Chapter: Services
Policy Number 3.02
Original Effective Date: 9/16/20
Revision History: 7/21/21, 8/21/24
Menomonee Falls Public Library welcomes children to use its facilities and services. The safety and behavior of children in the Library rests on the parents or legal guardians, whether or not a parent is present. Certain areas, spaces, and equipment within the Library may have age restrictions or policies requiring supervision of minors by an adult parent or guardian.
Children Ages 5 and Younger
Children 5 and under must have a parent, another responsible adult, or caregiver (age 14 or older) within arm’s reach at all times in the Library. Children 5 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian while attending Library programs and events.
Children Ages 6 to 9
Children between the ages of 6 to 9 must be within eyesight of their parent, another responsible adult, or caregiver (age 14 or older) at all times in the Library. During storytimes or other Library programs, caregivers who do not attend the program with the child must remain in the building and must be visible when the program is over.
Children Ages 10 and Older
Children 10 and up are welcome to use the Library unattended as long as their behavior is in accordance with Library policies. Unattended children must have contact information to be able to reach a parent, legal guardian, or caregiver immediately if need arises.
Behavior
All children and their caregivers are subject to adherence of the Code of Conduct, copies of which are posted throughout the Library.
Safety
No public place, including the Library, can guarantee the safety of children. Parents or legal guardians are responsible for their behavior. If a child becomes disruptive, the staff will attempt to find the parent or caregiver in the Library. If they are not available, the staff will ask the child to attempt to contact their parent. It is the responsibility of the parent or caregiver to be accessible to retrieve the child at any time.
Staff Responsibilities
Library staff have many duties to perform serving all patrons and cannot monitor the whereabouts of unsupervised children or be responsible for children who are demonstrating inappropriate behavior. Library staff, unlike teachers and school employees, are not authorized or mandated to act in loco parentis (in place of the parent). Children using the Library are not supervised or attended to as they would be in a school setting. Parents should not view the Library as an alternative to daycare or afterschool programs. Library staff are not a substitute for childcare.
Staff does not monitor the arrival or departure of any child from a program or the building.
For the safety and privacy of patrons, Menomonee Falls Public Library will not disclose over the phone that a particular person is in the Library, nor will staff seek out a particular patron at the request of a caller. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of Library staff in the case of an emergency.
Closing Time
Fifteen minutes before closing the Library on any normal day or in an emergency, staff members will reach out to minors in the building and ask them to confirm that they do have a method to get home safely before closing. If a parent or caregiver cannot be reached by the time the Library closes, the Menomonee Falls Police Department will be contacted to assist with getting the child home safely.
Children’s Library
The Children’s Library is specifically designed to meet the needs of children and their caregivers.
The Children’s Library remains open for all to access the collection or reach the public meeting room. However, adults unaccompanied by children may not remain in the Children’s Library for purposes other than browsing or accessing the Children’s Program Room for an event or program. The Library reserves the right to determine who can be in and remain in the Children’s Library.
Computers in the Children’s Library are reserved for use only by children and their parents, guardians, or caregivers, barring extenuating circumstances.
10twelve is geared specifically for children between the ages of 10 and 12 and is not for use by patrons outside of that age range.
The Student Study Room is designated for children 18 and younger. They may be accompanied by adult educators or caregivers.
The Children’s Patio is designated for children and their caregivers.
Only adults who are accompanied by a child in the Library or users of the Children’s Program Room are permitted to use the restrooms located in the Children’s Library.