Disruptive or Unattended Children and Teenagers
The following procedures should be followed in the event of security problems with minors in the libraries:- Elementary and high school students are guests in our building. While we are happy to have them make use of our resources, we are not their primary library and we have a different relationship with them than our Wayne student community.
- All security issues and serious behavior problems will be coordinated through Access Services. In non-emergencies, the Access Manager or the Access Services staff member in charge of the building should always be the contact with Public Safety.
- All staff members should consider it part of their job to monitor the behavior of juveniles in the building. When staff encounter loud talking or mild horseplay, they should ask juveniles to behave. If they don't settle down immediately, juveniles should be asked to leave the building. If they refuse to leave, an Access staff member should call Public Safety.
- If a group of juveniles is running and shouting, they should be asked to leave immediately. No warning is necessary.
- If a group of juveniles appears to be dangerous, Public Safety should be called immediately by the person who encounters the problem. For example, if a group is fighting, damaging a computer, harassing patrons, or is suspected of participating in any act of vandalism, Public Safety should be called. The person placing the call should immediately notify Access Services.
- It is the library's policy that anyone in a dangerous situation should feel free to call Public Safety. However, this should not be done for routine problems. Access staff should make all non-emergency calls to Public Safety. They should meet Public Safety officers at the front door when they arrive, communicate any needed information and direct them to the location of the disturbance.
- Our student staff (except our cadet) should immediately report any loud or disruptive juvenile to an Access staff member or a librarian. They should not confront juveniles themselves. The staff member should then go directly to the group causing the disruption and proceed as above.
- The library cadet should deal with disruptive juveniles in exactly the same way as a staff member. The cadet should NOT call Public Safety without informing Access Services except in a real emergency.
Unattended Children
Young children should not be in the library without adult supervision. If any patron sees a
young child (14 or under) who looks to be unsupervised, please report it to the Access Desk.
Staff or library security should ask the child if his or her mother/ father/ guardian is
in the building. They should let the child take them to the adult and then explain to the
adult that the child must be under supervision at all times (not running around the building).
If no one in the library is supervising the child, have an Access staff member or Monitor
call Public Safety.