Library Policy

Behavior Policy

To ensure a safe and comfortable environment for customers of all ages visiting the Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach, the following Behavior Policy is adopted. Any person who violates these rules or engages in any activity prohibited by law will be asked to leave the library and library privileges may be suspended or permanently revoked. Those refusing to leave the premises will be subject to arrest under Trespass Laws, Chapter 810, Florida Statutes.

Library staff will not assume the responsibility for the care or supervision of unattended children. 

The following are examples of conduct not allowed on library property.

Level 1 Violation

Persons whose conduct constitutes a Level 1 violation may have their library privileges and rights to enter the library suspended for up to one month.

1. Shirts and shoes must be worn at all times inside the library.
2. Disruptive or unsafe behavior such as loud talking, loud audio equipment, use of profanity, running, throwing things, pushing, or shoving and use of skateboards, roller blades, hoverboards, and other recreational transportation devices is prohibited.
3. Adults not requiring immediate access to youth materials shall be required to relocate to other areas of the library.  Youth services areas (such as the Children’s Dept. and the Teen Area) are intended for use by youth (ages 0 to 18 years) and their parents and/or caregivers.
4. Leaving children under the age of 8 unattended in the library is prohibited. An actively engaged parent/caregiver of at least 14 years of age must be in the immediate vicinity of and in visual contact with the child. An exception would be children attending a library program without a parent/caregiver in the room. However, the parent/caregiver is expected to remain in the library building and immediately join the child at the end of the program.  If a child in this age group is found unattended, library staff will attempt to locate the parent/caregiver in the library and inform him/her of the policy. If the parent/caregiver cannot be found or contacted, police may be called for assistance.
5. Creating physical obstructions of aisles, stairs, or corridors.
6. Distributing literature, gathering signatures, soliciting contributions, or conducting surveys inside the library is prohibited.
7. Neglect of bodily hygiene to the point where it is offensive and constitutes a nuisance to others. 
8. Sleeping or lying on the floor or furniture.
9. No cell phone use on fourth floor. You may use your cell phone on 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd floors only.
10. Eating other than in the designated areas. Lidded drinks are allowed throughout the building.
11. Leaving packages, backpacks, luggage or any other personal items unattended. These items are subject to immediate confiscation by the West Palm Beach police.
12. Bringing in carts (including shopping carts), wagons, bicycles, or wheeled devices that are specifically being used to carry or store baggage is prohibited, except when wheelchairs or strollers are used to transport an adult or child. Large items such as frame backpacks, suitcases, or bags measuring more than three feet in length or width are not allowed.
13. Bringing any physical items into the library building that could pose a potential risk to the health and safety of library users and/or staff.
14. Animals are prohibited; except for service animals for the disabled.
15. Commercial solicitation or selling of any product in the library building, not including meeting rooms rented at the commercial rate.
16. Failure to follow established loan procedures or other authorization before taking library property or materials outside of the building.
17. Patrons not leaving the library at designated closing times, emergency evacuations, or at the direction of library and/or security staff.
18. Tethering animals near the entrance to the library.

Level 2 Violation

Persons whose conduct constitutes a Level 2 violation may have their library privileges and rights to enter the library suspended for up to one year.

1. Verbal harassment or threats to other patrons or library staff.
2. Using library facilities for bathing, shampooing, grooming, doing laundry, or changing clothes.
3. Using library materials, equipment, furniture, fixtures, or building in a manner inconsistent with customary use; or in a destructive, abusive, or potentially damaging manner.
4. All visitors to the library are subject to the provisions of Executive Order 2011-02 regarding weapons subject to municipal regulation and enforcement of state laws regarding firearms and ammunition.
5. Entering the library or library grounds during a period of exclusion.
6. Smoking, chewing and other tobacco or electronic cigarette use in library facilities.
7. Possession, being under the influence of, or using alcohol or controlled substances on library premises.
8. In order to provide an atmosphere for patrons that is in keeping with a library’s fundamental mission to provide a safe environment conducive to learning, no audio or video recording is allowed in the library without prior arrangements. Failure to comply could lead to suspension of library privileges, ejectment from the library and/or arrest. To audio or video record within the library, please call (561) 868-7701 to schedule a tour of the facility for that purpose. 
9. Violation of the library’s Internet Use Policy.
10. Repeated Level 1 violations.

Level 3 Violation

Persons whose conduct constitutes a Level 3 violation may have their library privileges and rights to enter the library permanently revoked.

1. Physical harassment or threats to other patrons or library staff -- or fighting.
2. Abuse of minor children, as defined by Florida Statutes, 39.01(2).
3. Intentionally damaging, destroying or stealing property in library facilities or on library grounds.
4. Offensive touching and obscene acts such as sex acts, and indecent exposure.
5. Trespassing in non-public or restricted use areas of the library.
6. Engaging in any other behavior which would constitute a felony under applicable state law.
7. Aggressive solicitation or panhandling within the library.
8. Triggering any emergency alarm or attempting to exit the library building through any door marked “emergency exit only”.
9. Possession of any anti-shoplifting device or inventory control countermeasure.
10. Repeated Level 2 violations.

The Library Behavior Policy may be enforced by any Library Staff member, City Center Security Officer, or West Palm Beach Police Officer.

Failure to comply with the Library’s established Behavior Policy may result in suspension from the library for one month, one year, permanently, and/or arrest.

Circulation Policy

Opening an Account:

Register online and follow the online instructions. Once you have registered, you will be able to place items on hold.

Renewals:

The library will automatically renew borrowed items three days before the due date unless: 

• the item has been renewed 10 times 
• it is a video game that has been renewed 3 times
• it is an Express item or Interlibrary loan
• the item has a hold for another patron 
• your library card is expired 
• it is a digital item 

Fines and Fees: 

Cardholders don’t have to worry about late fees but are still responsible for returning the item(s) by the due date. You will be charged a replacement cost, including a $5.00 processing fee, for unreturned, lost, or damaged items. 

Computer Use Policy

We hope that you are enjoying using the Internet, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher on our computer workstations. Our registration system enables us to provide computer access to the largest number of people in a fair and equitable manner.

Please be aware of the following guidelines for use of our Internet computers:

You must have a library card and a PIN to use our Internet computers. If you do not already have a library card, please present picture identification at the Circulation Desk. If you just need a PIN, you may get it at the any of the Information Desks.

Each individual user must have a library card in good standing and must use this card to reserve and/or use an Internet computer. No individual is permitted to use another individual’s library card to reserve and/or use an Internet computer. Use of another person’s card can result in suspension of computer privileges.

1. If you see an open computer, check the screen to see if it says “Available.” If it is available, you may sign on using your library card number and PIN. After you log on, follow the directions on the screen. The system will tell you how many minutes are available on that workstation, and will ask you if you want to continue.
2. If you need to leave for a short time during a session, remember to lock the computer. Click Menu in the Session Information window at the bottom of the screen (this window also displays the number of minutes left in your session). After clicking “Lock My Screen”, enter a password that you will remember so that you can enter it again when you come back to the computer. You will need to insert the password when you return. Please remember that locking your computer will not extend your time; your time will continue to run down while the computer is locked.
3. When you are finished, be sure to logout. Click Menu in the Session Information window, choose “End Session” and then “End Now.” If you do not do this, the clock will continue to run and someone else may use your time.
4. Library patrons may make up to three reservations per day to use a computer for a total of 180 minutes (in 60 minute increments) per day.

Internet Use Policy

The Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach provides access to the Internet as an information service to its customers. Internet resources accessible through the Library are provided to users, with the understanding that it is the individual user’s responsibility to demonstrate judgment, respect for others, and appropriate conduct while using Library resources and facilities. Parents or legal guardians are responsible for making decisions with their children about appropriate use of the Internet.

The individual user must have a library card in good standing and must use this card to reserve and/or use an Internet computer. No individual is permitted to use another individual’s library card to reserve and/or use an Internet computer.

The Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach has made every effort to maintain the accuracy, reliability and timeliness of the information contained in its website. However, neither the Library nor any officer or employee of the Library warrants the information on this website and shall not be held liable for any losses caused by reliance on such information.

Links external to this site are for the convenience of the user and do not constitute endorsements by the Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach. Nothing contained in or available through this website should be considered an endorsement or recommendation by the Library for any commercial enterprise listed.

The Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach is not responsible for the content found on other government agencies’ websites, for any failure in transmission of online applications or forms to other government agencies, or for accurate submission of forms or information. The Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach takes measures to secure our network, but cannot guarantee against all security intrusions. The Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach cannot guarantee that other government agencies receive forms or information submitted from library computers or act on them appropriately.

Internet computers will not be used for illegal activity, to access illegal materials, or to access materials that by local community standards would be considered obscene.

Violation of this policy may result in being asked to leave the Library, suspension of Library privileges, or legal action. Those refusing to leave will be subject to arrest under Trespass Laws of the General Statutes of Florida (810.09).

Privacy Policy

Your privacy is very important to us. Our policy is to collect no personal information about you when you visit our site, unless you tell us you have chosen to make such information available to us.

If you do choose to share your personal information, either by subscribing to an e-newsletter, sending a message, requesting information, or by filling out a survey or any other electronic form with your personal information — that information will typically only be used for the purposes you authorize.

Some of this information may be saved for a designated period of time in order to comply with the state of Florida’s archiving policies. However, information will not be disclosed to third parties or other government agencies, unless required by state or federal law, including Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes.

When you visit the City’s website, (or any other Internet website), the web server automatically recognizes only the Internet domain and IP address from which you accessed the site. This information does not result in the identification of your personal e-mail address, or any other personal information.

We also gather collective information about the volume and timing of our visitors’ access to the site by collecting information on the date, time and pages you visited while at the site. We do this to measure which sections of our site visitors find most useful so that we can work to improve the content of the site. This information is not shared with other organizations. Only statistical information is collected, and your personal information is not identified.

Legal Notice Regarding E-mail Senate Bill 80 – effective July 1, 2006:

Under Florida Law, email addresses are public records. If you do not want your email address released in response to a public-records request, do not send electronic email to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.

Publicity

SMILE! Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach staff may take photos, videos and record audio of people enjoying the library’s many services and events. These images may be used for publicity purposes in print and electronic media, or ultimately published on the Internet. If you do not wish your image to be published, please notify a staff member.

Recording on City Property

In order to provide an atmosphere for patrons that is in keeping with a library’s fundamental mission to provide a safe environment conducive to learning, no audio or video recording is allowed in the library without prior arrangements. Failure to comply could lead to suspension of library privileges, ejectment from the library and/or arrest. To audio or video record within the library, please call (561) 868-7701 to schedule a tour of the facility for that purpose.

Patrons are subject to being recorded at all times while on City property. The library’s video surveillance system shall be used for the protection and safety of customers, staff, assets and property.

Services for People with Disabilities

The City of West Palm Beach does not discriminate on the basis of disability and upon request will provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to its programs, services and activities. To request sign language interpretation or other accommodation for any program, please contact the library at 561-868-7700 at least one week before the program date. If a request is submitted less than one week before a program, every effort will be made to accommodate the request, but there is no guarantee that the request will be met. Cancellations must be made at least 72 hours prior to the event.

City of West Palm Beach TTY phone number 800-955-8771