Unattended Child Policy

Croton Free Library (the “Library”) strives to provide visitors with a welcoming and safe
environment. We encourage children of all ages to visit our library and hope they will find it a
warm, inviting place. However, parents and guardians, not Library staff, are responsible for the
care, behavior and supervision of their children while using the Library and on its property. The
Library Board of Trustees have adopted the following policies:

• Children below the age of 8 years who are using the Library’s resources shall at all times be accompanied and adequately supervised by a parent or guardian or a responsible caregiver.
• Children aged 8 years and above may use the Library unattended for an amount of time appropriate to their age and maturity. Children should have the telephone numbers of their parent, guardian, or another responsible adult, who may be contacted to come and pick up the child in case of an emergency or other circumstance.
• As with any patron, a child’s behavior is unacceptable if it disrupts the normal use of the Library by other patrons or interferes with the staff in the performance of their duties or otherwise violates the Patron Code of Conduct Policy.
• The Library is not responsible for unattended children who are in the Library building or unattended children who have left the Library premises. Parents and guardians are advised that, even in their absence, they are legally responsible for their minor children’s behavior. Library employees cannot function as caregivers or babysitters.
• Parents, guardians and caregivers must be aware of the Library’s hours and shall make advance arrangements to pick up or have their children picked up by a responsible adult by closing time. Parents, guardians and caregivers shall inform their children what action they are to take in the event of an unexpected closing of the Library. In the event that an unattended child is still at the Library after the Library closes to the public for any reason, a Library staff member will wait with the child. After 15 minutes post-closing, or at the discretion of the Library Director or staff members, the Croton Police Department will be contacted to take custody of the child.
• The Library Director, at their discretion, may revoke the right of a child to use the Library unattended.