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Welcome to your Los Angeles Public Library! Let’s work together to create a safe, welcoming, and comfortable space for everyone.

During your time in the library, please:

1. Respect and be considerate of others

   1. Creating unnecessary noise, including the use of cell phones, pagers, headphones, and other communication, audio and electronic devices which disturbs other patrons or staff is prohibited.
   2. Entering the library with hygiene conditions, including, but not limited to, clothing odor, body odor, insects or pests, or with unsanitary belongings that interfere with the use and enjoyment of the library by other library patrons or with the functioning of library staff is prohibited.

2. Accompany and take responsibility for those in your care

   1. Leaving children under the age of eleven (11) years old or adults requiring supervision alone and unattended in the library, except for library programming with the consent of library staff, is prohibited. The library is not responsible for children who are left unattended in the library or on the grounds of the library.

3. Use furniture, equipment, and spaces for their intended purposes

   1. Eating, drinking, or displaying open food or liquid containers without the consent of the library building manager is prohibited, except for water in resealable liquid containers.
   2. Using library restrooms or water fountains for bathing, shaving, or washing clothing is prohibited. Loitering in the restrooms is prohibited.
   3. Panhandling, soliciting, distributing, or selling merchandise, or conducting other business transactions on library property without the written permission of the City Librarian is prohibited. Petitioning outside the library must be done in accordance with the law.
   4. Bringing any animal into library facilities is prohibited, except for service animals that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability in compliance with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) regulations. Animals that are part of a library program may be allowed in library facilities with the consent of library staff.
   5. Adults using areas designated for children or teens, attending programs for children or teens, or using computers designated for children or teens without being accompanied by a child or teen or without a need to use resources in those areas is prohibited. Adults unaccompanied by a child or teen may use materials or attend programs in areas designated for children or teens with the permission of library staff.
   6. Feeding birds or other wildlife animals on library property is prohibited.

4. Remember we all share the air and strong scents can negatively impact others

   1. Wearing or spraying highly scented products such as perfumes or air fresheners is prohibited.

5. Dress appropriately for a public space

   1. Entering the library without wearing shoes and garments that cover the upper and lower torso is prohibited. Patrons may not remove shoes or garments covering their upper and lower torsos while in the library.

6. Leave library property promptly when asked

   1. Refusing to leave library premises at closing time or trespassing at any time is prohibited.
   2. Entering non-public areas without authorization is prohibited.

To keep everyone safe, some behaviors are not allowed, including:

7. Abuse of any kind towards others

   1. Engaging in activities that may result in intimidation, injury, or harm to library patrons or employees is prohibited.
   2. Engaging in disruptive or unsafe behavior, including interfering with library employees in the performance of their duties, or obstructing, harassing, offending, annoying, or intimidating others is prohibited.
   3. Using loud, abusive, threatening, or profane language is prohibited. (LAMC 63.93).
   4. Staring at or following a patron or staff in a manner that reasonably can be expected to disturb them is prohibited.

8. Damaging or stealing library property

   1. Engaging in activities or behavior that result or may result in damage to library property is prohibited, including the vandalizing of restrooms, or making any attempts to damage computer equipment or alter software configurations.

9. Illegal activity

   1. Engaging in any activity prohibited by law is prohibited.
   2. Engaging in sexual misconduct such as indecent exposure or touching, annoying, harassing, or offending another person, or touching which constitutes assault, battery, or sexual battery is prohibited. Viewing or printing illegal materials such as child pornography is prohibited.
   3. Recording, photographing, or filming persons in the library or on library property for commercial use or presentations without prior consent from the Los Angeles Public Library Facilities Division is prohibited.

10. Carrying or using a weapon

    1. Bringing weapons of any kind onto library property is prohibited.

11. Smoking, intoxication, or using intoxicating substances

    1. Smoking of any type or using tobacco products, vapor or e-cigarette products in the library or on library property as described in the LAMC Section 41.50 is prohibited. This includes the charging of battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices.

12. Sleeping

    1. Sleeping in the library is prohibited.

13. Bringing in personal items that will interfere with others' use of the space

    1. Monopolizing library space, furniture, electrical outlets, or equipment to the exclusion of other patrons or staff is prohibited. Obstructing aisles, doorways, or stairs in violation of LAMC 57.33.11 is prohibited.
    2. Bringing containers, packages, briefcases, parcels, or bundles into the library which singly or collectively exceed 24” x 14” x 12” is prohibited. Musical instruments are allowed but must not be played without the consent of the library building manager and must not obstruct aisles or monopolize space. Items deemed unsanitary by the library building manager will not be permitted inside library buildings.
    3. Bringing bicycles, shopping carts, or other large wheeled conveyances inside library buildings is prohibited. Wheelchairs, strollers, and mobility devices are only permitted if being used as transportation for, or as a mobility device by, an adult or child. Skates, skateboards, collapsible scooters, hover boards, and other similar devices must be carried while on library property. Bicycles should be stored in designated bicycle racks.

The full Rules of Conduct are also available upon request and at all service desks. If you do not comply with these rules, you may be asked to leave the library and may lose library privileges.

Enforcement of Rules of Conduct

To preserve the peace and provide public access to library facilities, the library may suspend access to library privileges and to all libraries for persons who fail to follow the library’s established Rules of Conduct.

A person whose library privileges have been suspended may appeal the suspension. To request an administrative review of a suspension of privileges, submit the request in writing to: Business Office – Hearing Officer, Los Angeles Public Library, 630 W. Fifth St., Los Angeles, CA 90071 or hearingofficer@lapl.org. This request must be made within ten (10) business days of receiving the Letter of Suspension. The written appeal will be reviewed by the Hearing Officer within thirty (30) business days of the receipt of the request for an administrative review. The decision of the Hearing Officer shall be final and not appealable. The suspension of privileges will remain in force during the review period. The library reserves the right at all times to immediately discharge a patron who is dangerous or in any way threatening library staff or other patrons.

Adopted by the Board of Library Commissioners on December 12, 2019. (v.112021)