Introduction
The Springfield City Library offers a wide range of services for children of all ages. The Library offers story hours, internet access, tours, homework help, and advice on books to read, along with other educational and entertaining programs. Children’s and Teen collections at the Library include a wide range of fiction, non-fiction, picture books, audiovisual materials, reference materials, and public computers.
The Springfield City Library encourages frequent visits by children and their caregivers. Library staff cannot provide child care or assume responsibility for children’s safety. Parents, guardians, teachers, and caregivers are responsible for the behavior and safety of children visiting the library. Staff are not responsible for supervising unattended children.
Policy Statement
Children of all ages are welcome in the Library. Children’s and teen areas of the Library are specifically designed to serve the needs of youth visitors and staff members will place the safety of children and teens first.
An unattended child is a child of any age who is unaccompanied by a responsible adult. It is the responsibility of parents and caregivers to ensure safe and appropriate behavior of children of all ages, who are subject to the Library’s Behavior Policy. Children determined by the staff to be disrupting normal library activities will be given one warning and then will be asked to leave if the behavior persists.
The Springfield City Library assumes no responsibility for children of any age left unattended in the Library. Supervising adults must remain close to the children they are accompanying. Library staff cannot prevent children from interacting with or leaving with persons who are not the appropriate chaperone.
Library staff may call parents or caregivers, police, or other city agencies if a child is left unattended when the Library closes, asked to leave the Library, or in an emergency situation. Under no circumstances will library staff transport any child from the Library during or after business hours.
Approved by Springfield Library Commission February 16, 2005; revision approved June 5, 2019.
Amended by the Springfield Library Commission June 3, 2020. Amended by the Springfield Library Commission June 7, 2023