Approved 10/15/87; Revised 6/16/05
Reviewed 6/16/11 – no changes
Revised & Effective 1/17/19
Youth Services Safe Child Policy
Children seven years of age or younger must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or adult of at least 18 years of age who acknowledges responsibility for the child, during their entire stay in the library. These parents and or adults are responsible for their children's behavior while in the building.
Philosophy behind the Safe Child Policy
The Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center welcomes children of all ages. It is a doorway through which life-long learning takes place. The public library is however, just that, a public building. As such, anybody can come into it, law-abiding or otherwise.
Library staff have many duties to perform in order to serve all citizens of Cumberland County. They cannot monitor the behavior or whereabouts of each customer, including children. Staff do not take over parental responsibilities for children who come into the library.
A child could be tempted to go off with a stranger. A child could become ill. A child could get mixed in with a school group and become lost. Any of these or other emergencies could take place in a public building. It is for the safety of each child that the Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center has adopted this Safe Child Policy.
Revised 5/21/98; Reviewed 6/16/11 – no changes
Revised & Effective 1/17/19
Unattended Youth at Closing Policy
Library staff shall exercise appropriate procedures to ensure the safety of unattended youth sixteen years of age and younger when the library is closing.