Public Library Policies for the 21st Century
South Central Library System
May 11, 2011
General Resources on Policies:
Trustee Essential 10—“Developing Essential Library Policies”: http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/te10.html
Library Policy Documents for Effective Library Operations (SCLS workshop by John DeBacher, 2007):
http://www.scls.info/ce/program/documents/policies0607.ppt
General Resources on Patron Rights, Intellectual Freedom, etc:
Library Bill of Rights: http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/index.cfm
Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights:
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/default.cfm
Freedom to Read Statement:
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/statementspols/ftrstatement/freedomreadstatement.cfm
Trustee Essential 22—“Freedom of Expression and Inquiry”: http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/te22.html
West Bend Challenge, 2009:
Banned in West Bend: http://www.bannedinwestbend.info/west-bend-wi (good summary of the West
Bend challenge. The site also has information on other cases, censorship, intellectual freedom, etc.)
ALA presentation:
http://www.bannedinwestbend.info/west-bend-wi/documents/alahandout.pdf?attredirects=0
Selection/Collection Development/Web Site Policies:
West Bend Community Memorial Library:
http://www.west-bendlibrary.org/materials.reconsideration.policy.pdf
Somerville (AL) Public Library: http://somervillelibrary.org/library-policies/collection-development
Puyallup (WA) Public Library: http://www.cityofpuyallup.org/files/library/6acc0ebe89651239.pdf
Craighead County Jonesboro (AR) Public Library:
http://www.libraryinjonesboro.org/?q=node/19#electronic
Indianapolis Marion County Public Library Public Library Web Site Content Statement:
http://www.imcpl.org/contentpolicy.html
Meeting Rooms:
Pfeiffer vs. the City of West Allis: http://www.lc.org/misc/pfeifer.htm (the official legal decision)
“Library to Allow Anti-Abortion Group to Show Film” (Wausau Daily Herald, March 31, 2011):
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011104010588
Meeting Rooms: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights:
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/meetingrooms.cfm
“Florida Man Sues Two Libraries for Religious Discrimination” (American Libraries, 2010):
http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/news/02172010/florida-man-sues-two-libraries-religious-
discrimination
League of Wisconsin Municipalities on use of public meeting rooms by religious groups:
http://tinyurl.com/y8dkxx8
“Regulating Public Access to Government-Owned Property and Developing Meeting Room Use
Policies” (League of Wisconsin Municipalities, November 2010): http://tinyurl.com/4rbyluu
“Public Libraries: a New Forum for Extremists. Questions and Answers” (Anti-Defamation League):
http://www.adl.org/civil_rights/LibrariesExtremism.pdf
Meeting Room Policies:
Appleton Public Library: http://www.apl.org/policies/meetingrooms.doc
Waukesha Public Library: http://www.waukesha.lib.wi.us/about/mrooms.shtml
Oregon Public Library http://www.oregonpubliclibrary.org/documents/MeetingRoomamended2010.pdf
Privacy/Confidentiality Policies:
Sample from DPI: http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/doc/privacypolicy.doc
Kenosha Public Library: http://www.mykpl.info/sites/all/files/policies/confidentiality.pdf
Internet Acceptable Use Policies:
Hedberg Public Library (Janesville): http://tinyurl.com/3wopues
Privacy/Confidentiality/Before the Police Arrive:
FAQ About Parental Access to Children’s Records (from DPI): http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/ab169faqs.html
FAQ About Parental Access to Children’s Records (SCLS):
http://www.scls.info/management/law/act207.html
Before the Police Arrive (SCLS):
http://www.scls.info/management/law/enforcement/police.html
“Libraries as Sanctuaries for Criminals?” (Illinois Library Association):
http://www.ila.org/advocacy/pdf/Libraries_As_Sanctuaries.pdf
Unattended Children:
“Lock the Library! Rowdy Students are Taking Over!” (New York Times, January 2, 2007):
http://tinyurl.com/yagqdz
Unattended Children in Libraries and Recreation Centers (Virginia Beach’s administrative directive):
http://blog.librarylaw.com/librarylaw/files/ll-VaBeachUnattended.mht
Guidelines for Developing a Policy on Unattended Children in Libraries (New Jersey Library
Association): http://www.njla.org/statements/children_libraries.html
Unattended Children Policies:
Jackson (FL) Public Library: http://jpl.coj.net/lib/unattendedchild.html
Spring Green Public Library: http://www.springgreenlibrary.org/policies/childsafety.html - Children
Monona Public Library: http://www.mononalibrary.org/about/policies/childsafety.html
Middleton Public Library: http://www.midlibrary.org/library/Policies/Behavior.pdf
Cell Phone Policies:
Burke County (NC) Public Library: http://www.bcpls.org/policies.php
Glendale (CA) Public Library (Why are cell phones allowed in the library?):
http://library.ci.glendale.ca.us/feedback_faqs.asp
Glendale (CA) Public Library (Interior Rules of Behavior):
http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/library/interior_rules_of_behavior.asp
Food and Beverages Policies:
Oldsmar (FL) Public Library: http://www.oldsmarlibrary.org/Policies/foodpolicy.htm
Brown County: http://www.co.brown.wi.us/i/f/library/foodbeveragepolicy.pdf
Cheryl Becker
South Central Library System
cbecker@scls.lib.wi.us
608-246-7973
sclscheryl