Children's Area Policies

Unattended Children Policy

Parents and caregivers are responsible for the safety, comfort and behavior of their children while in the library. Your child must come to the library with a responsible caregiver and stay in that person's care during the child's stay. In the library, we require that all responsible caregivers keep children age 9 and younger within their line of sight and ensure that those children follow the library rules.

Any of the following situations, and others as determined by library staff, will result in staff attempting to contact the child's adult caregiver. If that is not successful, the child will be placed in the care of the appropriate law enforcement agency.

• A child is alone and frightened or crying in the library
• A child is alone and doing something dangerous, or another person in the library seems to be a danger to the child
• A child is alone and is not following library rules
• No caregiver comes to pick a child up at closing time
• Any child age 9 and younger who is alone in the library or unaccompanied by a responsible caregiver aged 11 and older. If a child is part of a group and a minor caregiver (must be over age 11) is unable to adequately perform these tasks, library staff may request that an adult accompanying the group assume responsibility. (Please see Oregon City Public Library Behavior Rules.)

Children's Room Code of Conduct

When you visit the Children's Room, please…

• Stay with a grownup if you're 9 years old or younger.
• Use indoor voices and walking feet.
• Please wear your shoes inside the library.
• Be gentle with library furniture.
• Take your snacks outside. Drinks in a container with a lid are welcome.
• Put books you don't want to take home on the Clean Up Shelf.
• Use your own library card to go online.
• Use seats and tables in another part of the library if everyone in your group is 13 or older.