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It is the
mission of the Portsmouth Public Library to provide a quiet, comfortable, and
safe environment so that all patrons may enjoy library facilities for study,
research, individual reading, using computers, or attending library programs or
meetings.
To this end, patrons at library facilities should be free from disturbance,
distraction, or interruption. Each patron has a responsibility not to interfere
with the peaceable use and enjoyment of library facilities by other patrons.
PROHIBITED CONDUCT
In order to
fulfill this mission, the following types of conduct are prohibited in any
library of the Portsmouth Public Library System:
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Possession, use, or
distribution of illegal drugs.
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Possession, use, or
distribution of alcoholic beverages.
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Being under the influence
of illegal drugs or alcohol.
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Making any sound or
noise, or engaging in any conduct or physical activity, that is determined by
library staff to be materially distracting and disruptive to other library
patrons.
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Use of obscenity,
profanity, threats, conduct, or language that insults any other library patron
or library official.
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Being without shirts,
shoes, and pants or skirts, or disrobing or changing clothes.
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Smelling of urine or
feces.
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Use of restrooms for
bathing.
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Assault, battery, or
threat of unauthorized physical contact with another patron or a library
official.
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Impeding access within a
library, including without limitation stacks, aisles, stairs, and doorways.
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Fighting, rough housing,
running, or throwing items.
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Eating, drinking, or
spitting.
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Panhandling.
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Use of any tobacco
products, including but not limited to smoking, chewing, rolling cigarettes, and
filling pipes.
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Sleeping.
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Littering or discarding
trash.
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Indecent exposure,
engaging in obscene or sexually provocative conduct, or engaging in sexual
activity.
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Wearing any mask, hat or
hood that conceals the face, unless for bona fide religious reasons.
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Sexual harassment or
sexual solicitation.
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Stalking, following, or
staring in an intimidating manner which causes fear to any patron or library
official.
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Damaging, stealing,
vandalizing, defacing, misusing or destroying library property.
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Using cellular
telephones.
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Using pagers which ring
or buzz loudly enough to be audible by other patrons or library staff and using
radios, tape recorders or CD players with external speakers.
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Violation of any posted
computer protocols.
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Bringing animals into a
library (except assistance animals).
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Possession of numerous or
large items that are for personal use and are unrelated to use of library
facilities.
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Unauthorized use or
occupation of meeting rooms, children’s areas or nonpublic areas.
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Violation of any law of
the Commonwealth of Virginia or the City of Portsmouth
UNATTENDED CHILDREN
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Children under the age of
12 may not be left unattended by an adult in a library at any time. Children
between the ages of 12 and 15 may not be left unattended for more than three
hours.
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If a child is left
unattended in violation of this policy, library officials are authorized to
contact the Department of Social Services to report the incident and request
appropriate action under the circumstances.
Leaving a child
unattended after being requested not to do so on a previous occasion is a
violation of policy and may result in the parent or responsible adult losing
his/her library card and privileges for up to ninety days.
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