Unattended Child Policy

The Polk County Public Library welcomes children of all ages. It is important to the library that children are encouraged to develop an interest in reading and learning.

Library staff has many duties to perform in order to serve the citizens of Polk County. Library staff is not expected to assume responsibility for the care of unsupervised children in the library. Children's caregivers are responsible for their children's behavior and safety while on library premises. Caregivers can be parents, guardians, relatives, teachers, day-care staff, responsible babysitters or siblings, etc.

Therefore, it is the library policy that all children six and under must be accompanied with a parent or designated responsible person while in the library. Also, if the young child is attending a library program, we require the parent/responsible person to remain in the library throughout the program, with children aged four and under having direct supervision of the parent/caregiver.

Children seven to fifteen years of age may remain in the library without a caregiver present if they are observed by library staff to be using the library appropriately. Appropriate library use includes but is not limited to:

• Looking at or reading magazines
• Quietly using computers
• Working on schoolwork or other projects
• Participating in library programs or activities

Library staff will exercise appropriate procedures to ensure the safety of unattended children seventeen years of age and younger when the library is closing. Any unattended children will be alerted before closing time (about fifteen minutes) to contact their parent and/or ride so they will be picked up at or before closing time.

If, upon closing, unattended children remain in the library, library staff will verify that the child has contacted their parent or ride. If after fifteen minutes of closing the child has not been picked up, the Columbus Police Department (Main Branch in Columbus) or the Saluda Police Department (Saluda Branch Library) will be contacted.

Everyone who uses the library will be subject to the Disruptive Behavior Policy.

Approved by Library Board of Trustees: April 17, 2003
Liz Malloy, Chairperson,
Polk County Public Library Board of Trustees