Patron Rights and Responsibilities

Last Updated Date

 

La Crosse Public Library Patron Expectations and Behavior Guidelines  

The library is a place where everyone is welcome to connect, create, learn, and discover. To ensure that the La Crosse Public Library maintains a pleasant and productive environment, all patrons are expected to follow approved behavioral guidelines.  

These expectations and behavior guidelines, where applicable, include inside and outside areas of the  

La Crosse Public Library and any offsite services provided by the library. It also includes telephone, postal, digital, and electronic contact, and communication.  

 

As a user of the La Crosse Public Library, you can expect to:  

  • Receive friendly, courteous, and respectful assistance; 

  • Receive services needed within the confines of available staff time and resources;  

  • Have free and equal access to information, materials, and resources;  

  • Have a clean, comfortable, and pleasant environment;  

  • Feel secure that we will hold your patron record as confidential; and  

  • Use the library undisturbed without threat of harm, invasion of privacy, interference, or discrimination.  

 

As a user of the La Crosse Public Library, you are expected to:  

  • Be respectful of library spaces, staff, and other patrons; 

  • Wear shoes and shirts in the library; 

  • Maintain library cleanliness and safety by limiting your consumption of food to items that are not damaging to library collections, computers, furnishings; and discarding all trash in appropriate receptacles, cleaning any additional mess created; 

  • Be able to carry/move all personal items simultaneously to keep everything with you. Each person is responsible for all belongings while at the library; 

  • Park bicycles in the bicycle racks provided (locks are available for checkout);  

 

Behavior Guidelines  

Prohibited behaviors will result in immediate suspension of services. Suspension lengths vary based on the severity of the infraction. Prohibited behaviors include:  

  • Any aggressive or abusive behavior to staff or other patrons; 

  • Physical assault or violence; 

  • Verbal harassment; 

  • Profanity or hate speech directed at a person; 

  • Sexual language or gestures; 

  • Direct or indirect threats; 

  • Using any illegal drugs, alcohol, or illicit substances on library property; 

Other behaviors may result in an initial warning, or a brief suspension of service. Suspension lengths vary based on the severity of the infraction. These include:  

  • Creating a disturbance by making excessive noise, talking loudly, whistling, singing, listening to an electronic device, using profanity or hate speech (not directed at a person), running, or engaging in horseplay or other disruptive behavior; 

  • Stalking, prolonged staring at or following another with the intent to annoy, or intentionally behaving in a manner that could be expected to annoy or disturb other patrons or staff;  

  • Soliciting, selling, campaigning, or proselytizing; 

  • Distributing printed materials without prior library approval;  

  • Improper use of library restrooms, including, but not limited to bathing, shaving, hair trimming, laundering, loitering, and sleeping; 

  • Using any tobacco, smoking, vaping, or rolling products throughout the library building and on library property; 

  • Violating local ordinances, state, and/or federal laws in the library or on library property; 

  • Exhibiting offensive odors that are a nuisance to patrons and staff; 

  • Sleeping in the library that limits access to spaces and materials by other users or that disrupts or disturbs others with excessive noise; and 

  • Monopolizing or obstructing library space, including aisles, walkways, entryways, or staircases. 

Any person committing a criminal act on Library premises, or using library resources, in violation of the law, including acts of vandalism or theft, will be subject to prosecution.  

The library abides by federal ADA law regarding service animals.   

 

Suspensions 

When possible, staff will first educate individuals about the applicable policies before taking stronger measures to enforce those policies. In situations where library staff feel that the health, safety or security of library patrons or staff are threatened, they may take all appropriate action including, but not limited to, calling the police for assistance.  

Patrons who fail to abide by the library’s policies and behavioral expectations are subject to suspension of their library privileges, which includes all library properties, outreach events, and the services they offer. Suspension/banning of privileges will be determined by library management staff. 

Those suspended for less than a month may request reinstatement by talking to any manager or Security staff. Such individuals may enter the Main Library long enough to request an appointment or by calling a Community Connector Associate.  

Those who are suspended for periods longer than a month must request a reinstatement meeting or appeal of suspension by completing this form.  

Most requests for reinstatement will not be entertained until the suspension time is fulfilled.  Appeals regarding length of suspension may be made in cases where you believe the suspension is disproportionate to the behavior violation or where circumstances have changed substantially.   

 

Alternative Youth Suspensions Procedure  

Discretionary Limited Library Use for Youth: As an alternative to suspending a minor, a manager may limit a minor patron from independent use of the La Crosse Public Library and the services offered for a period based on the severity of behavior. The minor whose library use is limited may use the library during the specified period only when accompanied by a responsible parent or guardian. Failure to abide by the limited use suspension may lead to full suspension of the patron.  

 

 

“Every public library shall be free for the use of the inhabitants of the municipality by which it is established and maintained, subject to such reasonable regulations as the library board prescribes in order to render its use most beneficial to the greatest number. The library board may exclude from the use of the public library all persons who willfully violate such regulations.”  

Wisconsin State Statute section 43.52(2)  

 

 

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