The purpose of the Ketchikan Public Library is to provide informational, educational, and recreational materials and services for the people of the City of Ketchikan and the Ketchikan Gateway Borough. This is accomplished through development, maintenance, and promotion of materials, physical spaces, and programs responsive to the diverse interests and needs of our community.

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The Ketchikan Public Library is available to persons of all ages. While everyone has an equal right to access library services and facilities, no person has the right to interfere with the ability of others to use and enjoy library resources, services, and facilities.

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To ensure that everyone enjoys using the library, the following rules have been established and adopted by the City Council (Title 2, Chapter 2.40, Section 2.40.040 of the Ketchikan Municipal Code).

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To provide an enjoyable library experience for everyone, no person shall:

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• Harass or annoy others through noisy or boisterous activities or behave in a manner which can reasonably be expected to disturb other persons;

• Engage in any illegal activity;

• Violate library computer use or Internet policies;

• Possess dangerous weapons except to the extent allowed by state law;

• Solicit funds for any person, cause, or organization;

• Consume food or beverages except as specifically allowed by library staff;

• Fail to follow the reasonable direction or request of a library employee;

• Interfere with the use of the library by other patrons or with library employees’ performance of their duties;

• Destroy, damage, or deface library property or the personal property of library patrons or staff;

• Possess, use, give away, sell, or be under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance;

• Bring an animal into the library, except a seeing eye or service animal, or any other animal specifically trained to assist such person with a disability, or as part of a library-sponsored event;

• Present bodily hygiene odors so offensive as to constitute a nuisance to others or that interferes with others’ use of the library or library staff’s performance of their duties;

• Sleep in the library in a manner that occupies additional seating, or creates an audible disturbance, or blocks access;

• Improperly use a restroom, including, but not limited to bathing, shaving, or washing hair;

• Use cell phones to make or receive calls within the library;

• Trespass in any area of the library closed to the public;

• Smoke tobacco in the library or within 20 feet of any library entrance or exit.

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The Library Director and staff are responsible for enforcing patron conduct in the library. Whenever there is reasonable cause to believe that in individual has violated any of the above rules of conduct in or upon Ketchikan Public Library premises, such individual may be directed to leave the library.

 

In addition to any other penalty provided by law, violation of any of the prohibitions in this section may result in exclusion from the library for a period determined by the librarian or the librarian’s designee. Written notice shall be given to the person, or to the parent or guardian of a juvenile, excluded from the library by either personal delivery or certified mail, return receipt requested. Persons who fail to leave the library when directed or who enter the library while excluded may be arrested and prosecuted for criminal trespass.

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An individual excluded from the library, or whose access is restricted, may appeal the exclusion or restriction within 14 days of notification of the exclusion or restriction by filing a written appeal to the city manager. The city manager or the manager’s designee will decide the appeal within 14 days of receipt of the written appeal. The exclusion or restriction shall remain in effect during the pendency of the appeal.

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Unattended Children

 

The staff of the Ketchikan Public Library are strongly committed to the provision of services for children. Children of all ages are encouraged to use the library for homework, recreational reading, and program attendance. Parents, guardians, and caregivers should be mindful that the library is a busy public facility and library staff members do not function in loco parentis (i.e., in the position or place of a parent) or as substitute caregivers.

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The library staff is not responsible for providing supervision and care for children, except within the context of defined library programs. Parents, guardians, and caregivers are responsible for the safety and conduct of their children while on library premises.

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All library users are required to respect library property and to act in a manner appropriate to the use and function of the library.

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Children are expected to adhere to the same standards of conduct as adults. The library staff realizes that the library will be noisier at busy times and that children by nature can cause more commotion. As an alternate to excluding a juvenile from the library, the librarian or librarian’s designee may restrict the independent use of the library such that the juvenile may only use the library when accompanied by a responsible parent or guardian. Written notice of the restriction shall be given to the juvenile’s parent or guardian either by personal delivery or certified mail, return receipt requested. Parents, guardians, and caregivers are referred to Alaska Statutes 47.10.013 and 47.10.014, which describe the legal definition and consequences of leaving a child unattended in a public place.

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