The Board of Library Trustees approved a revision to our Library User Behavior Policy on April 6th, adding the following provision:

• Unaccompanied adults – adults who are not accompanying a child – are not allowed in the Children’s Room or at Children’s programs unsupervised. Unaccompanied adults who require access to our Children’s collection must check in with a librarian who will assist them.

Our intent here is to maintain children’s services that are  safe and welcoming for our youngest patrons. Sadly, it is necessary to monitor, as best we can, unaccompanied visitors to our building who wish to wish to avail themselves of our children’s services. This does not mean that we are banning unaccompanied adults from our Children’s Room or programs. We understand that unaccompanied patrons may have very legitimate reasons for being in the Children’s Room or programs. We are simply reserving the right to offer assistance to and monitor unaccompanied adults while they use our Children’s Services. We apologize, in advance, for any inconvenience our attention may cause to unaccompanied adults. While the staff cannot be everywhere at once – and parents are still ultimately responsible for the safety of children they bring to our Children’s Room or programs – this provision will provide a foundation for staff interactions with unaccompanied adults.