Unsupervised Children Visiting the Library
The SAIT Library is experiencing an increase in the number of unsupervised children using our facilities. This is occurring particularly on evenings and weekends. We are quite sure that parents are dropping off these children prior to their class. Staff have noticed parents sign on computer workstations with their student ID numbers. Their children often spend the next hour or more gaming on our workstations. Baby-sitting is not part of our library service mandate.
Does your library have an age limit policy for visiting unattended children? I was thinking of writing a policy that excludes unattended library access to youth under the age of twelve.
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Unsupervised Children
At Medicine Hat College we do have a policy titled "Supervision of Children" which states: Parents or caregivers are responsible for the safety and supervision of their children in the Library. Staff at the Library are unable to watch children as fully as a parent does in terms of supervision and safety. Staff are occupied with providing services and cannot be aware of all activity taking place at all times. If the library staff discover that a child has been dropped off unsupervised, the senior person on shift will: contact the parent or caregiver by telephone, inform the parent/caregiver of the library policy and request arrangements to have the child picked up as soon as possible or for parental/caregiver supervision in the Library; or they will contact Campus Security for assistance, and/or contact City of Medicing Hat Police Services if the parent or caregiver cannot be reached.
Keith Walker