- Code of Conduct/Code of Behavior
The purpose of this policy is to express the roles and responsibilities library staff and patrons share to ensure the library’s physical and virtual spaces are welcoming, safe, and secure.
Library patrons may not engage in behavior or take any action on library property that violates any federal and/or state laws, or City of Waterloo statutes, codes, or ordinances.
The following expectations will be enforced:
- Compliance with current public health recommendations and building restrictions as established by government entities with jurisdiction.
- Respectful use of library equipment and spaces:
- seating areas and study areas are limited to the expected use and/or posted capacity.
- library furniture or equipment may not be relocated without the permission of library staff.
- entering a designated staff-only space is only permitted with permission of library staff.
- covered, non-alcoholic beverages are allowed. Eating is only permitted in the library’s front lobby area, and clean-up is required. Deliveries of food are not permitted.
- public access computers will be monitored by library staff to ensure proper use. (Inappropriate, illegal, or unacceptable use of the library’s computers, network, and wireless network could result in temporary loss of computer and/or permanent loss of library privileges.)
- The library is not responsible for any items lost, damaged, or stolen on library property.
- Appropriate public conduct—the following behaviors will not be tolerated:
- Firearms, or weapons, in the library or on library property (except for an on-duty law enforcement official.
- Excessive or disruptive noise
- Disorderly conduct, including but not limited to abusive, indecent, profane, threatening, racist, or harassing behavior toward library staff or other library patrons.
- Preventing staff from performing normal duties.
- Being under the influence, selling, or having possession of alcohol or illegal substances.
- Smoking or using chewing tobacco or electronic smoking devices inside the library or within fifty (50) feet of the building.
- Soliciting or distributing materials of any kind not approved by the library.
- Stealing, damaging, or vandalizing library property or the property of library staff or other library patrons.
- Activities that violate patron privacy and confidentiality.
- Viewing explicit or pornographic materials or websites on any device in the library.
- Engaging in any sexual or sexually suggestive content, language, activities, or conduct.
- Failing to wear shoes, shirt, bottoms, or appropriate attire.
- Shaving, bathing, or laundering clothes in public restrooms, or visiting the library when personal hygiene disrupts others from using the library’s facilities, collections, or services.
- Other activities that are inconsistent with reading, studying, and any other activities normally associated with the use of public library facilities.
- Patrons’ rights to uninterrupted access at the library:
- selling, soliciting, surveying, distributing printed materials, panhandling, canvassing, or protesting for any political, charitable, or religious purposes inside the library building or in a manner that obstructs clear, safe, and uninterrupted access to the library is not permitted.
- Parents’ or guardians’ responsibility and ADA compliance:
- the welfare, conduct, whereabouts, selection of reading materials, and supervision of children while on library premises is the obligation of a responsible caretaker (parents, grandparents, older siblings, babysitters, etc.).
- designated service animals may accompany patrons in the library.
- The Waterloo Police may be called to assist library staff in dealing with unacceptable conduct if the safety of the patron, library staff, or other library patrons is in question.
- The Karl Junginger Memorial Library reserves the right to contact the Waterloo Police Department to remove any personal materials a patron leaves unattended in the library or on the premises.
- Violations of the Code of Conduct Policy may result in the temporary removal or the permanent expulsion of the patron from the library and/or the use of library services. The library’s step process for those not following behavior expectations as defined in the Code of Conduct Policy is as follows:
Patrons exhibiting disruptive behavior will be given a warning.
If, after a second warning, the behavior continues, the patron will be given a code of conduct form and asked to leave the library for the remainder of the day. The Code of Conduct Incident Report (Appendix A) will be completed by the staff and the Library Director. Second warnings given to youth, please see Unattended Child Policy 510 for details of further action.
Recurring incidents may result in a temporary expulsion from the library and/or services for a period of time, from one month to one year. Extreme incidents may result in the involvement of law enforcement and/or may result in a permanent expulsion from the library and/or library services. Code of Conduct violations will be reviewed, and expulsion will be determined at the discretion of the Library Director. The patron will be notified of temporary or permanent expulsion in writing (Appendix A). The patron may appeal the decision in writing to the Library Board (Appendix B).
Should an expulsion be appealed to the Library Board, a review of the violation of the Library Code of Conduct as reported in Appendix A and appealed in Appendix B will be reviewed at the next regularly scheduled Library Board meeting. The Library Board may reinstate or uphold the recommendation of the Library Director. The Board’s decision in appeal matters is final.
At any step, if the behavior is offensive or severe, subsequent action may be taken immediately by library staff, following applicable laws and/or library policies. The patron may be asked to leave the library and library grounds. Failure to leave the premises upon the request of a library staff member may lead to the intervention of the Waterloo Police.
Approved: 08/10/1995 Amended: 07/22/1998, 11/17/1998, 03/25/2008, 04/22/2014, 07/15/2014, 05/09/2017, 08/11/2020, 08/24/2022, 03/26/2024, 11/19/2025