A Policy List for Public Libraries

The following list of policies may be relevant to your needs. It is arranged in the form of an outline to show how policies relate to one another.

(1) Mission and Role Statement

(2) Board Bylaws and Public Participation Policy

(3) Public Service Policies

(a) Eligibility for borrowing and services

(I) Resident and nonresident

(II) Programming and outreach

(b) Collection Management Policy

(I) Mission and goals with community description

(II) Responsibility for selection

(III) Selection criteria for each format

(IV) Scope and priorities of collection

(V) Selection procedures and vendor relations

(VI) Evaluation, weeding and maintenance

(VII) Censorship, access and challenged materials procedure

(VIII) Intellectual Freedom Statement, Library Bill of Rights

(IX) Gifts and donations

(c) Circulation Policy

(I) Loan period and renewal

(II) Confidentiality

(III) Reserved material

(IV) Fines, damages

(V) Interlibrary loan

(VI) Special collections

(VII) Audiovisual equipment

(VIII) Fees

(d) Reference Policy

(e) Facilities Policy

(I) Hours of operation

(II) Americans with Disabilities Act compliance

(III) Security

(IV) Meeting room use

(V) Exhibits and displays

(VI) Copiers and other equipment use

(f) Community Relations Policy

(I) Cooperative borrowing agreements

(II) Relations with schools

(III) Volunteers

(IV) Friends groups

(V) Public Participation Policy

(g) Patron Behavior Policy

(I) Unattended children

(II) Respect for staff, users and library property

(h) Internet Use Policy

(4) Management Policies

(a) General

(I) Responsibility and authority

(II) Budget, accounting and financial management

(III) Procurement, including gifts

(b) Personnel

(I) Responsibility and authority

(II) Job descriptions and classifications

(III) Salaries and benefits

(IV) Hours, annual and sick leave, overtime, holidays

(V) Hiring, termination, resignations and nepotism

(VI) Performance evaluation and promotion

(VII) Continuing education/professional development

(VIII) Discipline and grievances

(IX) Americans with Disabilities Act compliance

(X) Fair Labor Standards Act compliance

(XI) Sexual harassment

(XII) Personnel records

(c) Facilities

(I) Responsibility and procedures for maintenance

(II) Acquisition and ownership

(III) Insurance and liability

(IV) Emergency preparedness

(V) Americans with Disabilities Act compliance

(VI) Use of equipment, vehicles, etc.