Behavior Policy

I. Patron Guidelines

A. The Pleasant Hills Public Library provides free library services to all.  Pleasant Hills Public Library was established as a place for circulation of public materials, quiet study, leisure, browsing, computer use and appropriate programming. 

B. The library is not responsible for personal items left unattended.

C. Library patrons are responsible for materials checked out on their library cards.  Parents/legal guardians are responsible for materials checked out to minor children.

D. Smoking is not permitted in the building or within five (5) feet as required by Allegheny County.

E. No sign may be placed on the exterior grounds of the library without the expressed consent of the library director.  Notices of community interest may be posted on interior bulletin boards, subject to library director’s approval.

II. Patron Behavior.

A. Disruptive behavior

      1. Definition:  Disruptive behavior may include, but is not limited to:  disorderly and boisterous conduct, threatening/harassing/intimidating behaviors or acting disrespectful toward other patrons or staff, use of offensive language, misuse of restrooms and refusing to comply with library policies.   

      2. A warning may be given in writing. Noncompliance will result in being asked to leave the library.  Repeated offenses may result in exclusion from the library and/or library services or programs.

B. Library Theft

      1.  Retention of library property after notice to return – Section 6708 of Title 18, Pennsylvania Code makes it a summary offense to retain any item belonging to any public library for a period exceeding 30 days after such library has given written notice to return the same.  This act is punishable by a fine plus cost of prosecution. 

      2.  18 P.S. Section 3929.1 states that person is guilty of library theft if he willfully conceals on his person or among his belongings any library material while still on the premises of a library or willfully and without authority removes any library material from the library with the intention of converting such material to his own use.  A course of conduct from one library or several libraries may be aggregated in determining the grade of the offense. 

      3.  Cutting, mutilating, marking or otherwise injuring any book, magazine, newspaper, or other property belonging to any public library is a misdemeanor.

III.    Unattended Children

The Library is not a source of childcare for the community.  Parents are responsible for their minor children’s actions whether they accompany the children to library or not.  A child is defined to be a minor.

Children under the age of 8 are required to have adult supervision.  A supervising individual cannot be anyone under the age of 13.

Children age 8 to 12 are required to have a supervising adult present in the library building.

Children age 13 years and older are not required to have adult supervision, but the library is not responsible for them and require them to follow all library rules and policies.