The Wilmington Memorial Library welcomes children of all ages to use and enjoy its facilities, collections and programs. In order to ensure the safety and well-being of children using the library, the following policy has been established:
The responsibility for the safety and behavior of children in the library rests with the parent(s) and not with library staff. Therefore children, ages nine and under, must have a parent or designated caregiver in the immediate vicinity and in visual contact with the child using the library. The caregiver must be at least 14 years old and must have emergency contact information for the children’s parent/caregiver. Children, ages nine and under, may attend certain library programs without a parent/caregiver in the room as long as the parent/caregiver remains in the library and immediately joins the child at the end of the program.
Children ten and up may use the library on their own provided that they comply with the Patron Behavior Policy. Children in this age group should have the phone number of a parent/caregiver that may be contacted in case of an emergency or if the child is asked to leave the building for violating the Patron Behavior Policy.
Children must be picked up before the library closes. The parent/caregiver is expected to know the library’s hours of closing and must also keep in mind that the library may close unexpectedly for reasons, such as, a power outage, inclement weather etc. The Library is not responsible for children without a ride home at closing. If no ride has arrived ten minutes after closing, staff will contact the Wilmington Police Department who may wait with the child at the library or take the child to the Public Safety Building where the child can safely wait to be picked up.
Approved by the Board of Library Trustees 5/17/16
