Policies
Welcome to Parkland Community Library’s Policy Page. Please view our Contact page for COVID-19 procedures. Click here for our Tech Center computer use guidelines and policies.
Food & Drink Policy
The Parkland Community Library strives to create a welcoming environment for the public. It is consistent with this goal to allow food and non-alcoholic beverages to be consumed in the library in a responsible and considerate manner, minimizing the risk of damage to the library collection, computers, and furnishings while meeting the needs of users who are in the library for extended periods. Therefore, the following rules apply:
- Covered beverages and snacks are permitted.
- Covered beverages should have a cap or a securely fitted lid.
- Library staff has the right to direct patrons to immediately remove any food and beverages that do not conform to this policy in the library staff’s sole judgment.
- Patrons bringing food and beverages into the library are responsible for disposing of empty containers and trash in appropriate receptacles, they must clean up any spills or messes they create, and they must bring any more serious damage to the attention of library staff immediately.
Damage caused by food/drinks will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Unattended Child Policy
For the protection and well-being of children who use and enjoy the library, the following policy has been established:
- Library staff cannot assume responsibility for the care, safety, or well-being of children in the library.
- Parents are responsible for the behavior of their children of any age while in the Library.
Returned Check Policy
The Library will accept cash, money orders, cashier checks, or personal checks for the payments of fines and fees. If a check is returned for any reason, the Library will assess a processing fee of $25 on the patron’s library account. Payment must be made in full with cash or money order before the customer can resume borrowing privileges. The Library reserves the right to refuse personal checks of any patron who previously has had checks returned.
Customer Code of Conduct
The Board of Directors of the Parkland Community Library, by adopting the following code, seeks to ensure that our library provides a positive atmosphere conducive to the appropriate use of its services and facilities. This code is supported by related library policies and procedures. We expect our customers to:
- Attend to personal belongings. The library is not responsible for personal belongings left in or on Library property.
- Use restrooms only for their intended purpose. Smoking and bathing are prohibited.
- Wear shoes and shirts.
- Maintain bodily hygiene.
- Use covered containers when bringing beverages into the library and comply with the posted ‘Food and Drink policy.’
- Use library furniture, equipment, and materials for their intended purpose.
- A parent or caregiver is responsible for the safety and well-being of their children on library property. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Program attendance is allowed without a parent when library staff is present and the child has been signed in to the program.
- Follow established loan procedures before taking Library property out of the building.
- Use all library areas, including library parking areas, sidewalks, and lawns, safely.
- Leave the library at the designated closing time. Any children 12 through 17 not picked up by closing time will be turned over to the South Whitehall Township Police Department.
- Refrain from solicitation of any kind for any purpose.
Adopted 5-6-2015 Amended 1-27-2022
The following actions and forms of conduct are not permitted:
- Sleeping.
- Harassing or speaking abusively to library staff or customers.
- Destroying library buildings, materials, or equipment.
- Bringing animals and pets into the library, except for service animals.
- Loitering outside the building.
- Behaving in an unlawful, disruptive, or potentially harmful manner.
- Blocking or interfering with the movement of individuals.
- Engaging in sexual activity of any kind, sexual harassment, or indecent exposure.
- Smoking cigarettes or E-cigarettes.
- Consuming or possessing alcohol, illegal drugs, or being under the influence.
- Monopolizing library equipment, materials, or facilities; preventing others from using them.
- Carrying illegal weapons of any type.
- Disturbing other customers with noise-producing activities such as cell phone use.
- Damaging, destroying, or stealing any customer’s or employee’s property.
Violation of the Library Customer Code of Conduct
The library reserves the right to require anyone violating the Library Customer Code of Conduct to leave the library. Anyone who is required to leave the library due to a violation of the Library Customer Code of Conduct will not be permitted back in the library building or grounds for the remainder of the day. Serious or repeated misconduct may lead to contacting local officials.
Community Publicity Policy
Purpose:
The Parkland Community Library provides a community space for the display and dissemination of materials for community activities and events, as well as public service notices of community interest.
The community message center in the hallway located adjacent to the Karen Tamerler Children’s Meeting Room may be used for posting the following types of information:
1. Postings of forthcoming or continuing educational, social, civic, charitable, cultural, or recreational activities.
2. Flyers, announcements, or schedules by nonprofit organizations, groups, or agencies or by any federal, state, or local government agency pertaining to services provided by the government to citizens.
3. Materials announcing community services and volunteer opportunities.
Items that do not meet the above criteria, such as commercial, personal, or political notices or petitions, will not be posted and will be disposed of.
Posting Guidelines
The following applies to the community message center and around the library:
1. All items must be reviewed and posted by library staff. Notices posted or left on tables without authorization will be removed and recycled.
2. Due to limited display space, some approved items may not be posted due to space restrictions. Priority in posting will be given to announcements by local and neighboring organizations. Oversized items bigger than 8.5×11 will not be posted.
3. Postings without a specific date will be displayed for a reasonable length of time, as determined by the library, and then removed. Once items are removed, they are recycled.
4. The Parkland Community Library does not assume responsibility for materials damaged, stolen, or removed.
5. Posting of materials does not imply library endorsement or consent, nor will the library accept responsibility for the accuracy of the statements made in such materials.
Adopted March 24, 2022
Clean Air Policy
Parkland Community Library is part of a tobacco-free campus in order to reduce involuntary exposure to secondhand smoke, raise awareness about tobacco disparities in the LGBT community, and ensure that the library is a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment for employees, volunteers, and visitors.
Procedure:
1. Use of all tobacco products is prohibited on the South Whitehall Township campus, which includes the library.
2. Tobacco products include but are not limited to all cigarettes, e-cigarettes, hookahs, vapes, and all smokeless products such as chew, dip, etc.
3. This policy applies to all staff, interns, volunteers, visitors, contractors, and external individuals and to any person or organization.
4. There are no designated smoking areas at the Parkland Community Library.
5. Tobacco cessation information, referrals, education, and materials are available to staff, interns, volunteers, and visitors.
6. This tobacco ban does not apply to public rights-of-way (sidewalks, streets) on the perimeter of the property because the library has no jurisdiction over city-owned streets, sidewalks, and rights of way.
7. Those interested in engaging in such activities outside the library should exercise care to engage in activities on the property that is not the library’s.
8. Every library employee, volunteer, and visitor is charged with enforcing this policy by personally adhering to the policy and respectfully reminding those violating the policy about it.
9. Violators of this policy will be reminded that the library is a tobacco-free space.
10. Signage will be posted to clearly state that the library is a tobacco-free space.
Adopted 9-23-2021
Parkland Community Library Diversity and Inclusion Statement:
The Parkland Community Library is committed to supporting diversity and inclusion within the communities we serve. We are dedicated to making sure the library’s core values include:
- Maintaining inclusive and welcoming spaces by providing resources, services, and programs that promote and reflect diversity and inclusion.
- Maintaining strong relationships and partnerships within the Parkland community and around the Lehigh Valley to ensure we are able to serve everyone equally, from birth to senior citizens.
- Provide training and support for all library staff to ensure they are dedicated to our core values, the library’s mission and vision statement, and removing all barriers to our services.
Adopted 2-23-23
Meeting Room Use Policy
PURPOSE
The Parkland Community Library maintains meeting room space for non-profit organizations and community groups when such space is not used for library-sponsored programming.
The library endorses the principles adopted by the American Library Association in the Library Bill of Rights regarding meeting room use, which states, “Libraries which maintain meeting rooms, exhibit space, or other facilities open to the public should make them available on equal terms to all persons, regardless of their beliefs or affiliations.”
Authorization to use a meeting room does not constitute an endorsement by the library of a group or organization’s positions or beliefs.
For inquiries, email: meetingroom@parklandlibrary.org
Adopted 4-27-2023
To read the full policy and application, go to the Meeting Room web page under the Events dropdown menu.