teacher, custodian, or caregiver.
21. Wheeled devices such as roller skates, inline skates, rollerblades, skateboards, hoverboards, scooters, and bicycles, may not be used within library facilities and should not be operated on library property in a reckless or dangerous manner.
22. Using the bathrooms for bathing, shaving, or washing dishes or clothes is prohibited.
23. Unauthorized selling, panhandling, petitioning, soliciting funds, campaigning, surveying or interviewing, or distributing printed materials are not allowed in the library or on library property.
24. Entering non-public areas of the Library without authorization or permission is not permitted.
25. Overnight parking or camping on library property is prohibited.
26. Damaging, defacing, destroying, vandalizing, or stealing Library property is prohibited.
27. Patrons shall follow all other applicable Library policies and rules such as the Library Meeting Spaces Policy and the Library Study Rooms Policy.
28. Library patrons should not attempt to enforce these rules themselves. Patrons may inform staff if they observe behavior in violation of these rules or which unreasonably interferes with the use of the library and its resources by other patrons.
29. Patrons shall follow these rules when asked to do so by staff.
30. Patrons shall leave the library when asked to do so by staff for violating these rules. 

Enforcement 

Violation of this Library Use Policy & Rules may result in suspension of library privileges, which may include exclusion from library facilities, for a period of one day to one year. It may also result in arrest and prosecution by local law enforcement. 

Library staff are authorized to ask people to comply with these rules; to ask people to leave the library for the remainder of the day should they fail to comply and abide by the rules; to request that the Director of Library Services suspend library privileges; and/or to call local law enforcement to escort patrons from the Library immediately for violation of these rules. 

For first violations, patrons will be given a verbal warning by library staff and provided with a copy of the Library Use Policy & Rules. Patrons who continue to break any of these rules on the same day they received an initial warning, will be asked by staff to leave the library for the remainder of the day. Staff will notify law enforcement should a patron refuse to leave the library following such a request. 

Staff will document and log all requests that patrons leave for the day with the Director of Library Services. Patrons that have been asked more than twice over the course of a month to leave the library for the day due to violations of the rules will be subject to a longer suspension of library privileges. 

Without regard to the number of previous violations, warnings, or suspensions, the seriousness or continuing nature of conduct violating these rules may warrant immediate exclusion from library facilities and property, suspension of library privileges, and criminal or civil prosecution. 

People violating a suspension that includes being physically excluded from library facilities and property for a period of time, including for the remainder of a day, may be prosecuted for trespassing if they return to the library before a suspension period has ended. 

If a patron violating these rules is under 18 years of age, Library staff will make a reasonable attempt to notify a parent/guardian of the behavior and subsequent consequences. 

For suspensions of more than one day, the Director of Library Services or their designee will issue a letter to the patron specifying the behavior that violated the Library Use Policy & Rules which will include the scope and duration of the suspension and information about the appeals process. 

Appeals Process 

Any patron who has had their Library privileges suspended for more than one day may appeal the suspension to the Teton County Library Board of Directors. An appeal must be in writing, mailed or delivered within ten (10) days of the date of the written notice of suspension, and should include all the reasons the patron believes they did not violate the Library Use Policy & Rules or why the suspension is not appropriate. Appeals should be directed to the Teton County Library Board of Directors and mailed to P.O. Box 1629, 125 Virginian Lane, Jackson, WY 83001 or emailed to board@tclib.org. Once received, the appeal will be included on the agenda of the next scheduled regular meeting of the Library Board of Directors. The decision of the Library Board of Directors on the appeal shall be final.