Youth Services

Children’s Area

Providing a secure environment for children and teens is a high priority of the library.

The Youth Services Area to the left of the circulation desk is dedicated to resources and services for children and teens (birth through 18 years of age). Parents and caretakers are invited to accompany their children to the Youth Services Area to participate actively in reading, programs and the selection and use of library materials.

The use of the Youth Services side of the library is reserved for youth (children plus teens through 18 years of age). For the safety of all children, adults (19 years and over) who are not accompanied by children, are to use the Youth Services side of the library only for the purpose of retrieving materials for check out or to make arrangements to pull materials for research to be used on the adult side of the library.

Unattended Children

Leaving a child age 8 or under, unattended inside or outside of the Library is not in keeping with reasonable use of the Library as it is intended. It is the policy of this Library that all children age 8 or under must be accompanied by, and supervised by, a guardian. Guardian, in this case, refers to a parent, guardian, child care provider or other person who is generally responsible for the youth while they are in the Library.

Parents who drop off children 9 or older at the Library are asked to pick them up 15 minutes before closing time.

Our policy for children found left unattended at closing time is as follows: The local non-emergency number will be called and the child(ren) will be left in the care of the Northfield Police Department.

Under no circumstances are library staff to transport a child home.

Adopted: 4/11/02

Amended: 1/9/14