Policies

Our Library's Commitment

• Identity: Age, race, gender, sexual orientation or expression, color, religion, national origin, military status, disability, or genetic history.
• Beliefs or Associations: Politics, social stances, faith positions, and more.
• Background or Personal Histories: Poverty, wealth, marital status, education, and more.

• Talent: Staff and contractor selection, including authors, performers, speakers, and more.
• Facilities: Access to spaces, services, and amenities.
• Content: Selection of print works, digital sources, displays, events, and activities.
• The Library has historically utilized and commits to continuing the philosophy of a market-based approach to curating the Library's collections and activities, based on the demographic interests and demands of the Douglas County population as a whole, relying on the expertise of and professional standards set for Library staff. The Board of Trustees oversees the Executive Library Director in the role of implementing policy aimed at creating a welcoming and non-discriminatory environment based on any of the characteristics in this policy. This philosophy is to provide equal and free access to the Library, its materials and programs, as is required by the Colorado Library Law. In this role, the Board of Trustees shall not select, reject, or oversee the location of individual titles, materials, or programming. See the Curating Library Collections and Content Policy for more information.

Customer Code of Conduct

Censorship

Customer Privacy

• The Library will use customer information for business operations and improvement.
• The Library will release customer identifying information only with the customer's written consent, or if such information is compelled by duly authorized legal subpoena, upon court order, or where otherwise required by law.
• The Library will release to parents account information for their minor children upon the presentation of the minor's library card or account number.
• The Library will release customer information pursuant to subpoena, upon court order, or where otherwise required by law.
• A customer who engages with the Board of Trustees at a public meeting is advised that their name and other identifying information provided may be associated with any public comment made by the customer, both during the meeting and in the official minutes of such meeting. A customer who has a topic placed on the Agenda is advised that their name and any identifying information or written materials prepared and presented for such purpose shall be associated with the Agenda in the official records of a public meeting of the Board of Trustees, and the minutes of any such meeting are public records. Customer usage information not related to any public comment or presentation made by the customer at a public meeting shall not be part of the public records of such meeting.
• The Library shall comply with the Colorado Open Records Act, Colorado Open Meetings Act, and any other law regarding Library operations to the greatest extent possible, while adhering to this Customer Privacy commitment.

• The safety and security of staff and customers.
• Facility operations.
• Information on property damage from vandalism, theft, or other illegal activities.

• In the case that the Library is compelled to release the information by law, or
• If Library management believes that timely release of the information is necessary for the health or safety of a customer at grave risk.

General

Conditions to Prior Written Permission to Serve Alcohol

• A written agreement shall be signed by the appropriate individual or legally authorized entity representative in the form provided by the Library. The form will require the individual or entity to provide specified general liability and other relevant insurance coverages and to indemnify the Library and its officers and employees from any and all liability for use of the Library's property, including but not limited to alcohol-related liability. Please request a written agreement from the Library for review of all applicable terms.
• The Library's Director of Community Engagement, as applicable, must be satisfied that the alcohol service and consumption requested meets all federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
• No Library tax revenue may be used to purchase alcohol served at Library events.
• During the event at which alcohol is proposed to be served and consumed, any and all service and consumption of alcohol must take place within the event space contracted.
• The event at which alcohol is proposed to be served and consumed must be a closed event such that only those individuals or groups receiving written or electronic invitations are eligible to attend. The event shall not be open to the general public or large classes of the general public but must be a special event of special relevance only to a discrete group of defined attendees (e.g., the event must not be one wherein attendance is induced by advertisements, leaflets, or other materials aimed at unspecified individuals).

Violations of Library Policy

• The Library supports parents and guardians as they manage their children's use of the Library by offering controls, account information, relevant descriptions of events and services, and consultation services to align Library opportunities with a family's values and needs. Parents of children 14 years of age or younger approve or validate their children's use of a library card and account. The Library will maintain options that parents can use to manage library content for children 14 years of age or younger. The Library will inform parents and guardians about these options annually as well as when they register their children for a Library card.
• The Library demonstrates our commitment to children by curating content and environments specifically designed for them.
• Our commitment to children exists inside a foundational mission to present a world of ideas and serve our entire community. The Library will not limit every customer's choices merely because a child might access content. However, content will be placed within the recommended area of the Library using commonly accepted professional resource recommendations.
• The Library expects that parents and guardians are responsible for their children's choices, behavior, and well-being in the Library. If Library staff believe that a child is unattended or vulnerable, they will make a good-faith attempt to contact the child's parent or guardian before referring the matter to law enforcement.

The Process

1. Citizens advocating for any change should begin with conversations with staff with expertise in the area under consideration.
2. If a citizen doesn't achieve a satisfactory result in that dialog, they may formally initiate a written request using the Citizen Review Request form for review with the Executive Library Director. The Library will generally provide a response within 21 business days from receipt of a written request to respond, but may require additional time for a voluminous request. If more time is necessary, an estimated time for response will be communicated to the citizen requesting review. The Executive Library Director will conduct any fact-finding, policy review, legal review, or other inquiries as appropriate in the preparation of the response. The Executive Library Director will provide a written response to the requesting party, if such party has provided their identifying information, and will make an informational report of the request (without identifying information) to the Board of Trustees, as an important check-and-balance on performance.
3. Requests on the same topic of concern by the same individual or group will be not be entertained after the first two requests. If a group of citizens initiates the same or similar request, the Executive Library Director may direct a response to all citizens included in the same or similar request.
4. Following receipt of the Executive Library Director's response, a Citizen Review Request may be escalated to the Board of Trustees, in writing addressed to the President of the Board, if a citizen seeks a change in general policy or if a citizen believes that their request was not handled in a fashion that aligns with the Library's policies, including but not limited to its Brand promise and service commitment. The President of the Board will advise the Board of Trustees of receipt of any such request. If a majority of the Board of Trustees requests the President to add the topic for cause to review any Library policy or staff administration of the same, or to discuss any matter identified in the request within the scope of the Board of Trustees' legislative role, the topic(s) will be added to a future Board Agenda. However, as a non-judicial body, the Board of Trustees will not review any such request for change to policy based upon either an individual Trustee's personal beliefs or a citizen's recommendations from a political, religious, social, or activist view. If the individual requesting review wishes to personally address the topic to the Board of Trustees during the listed Agenda item, such individual, and not just the topic of the request, shall be added to the Agenda.
5. The Board of Trustees may determine to have a verbal or written report presented from staff involved in the review process, require a written summary of the review process, and consider application of its policies to the request. If the Board determines in its legislative function to further evaluate policy or procedures, including any proposed amendments to the same, such discussion shall be tabled until the next opportunity for the Board to review proposed amendments for a determination. The Board makes any decisions on such citizen request by following their voting processes outlined in Board Bylaws.
6. Requests about Library policy or performance may also be made in person at a public meeting, and the process outlined for review shall be initiated through appropriate staff.

How to Make a Request

CORA Request Costs and Deposit

Request Turnaround Expectation

• Curation refers to the decision to add, retain, remove, shelve, locate, or display materials in Library inventories. The Library offers content in a variety of formats to meet customer demand.
• Douglas County Libraries' Archives & Local History collects and preserves historic photos and the documentary history of Douglas County, Colorado.
• In addition to demand, the Library will employ additional and customary professional criteria in making specific decisions about titles:
  • Documented community needs and interests
  • Contemporary significance
  • Attention from bona-fide critics and reviewers with expertise in relevant fields
  • Author reputation and expertise in the field
  • Comprehensiveness and depth of treatment
  • Relationship to the existing inventory
  • Availability of content from sources other than purchase
  • Durability of the format and whether the item can meet the rigors of public use
  • Price and availability from our approved vendors.

• The internet has been declared to be an extraordinary, unique, and unparalleled educational resource and source of knowledge and information. Colorado has adopted specific standards related to public libraries such that children using the Library's internet may be provided internet access without accessing what the General Assembly believes to be harmful material, while securing the rights of the general adult population to be able to responsibly access internet services without certain filters.
• Both federal and Colorado law require internet filtering and circumstances under which the Library may remove filters. The Library will fully comply with these legal mandates (Colorado Revised Statute 24-90-601; Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), Pub.L.No. 106-554). The Library has adopted a policy of internet safety for minors (defined as any person who has not attained the age of seventeen years) to prohibit access to internet-based material that is obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors, as defined by law.
• The Library does not permit illegal activities conducted through any library technology system. The Library will pursue appropriate legal action, including prosecution of suspects. Illegal activities, as defined by law, include and are not limited to accessing or trafficking in obscene content, child pornography, violations of copyright, and a variety of activities generally described as "criminal." In general, the Library expects customers will be both law-abiding and civil. As appropriate, the Library will monitor customer use of internet resources to validate system security and policy compliance.

Displays

Event and Meeting Spaces

Petitions and Free Speech Activities

Monuments

Oversight and Curation

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• Community Partnerships

Communication

Talent and Endorsements

• Administration Policies
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• Human Resources Policies