In order to encourage Library use by our cardholders and guests and to maximize their enjoyment during their visits, the Library strives to maintain a safe and welcome environment for browsing, reading, writing, and participating in meetings and programs. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:54-12, the Trustees have the authority to establish rules and regulations to protect the rights and safety of cardholders, guests, volunteers, and staff, and to preserve and protect Library materials, equipment, facilities, and grounds. Therefore, the Collingswood Board of Trustees does hereby adopt, at its April 1, 2015 meeting, the following General Rules of Conduct to be observed by all cardholders, guests, volunteers, and staff.
- Cell phone calls and computer-based teleconferences shall be conducted only on the first floor.
- Only registered service animals or animals participating in Library programs are permitted in the building.
- Children under the age of seven must be supervised by a responsible person of age thirteen or older.
- Audio listening devices shall require the use of headphones; the volume must be inaudible to others.
- Bicycles must be parked in the rack provided on Haddon Avenue adjacent to the Library building; scooters, skateboards and other small vehicles may remain outside the building or may be stored with staff at the circulation desk.
- Restrooms are expected to be available for the public with minimal wait time; therefore, use is restricted to reasonable time periods; laundering or changing clothes, bathing, or phone calls are not permitted.
- Conversations in the Library must be brief and at a low volume and shall not interfere with visitors’ use of the Library or with Library personnel’s performance of their duties.
- Cardholders, guests, and other invitees must maintain reasonable personal hygiene. Those whose personal hygiene is offensive so as to constitute a nuisance to other persons may be asked to leave the building. Shoes and other footwear and clothing, including shirts or other covering of a person’s upper body, must be worn within the Library at all times.
- Library materials and property shall not be damaged through use.
- The Computer and Internet Use Policy governs use of Library-owned computer hardware and software.
The following activities are not permitted on Library property, which includes the Library building and surrounding grounds:
- Smoking within twenty-five feet of the Library.
- Any activities that violate federal, state, local or other applicable laws or Library policies.
- All solicitation within the Library.
- Any expressive activities, including the distribution of leaflets or other materials, must occur outside the Library building, and shall not block driveways or parking areas, the Library entrance, or any walkway that provides entry and exit from the Library.
- Engaging in sexual activity, contact, or assault, or any act of lewdness or exposure prohibited by New Jersey Statutes Annotated 2C:14-1 through 2C:14-2.
- Photographs and recordings are not allowed in non-public areas (restrooms and staff only areas) unless consent is given by the Library Director. Permission to photograph or record any person under 18 years of age must be obtained from a parent/guardian on behalf of said minor child. Recordings Policy
- Sleeping, loitering, or camping.
- Using Library tables or chairs to deposit, even temporarily, large bags or bundles or placing them in walkways in a manner that creates an obstruction.
Any cardholders or guests violating the Library’s General Rules of Conduct, or local, state, or federal regulations, may be asked to leave the premises. Police may be called to assist with escorting violators from the Library as determined to be necessary by Library staff. Persistent violations of the Library’s General Rules of Conduct may result in the suspension of Library privileges, including the right to use the facilities and public computers or to borrow materials. Such suspension may be enacted by the Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the Director of the Library.