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The Solano County Board of Supervisors has adopted the following rules and regulations governing use of Solano County Library facilities for the safety and comfort of all Library customers and staff, and for safeguarding the Library’s facilities and resources. Any behavior that interferes with the reasonable use and operations of the Library is forbidden, and may result in the suspension of Library privileges. The Director of Library Services and his/her designated staff are authorized to apply these rules in accordance with applicable law and to ensure appropriate behavior of all persons in the Library facilities.

Threatening, illegal, or violent behavior is prohibited, including but not limited to:

  1. Engaging in physical altercations, including assaults, fighting, and throwing objects.
  2. Engaging in acts of sexual misconduct, including indecent exposure, harassment, sexual contact, sexual intercourse, and/or exhibiting lewd and lascivious acts or behavior.
  3. Displaying weapons, incendiary devices, pepper spray, stun guns, knives or knife-like sharp objects, or other potentially harmful weapons in a rude, angry, or threatening manner. Bringing or causing to be brought in to any Library facility, any weapon as set forth in California Penal Code section 171b, or any knife, sharp object or other instrument that can be used as a weapon, except when carried by law enforcement personnel.
  4. Making offensive comments or behavior intended to intimidate, threaten, or provoke a violent reaction.
  5. Engaging in any illegal activity.
  6. Stealing or damaging Library, County, or personal property of library customers or staff.
  7. Possessing, consuming, or selling alcohol, marijuana or illegal drugs.
  8. Unauthorized presence in staff-designated areas and/or entering or remaining inside library facilities before or after hours of operation.

Disruptive or unsafe behavior is prohibited, including but not limited to

  1. Viewing sexually explicit and/or excessively /gratuitously violent materials.
  2. Verbal communication or non-verbal attention that is willfully aggressive, malicious, threatening, or harassing.
  3. Smoking or use of tobacco, marijuana products, or electronic cigarettes inside Library facilities or within 20’ of facility entrances, exits, or walkways.
  4. Exhibiting signs of being under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or illegal drugs.
  5. Unreasonable use of restrooms, including bathing, laundry, personal grooming, soliciting, clogging plumbing, or entering/looking into an area designed to provide privacy to the person using the area.
  6. Improper use of library furniture and/or stacks, including but not limited to climbing, rocking, jumping, standing upon chairs, and sitting or lying on tables.

Behavior that interferes with Library operations, including but not limited to:

  1. Leaving children under the age of 10 unattended by a responsible caregiver.
  2. Failure to wear adequate clothing, such as shoes, shirt/top and pants/shorts/skirts.
  3. Using skates, rollerblades, or skateboards.
  4. Bringing shopping carts, bicycles, strollers without children, or bulky articles into the Library, other than those necessary to assist individuals with disabilities.
  5. Blocking entrances, exits, or walkways.
  6. Excessive or unreasonable noise or disruptive use of personal devices.
  7. Sleeping.
  8. Lying on the floor.
  9. Exhibiting unsanitary hygiene or an odor that is so offensive so as to constitute a nuisance to others.
  10. Fraudulent use of a library card / account number for any purpose.
  11. Soliciting, panhandling, or petitioning while inside of a library facility.
  12. Eating, except as allowed at library-approved events.
  13. Bringing animals other than service animals, as specified under the terms of the American Disabilities Act and California statute, into the Library, except as allowed at Library-approved events.
  14. Violation of other Library policies, including but not limited to the Internet and Electronic Information Use Policy.
  15. Interference with Library employees in the performance of their duties and/or failure to follow any reasonable instruction by a staff member to correct inappropriate behavior.

Library privileges may be suspended at all Solano County library locations. Suspensions are based on the following durations and are at the discretion of the Director of library Services or his/her designee:

DURATION OF SUSPENSION OF LIBRARY PRIVILEGES

THREATENING/VIOLENT OR ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR VIEWING SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS DISRUPTIVE / UNSAFE BEHAVIOR INTERFERENCE WITH LIBRARY OPERATIONS
FIRST VIOLATION: Immediate expulsion; Library privileges suspended for 3 months or up to 1 year based on severity of offense Immediate expulsion;
Library privileges suspended for 1 month
Warning issued; person may correct behavior or leave for the day Warning issued; person may correct behavior or leave for the day
SECOND VIOLATION: Immediate expulsion; Library privileges suspended for 6 months or up to 2 years based on severity of offense Immediate expulsion;
Library privileges suspended for 2 months
Library privileges suspended for 1 week Library privileges suspended for 1 day
THIRD VIOLATION: Immediate expulsion; Library privileges suspended for 1 to 3 years based on severity of offense Immediate expulsion;
Library privileges suspended for 4 months
Library privileges suspended for 2 weeks Library privileges suspended for 1 week
FOURTH VIOLATION: Immediate expulsion;
Library privileges suspended for 8 months
Library privileges suspended for 1 month Library privileges suspended for 1 month

Individuals who repeatedly violate the Library’s Behavior Policy after receiving a 1-month suspension will be issued further suspensions in a minimum of one month increments to a maximum of one year. Individuals who repeatedly view sexually explicit materials will be issued further suspensions doubling in length.

Library Administration reserves the right to modify the length of a term for suspension of library privileges based on administrative review and/or the outcome of the formal appeal process. Repeat offenders need not violate the same rule to be subject to stricter enforcement.

Individuals refusing to leave as requested by Library staff members will be subject to arrest for trespassing and prosecution under California Penal Code Section 602.1(b).

“In order to prevent the theft of books and library materials, State law authorizes the detention for a reasonable period of any person using Library facilities suspected of committing “library theft” (California Penal Code Section 490.5).” State Law permits Library staff to search purses, bags, parcels, and other packages if a customer does not voluntarily surrender unlawfully removed Library materials.

Approved by Solano County Board of Supervisors 11/5/96
Reaffirmed by the Board of Supervisors 6/24/2014
Revised 5/24/2018

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