Public Services – 338
Approved by the Board of Trustees September 25, 2025
St. Joseph Public Library
Unattended Minors Policy
All St. Joseph Public Library (SJPL) property is open to the public and available for use by everyone. The safety and security of children on library property is of serious concern to the SJPL Board of Trustees, administration, and staff. For the protection and wellbeing of children who visit the SJPL branches, the following policy is established:
The responsibility to supervise a child using the library rests at all times with the child’s parent, legal guardian or designated caregiver*. Library staff have other necessary duties that prevent them from providing a parental level of individual supervision for children using the library. SJPL staff also lack legal standing to provide such supervision since they may not act in loco parentis. When children attend activity programs sponsored by the library they are supervised by SJPL staff only during the scheduled time of the program and only in the room or area where the program is presented.
Because the supervision staff can provide is limited, we strongly recommend that children of all ages be accompanied in the library by a guardian.
Children eight years old and younger are not allowed to be on library property without a parent, legal guardian or designated caregiver.
If a child eight years old or younger is identified as unaccompanied, library staff will attempt to reach by telephone the parent or legal guardian for the purpose of explaining this policy and the need to either join their child or pick them up from the library. A copy of this policy will be provided to the parent or guardian. If no parent or legal guardian can be identified or reached by telephone, the St. Joseph Police Department may be called to assume responsibility of the unaccompanied minor.
Parents and guardians should be familiar with the library’s hours of operations and should not leave minor children on their own and unsupervised before the library opens or after it closes. Parents and guardians should also be aware that the library may be closed or close early due to scheduled holidays or unscheduled occurrences such as severe weather or other emergencies. Prior arrangements and contingency plans for immediate pick-up in such instances should be determined in advance.
SJPL staff cannot assume responsibility for children on library property before or after the library closes. Staff supervision of children extends only to children participating in library programming during a designated program time and space.
If minor unaccompanied minors between the ages of 9 and 17 are in a library building at the time of closing and have no means of transportation, the library staff will make a judgment call about the vulnerability of the minor. A vulnerable minor is one whose safety or wellbeing would be endangered by being sent out of a library building unaccompanied. Examples of vulnerability might include the child’s age, apparent lack of a safe environment outside the library building, or the possibility of a minor being left alone at night outside a library building after operating hours.
If the minor appears vulnerable, staff will attempt to obtain their name, address, phone number and the name(s) of their parent/guardian. Library staff will attempt to telephone the parent/guardian and request they immediately pick up the minor(s). Two staff members should stay with the minor(s) until the situation is resolved. Library staff will follow up with letters to the parents explaining library hours and a copy of this policy.
If the parent/guardian are unable to be reached or if the minor(s) are not picked up within fifteen minutes after the parent/guardian has been contacted, the library staff will contact the St. Joseph Police Department and report abandoned minor(s), and request the police take custody of the minor(s). Library staff will leave a note securely and prominently displayed on an exterior door to inform the parent/guardian that the minor(s) have been left in the custody of the police, along with a telephone number for the police department.
*A designated caregiver of a minor in this context is an individual who has been charged by a parent or legal guardian with the care of a minor during a visit to the library. Examples could include a teacher, daycare provider or babysitter.
Previous Approval Date: April 26, 2016