Home / About Us / Rules

Rules

Sky Cone at the Main Library

En Español

Approved by the Library Commission on October 5, 2022.

Purpose:

The Boulder Library Commission and the Library staff welcome you to the Boulder Public Library. We encourage your use of the library spaces, services and resources, and we are committed to providing a welcoming, clean, and comfortable space for our community. We ask for your cooperation to maintain an environment in which patrons, volunteers and staff can be free from harassment, intimidation, threats to safety and well-being, in which library resources and facilities are protected from damage. Our libraries are spaces for reading, studying, writing, listening to written or electronically transmitted materials, attending library or community-sponsored programs and meetings, and working collaboratively in the spirit of community. With these intended uses in mind, the Boulder Library Commission has adopted the following rules of conduct to protect the rights, health and safety of library patrons, staff, and volunteers; to ensure patrons’ use and enjoyment of the library; and to help preserve and protect the libraries’ materials, equipment, facilities, and grounds.

Overview:

Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated on library property. These rules are issued to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the users and staff of this facility. Staff is responsible for maintaining a safe environment and all patrons are expected to comply with their directions.

Unless injury to a person or damage to property is involved, which are grounds for immediate suspension, any library patron who is disruptive will be notified that the behavior is inappropriate and be asked to stop. If the behavior continues, the patron will be asked to leave the library for the safety and welfare of everyone. If the patron refuses to leave, local law enforcement officials will be notified. Disruptive or threatening behavior on the part of any patron while in the library may result in the suspension of privileges in accordance with the procedures of Section 5-5-18, “Suspension of Facility Privileges,” Boulder Revised Code (B.R.C.) 1981.

In addition, any person who violates these rules of conduct while at the library, any provision of the Boulder Revised Code, ordinance of the city, or any other state or federal law may be subject to suspension of privileges in accordance with the procedures of Section 5-5-18, “Suspension of Facility Privileges,” Boulder Revised Code (B.R.C.) 1981 and may also be subject to criminal prosecution. Criminal activities that occur on library property will be immediately reported to law enforcement. These rules apply to all libraries and facilities unless indicated otherwise.

Any person who violates these rules of conduct over the telephone, on the computer or any other electronic device is subject to restriction of access to library resources and services at the discretion of the library director or his or her designee.

Unattended Children Policy

No person shall :

  1. Behave in such a way that disrupts another person’s use of the library;
  2. Threaten or harass staff, volunteers or patrons, verbally, physically or in writing, including all forms of electronic media;
  3. Engage in behavior that jeopardizes the safety of any person or service animal;
  4. Violate any library policy or terms of use for meeting rooms, the Canyon Gallery and Theater, or Carnegie Library for Local History;
  5. Bring a weapon into or possess a weapon, except as expressly permitted by state law;
  6. Bring into, or possess alcoholic beverages in any library without prior approval of the library director and/or the Library Commission, or enter the library while in possession of or under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol;
  7. Use tobacco, marijuana or products containing tobacco or marijuana or their components, or use illegal substances, including use of any form of electronic smoking or vaping device;
  8. Carry, lead, bring an animal into the library, except for service animals. Animals must be licensed and under the control of their owners;
  9. Seek or collect signatures from the general public on a petition inside any library;
  10. Solicit donations of money or anything of value inside any library, except during special events at any library, during library sponsored events, or while renting the Canyon Gallery and Theater;
  11. Bring bicycles or shopping carts into any facility or leave bags or personal items unattended in any facility;
  12. Lie down, doze or sleep in any library facility except this rule shall not apply to children;
  13. Use the restrooms for anything other than their intended purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, bathing, shaving, washing, rinsing or drying hair, or washing, rinsing or drying clothing, and charging phones;
  14. Eat anything while in the Carnegie Branch Library for Local History due to the historic nature of the collection.

Definitions:

“Disruptive behavior” is any activity which disrupts the library, endangers the perpetrator or others, interferes with library business or other library patrons or staff, hinders others’ access to the library or library materials, or is illegal. This may include, and is not limited to, any activity which results in the damage or disruption of library equipment or services, or blocking access to the library or its materials, or the use of profane, obscene, intimidating or abusive language or gestures including epithets directed at race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other personal characteristics.

“Electronic smoking device”, “E-cigarettes,” “E-cigs,” or “vaping device” means an electric or battery-operated device, the use of which resembles conventional smoking, or emits vapors which can be used to deliver substances, including, but not limited to, nicotine, tobacco, or marijuana, to the person using such device. Electronic smoking device shall include, without limitation, an electronic cigarette, cigar, cigarillo, pipe, vaping devices or hookah. Electronic smoking device shall not include any product approved by the food and drug administration as a drug or medical device that is used in accordance with its purpose.

“Facility” as used in these rules shall mean the interior and exterior of all library buildings and extending to the curbs and library parking lots; and the south area underneath the library bridge at the main library.

“Harass” as used in these rules shall mean to strike, shove, kick, or otherwise subject the person to physical contact including contact with an object; or with the intent to annoy or alarm, follow a person in or about a public place, direct language toward another person or repeatedly insult, taunt, challenge or make communications in offensively coarse language to another person.

“Library” as used in these rules shall mean all library buildings.

Suspension of Library Privileges

The library director, deputy library director, authorized security personnel, the manager on duty, or designee may restrict access to library facilities, resources and services with immediate dismissal of the person from the premises by suspending the person’s access to library facilities for a set period of time or by denying access to specific services and/or programs.

The suspension or period of restricted access shall be reasonably related to the severity of the offense, the number of repeated offenses and their danger to public health, safety, and welfare and shall not, except for criminal offenses of a sexual nature, exceed one year. Suspensions or restricted access may range from 24 hours (for a relatively minor first offense) to up to one year. A suspension period of more than one year may be issued for sexual offenses only and in accordance with Section 5-5-18 B.R.C. 1981.

Right of Appeal

Pursuant to Section 5-5-18, “Suspension of Facility Privileges” and Chapter 1-3, “Quasi-Judicial Hearings,” B.R.C., a patron found in violation of the rules of conduct has the right to request a hearing to appeal a suspension or its duration by filing a written request with:

Boulder Public Library
Administration Office,
1001 Arapahoe Ave,
Boulder, CO 80302,
Attn: Suspension Appeals

Patrons with questions about the appeal process may call 303-441-3106

Requests to appeal a suspension must be filed no more than 10 days after the suspension notice was deposited in the mail, hand-delivered, posted, or published. The patron will receive notification of the hearing date, time, and location. At the hearing, the patron will have an opportunity to provide information as to why he/she believes the suspension should be removed or the duration amended. Failure to appear at the scheduled hearing waives any right to a hearing.

If a patron who has been suspended chooses to return to the library once the suspension period has expired, the patron must abide by the Boulder Public Library rules of conduct and/or policies. Any future rule or policy violations may result in a progressively longer suspension.

Approved by the Library Commission on October 5, 2022.