[Publib] Large numbers of teens in the library

[James Casey]

We have had EXACTLY the same kinds of problems that Lesa Holstine
described  with middle school age kids after school and into the
evening.  One of the things we have done is enlist the local police to
"cut off the snake's head" (as they put it) and bring out the support of
parents in disciplining and governing the behavior of the relatively few
kids who are "instigators" or 
"ring leaders" of the misbehavior.  The overwhelming majority of kids
using the Library are good and their rambunctious behavior from time to
time is not necessarily combined with willful disruption.  Real trouble
makers need to be disciplined -- and it is not the place of Library
staff to administer this kind of admonition to minors.

 The process we have used since March 2006 works like this:
Kids come in and refuse to behave or begin talking back to staff.  Our
staff and/or security guards ask them to leave.  If they refuse or
continue to hang around, our staff call 911 and summon the local police.
The police then are in a position to question the kids, find out who
they are and remove them from the premises. Furthermore, the Police are
empowered by the Library to issue pre-signed notices barring the kid
from the Library and can issue this barring notice directly to the
parents.  Rest assured that the involvement of police in dealing with
disruptive kids WILL get the attention of parents to a much greater
extent than a letter from the Library director.
The police keep a record of the situation -- which they cannot
necessarily share with the Library due to confidentiality of police
records pertaining to minors -- and if trouble brews again with the same
kids involved, the police will know about the repeat offense and may
institute more severe measures under law (and beyond the relatively mild
penalty of barring from the Library).  

The key thing to remember is that staff should summon the police via 911
immediately when kids defy or persist in misbehavior (fighting,
swearing, threatening, blocking entrances, etc.).   Have lists of
improper conduct approved by the Board and post "no loitering" signs so
that police will have rules they can point to that define the
misbehavior.  Work with your local police to make sure that you are "on
the same page" concerning an approach to deal with disruptive kids.
Prepare policies that allow for implementation of barring procedures for
kids with involvement of the local police in direct contact with
parents.  Involvement of the parents is the key to solving the problem. 

James B. Casey --- My own views
Director of Oak Lawn Public Library
ALA Council Member


What we use as a barring letter for juveniles is below:



Date:___________________

Dear Parent or Legal Guardian:

Your child  _______________________________________ been identified by
Library Staff in consultation with officers of the Oak Lawn Police
Department as having participated in the following activity or event on
Library premises.  On ____________________(date) at approximately
_________________________(time)
_____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________

As a result, police had to be summoned and your child offered
insufficient explanation for this behavior.  

The disruptive behavior on the part of your child has created a
difficult and intimidating environment for patrons trying to use our
Public Library and therefore cannot be tolerated.  While we want young
people such as your child to use our Public Library, we cannot allow
behavior that prevents or discourages other patrons from entering and
using the facility or that subjects Library personnel to a threatening
work environment. 

It is with sincere regret that I must take the very unfortunate step of
officially barring your child from using our public library for a period
of one month commencing on the day this notice is received.  

We hope that this barring from our Library shall serve as a warning to
your child that the Library shall not tolerate continued misbehavior and
that it will bring about a more orderly and respectful attitude by your
child towards our Library, its patrons and staff.   However, in the
event that your child seeks to violate this barring notice and/or
persists with disruptive behavior in and around the Library in the
future, we shall be forced to seek more severe remedies that may include
criminal prosecution.  

							Sincerely,



							James B. Casey,
							Director

Received by: _______________________

Date:______________________________