Child Safety and Left Unattended Policy

The Melrose Park Public Library welcomes children and families and encourages children's use of its facilities, collections, programs, and services. Library staff are committed to the well-being and safety of children and are happy to assist them in using the Library. However, the Library does not provide custodial care or childcare services, and Library staff are not responsible for supervising children who are unattended by a parent, legal guardian, or caregiver.

Parents, legal guardians, and caregivers are responsible for the supervision, safety, and behavior of children in the Library, including their use of Library materials, participation in programs, and compliance with Library policies and Patron Rules of Behavior. Whether or not they are present, parents and guardians remain ultimately responsible for their children's behavior and welfare while using the Library until they reach the age of eighteen (18).

As a public facility, the Library takes reasonable precautions to provide a safe environment for all patrons, but cannot guarantee the safety of unattended or unsupervised children.

Use of the Library by Minors

• Children under eight (8) years of age must be accompanied and continuously supervised by a responsible caregiver who is at least fourteen (14) years old. The caregiver must remain within sight and hearing distance of the child at all times.
• If a child under the age of eight (8) is left unattended, Library staff will attempt to locate or contact the child's parent, guardian, or caregiver. If the responsible adult cannot be located or contacted, the Melrose Park Police Department may be contacted for assistance.
• Children eight (8) years of age and older may use the Library without direct supervision, provided they can follow the Library's Patron Rules of Behavior and all applicable Library policies. Responsibility for minors using the Library or attending Library programs rests solely with the parent, legal guardian, or caregiver.
• The Melrose Park Public Library will not restrict access to Library materials, services, or programs solely based on age. Decisions regarding a child's use of Library resources are the responsibility of parents or legal guardians, not Library staff.

Children Left Unattended at Closing

The Melrose Park Public Library staff are not authorized to provide custodial care, supervise minors beyond normal Library operations, or transport children from the premises.

Children under the age of twelve (12) should know, or have access to, contact information for a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult who can be reached in the event of an emergency. If the parent, guardian, or caregiver is not in the building or cannot be contacted, the Melrose Park Police will be called to assist.

Two or more staff members will stay with the child inside the Library, especially involving severe weather, emergencies, or other circumstances affecting the safety of the child, until the parent, guardian, or the Melrose Park Police Department arrives.