Library Conditions of Use

Roxby Downs Library Conditions Of Use

Purpose

The Roxby Downs Community Library is provided to the community by the Roxby Council. It is the main library and information service for people who live, work and learn in the Roxby Downs area. It also forms part of a state-wide network of public libraries built on cooperation and resource sharing by:

Providing free and easy access to information
Providing leadership in the community as source of information
Promoting literacy and learning
Providing physical points-of-presence throughout the region
Providing recreational materials to the community

Principles

The Roxby Council provides facilities for the benefit of the community. It has developed certain conditions of use to ensure that people do not interfere with the reasonable enjoyment of patrons to the Roxby Downs Community Library and that the library collections and facilities are securely protected.

Any person who can produce official proof of their Roxby Downs and Andamooka residential and postal address may become a full member of the Roxby Downs Community Library. Temporary or visitor membership is also available to visitors to the area from elsewhere in South Australia, interstate or overseas.

Patrons will be advised of the Library Conditions of Use before signing the membership application form. The patron’s signature will be taken as proof that they are aware of, understand and accept the Library Conditions of use and will comply with them.

If a patron breaches the Library Conditions of Use, the Roxby Council reserves the right to:

Restrict or ban access to library materials and facilities; or
Terminate membership of the library

Membership

Membership of the Roxby Downs Community Library is open to any resident of the Roxby Downs and Andamooka area with official proof of a local postal address - a residential street address or post office box number.
Temporary or visitor membership is granted to visitors to Roxby Downs with official identification and proof of address. Restrictions apply with temporary membership. Details are available on application to Roxby Downs Community Library.
A person under the age of 18 years who wishes to become a member of the Roxby Downs Community Library must have a registration form signed by a parent or guardian, with official proof of residential address, who agrees to be responsible for their conduct, all items borrowed and any fees incurred.
Independent living-under 18. A person under the age of 18 years who is able to show, by producing documentation such as an electricity bill, rates notice or similar, that he or she lives independently of a parent or guardian may join as an adult member.
Members are required to advise staff as soon as possible, either in person or phone of any change in membership details or the loss of a Library card.

Behaviour in the library

Library facilities, materials and equipment must not be manipulated, altered or damaged in any way by library patrons.
Patrons of the Roxby Downs Community Library must at all times act in a manner that shows consideration for other patrons and staff. Inappropriate behaviour, such as verbal abuse, sexual or other harassment, aggression, anger, intimidation, rowdiness or assault, displayed by any patron towards another patron or library staff will not be tolerated.
Library staff may ask any patron to leave the premises if inappropriate behaviour is displayed. If this request is not complied with, library staff may call the police for assistance.
Where there is ongoing inappropriate behaviour, the Community Librarian will issue a warning letter to the person, or his or her parent/guardian, advising that if the behaviour continues, that person may be restricted or banned from accessing the library and/or his or her membership terminated.
Adults/parents/guardians are responsible for the behaviour of any children under the age of 18 years, in their care, while in the library or its surrounds and should consider the comfort, safety and needs of other library patrons.
Adults/parents/guardians are responsible for supervising the use of public computers by such children/dependents and for ensuring that they do not access inappropriate material found on the Internet, or in other materials provided by the library. The Council and Library Services are not responsible in any way for any inappropriate material accessed by any child under the age of 18 years.
The library or library staff are not responsible for any children left unattended in the library.
A library patron may be denied access to a particular service or to particular materials if their behaviour is inappropriate or unlawful.
A person shall not enter into or remain in the library premises while intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol or a drug so as to be visibly affected by it.

Library Rsources

A patron shall accept full responsibility for library materials borrowed in their name, return them by the due dates, and pay any charges incurred as highlighted within the Fees and Charges Register. The responsibility lies with the parent/guardian if the borrower is under 18 years of age.
Any materials borrowed may be recalled at short notice and the loan period of any material may be restricted.
In making materials available, the Roxby Downs Community Library follows the Statement on Freedom to Read issued by the Australian Library and Information Association and conforms to Federal and State censorship decisions. Beyond these provisions, parents and guardians are held responsible for monitoring their children’s access to the libraries’ resources.

Food and Drink

Food and drink should not be consumed in the library except when provided as part of a library program. School students are not permitted to eat and drink in the library during school hours.

Animals in the library

With the exception of guide, disability and hearing dogs, animals may not be brought into the library except on designated occasions.

Personal Property

The library accepts no responsibility for any damage to patrons’ own equipment while using library materials including, but not limited to, compact discs, DVDs, CD/ROMs, videos, cassettes, computer discs, laptops and mobile phones.
The library does not take any responsibility for the safety and security of personal belongings left in the library by patrons. Patrons bringing personal belongings into the library do so at their own risk.
Any item that is found by library staff will be retained until collected by the owner. If the item contains contact details, library staff will attempt to contact the owner and inform him or her that the item has been found. Any unclaimed items will be disposed of after three months.

Mobile Telephones

Mobile telephones may be used in the Roxby Downs Library. Patrons are encouraged to either switch off their phones or adjust them to silent while in the library.

Electronic Services

The Roxby Downs Library provides computers and other electronic equipment for use by patrons for a variety of purposes. Patrons are requested to comply with any specific conditions of use for such equipment and to not tamper with computer security or change established settings. The Rules for using Library online resources and services of the Public Library Service is available for review at the circulation desk, at all public computer stations and is on the wireless log in screen when patrons are assigned a password for free internet access.
Some activities are unlawful and, therefore, PROHIBITED. These activities include, but are not limited to:

Gaining access to any material which is pornographic, offensive or objectionable
Engaging in any conduct which offends Federal, State, or Local Council laws and regulations
Embarrassing or harassing (sexually or otherwise) another person
Engaging in any communication which contains a defamatory message – including reading and then forwarding a message of which you are not the author
Sending or forwarding any material which is abusive, discriminatory, obscene or otherwise illegal.

Copyright

When borrowing, using, photocopying or downloading information from the library collection, patrons must comply with the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) and Copyright Amendment (Digital Agenda) Act 2000, which encompasses literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works on paper, disc, tape or any other medium including any electronic form of material.

Breach of Library Conditions of Use

The Library Conditions of Use must be strictly adhered to. If a library staff member has reasonable cause to suspect that a person has committed a breach of the Library Conditions of Use, the staff member may direct that person to leave the library for a period of up to 24 hours or restrict access to other services.
If the Community Librarian has reasonable cause to suspect a person has committed a breach of the Library Conditions of Use, then that person may be banned from the library for a period of up to one month.
Patrons must obey the lawful directions from the library staff.
In the event of any serious breach of the Library Conditions of Use, the library reserves the right to terminate a patron’s membership of the Roxby Downs Library and to maintain that restriction at the Library’s absolute discretion.
A person who commits a breach of the Library Conditions of Use may be subject to prosecution if that action also constitutes a breach of any law.

Schedule: Care of CHILDREN

The Roxby Downs Community Library welcomes children to use and enjoy the wide variety of services and resources provided for them by Council.

However, responsibility for the welfare and behaviour of children using the library rests at all times with each child’s parent/guardian or with an appropriate chaperone assigned by them.

While library staff will always respond with care and concern whenever a child requires their assistance, they cannot and will not accept responsibility to monitor, supervise or care for children left unattended in the library.

Library Policy and Conditions of Use

The Roxby Downs Community Library Conditions of Use states:

The Roxby Council specifically requires that, when using the library;

“Adults/parents/guardians are responsible for the behaviour for any children under the age of 18 years, in their care, while in the library and should consider the comfort, safety and needs of other library patrons.”

“The library and library staff are not responsible for any children left unattended.”

Parents/guardians are advised that the State’s Child Protection Legislation and Council Guidelines require that library staff report any reasonable concerns about a child’s health and safety to the Police or Child Abuse Report Line within the South Australian Department for Families and Communities.

What does this mean?

It means that children under 10 should always be accompanied and adequately supervised (i.e. within sight) by a parent, guardian or caregiver who is a responsible person of at least 16 years of age, whenever they attend the library.

While older children (aged 10 and above) may be left unaccompanied in the library, the decision to do so is taken entirely at the discretion of a parent, guardian, or caregiver who must be a responsible person of at least 16 years of age.

All children should know how to contact a responsible adult, and both children and adults should be aware of the closing time of the library.

Children’s behaviour in the library

It remains the responsibility of parents, guardians, or caregivers to ensure the appropriate behaviour of children while they are in the library.

For library purposes, “disruptive behaviour” means inappropriate behaviour that is harmful to property or the physical or emotional well being of the child or others.

Disruptive or destructive children will be asked to leave the library, after warnings have been issued (if appropriate).

Parents/guardians of older children will be notified of their child’s unacceptable behaviour and asked to collect their child from the library.

If the behaviour poses a serious risk to the health and safety of the child, other children, other library patrons of staff, the Police may be called to deal with the matter.

If, in the responsible opinion of the library staff, a child’s behaviour raises concerns about their health and safety, the police may be notified if the child’s ‘responsible adult’ cannot be contacted immediately.

Staff Procedure

If a staff member finds an unaccompanied child, under the age of 10, in the library the following steps should be taken:

The staff member should determine if the person responsible for the child is in the library. If so, the staff member and child will attempt to locate them
If there is not a person responsible for the child/children in the library the staff member will attempt to contact the parent/guardian at home or at work using information provided by the child, the library database, or the telephone directory
If contacted, the parent/guardian will be asked to collect their child immediately. If the parent/guardian cannot be located, or if a contacted parent/guardian has not collected their child within an hour of being contacted, the staff member will contact the police.
At all times staff should verbally reassure the child about what steps are being taken and why
Staff should advise the Community Librarian detailing the name(s) of unattended children, the date and time of the incident and the course of action to be taken and complete an incident form.

Mandated Notification

The Children’s Protection Act of 1993 (section 11) places rights and responsibilities for protecting children on various individuals.

These individuals are required by law to report any reasonable grounds that a child/young person has been or is being abused or neglected and the suspicion is formed in the course of the person’s work (whether paid or voluntary) or in carrying out official duties.

All Council staff working within the Roxby Downs Community Library are “mandated notifiers” under the Act.

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Roxby Downs Community Library Service