Rules of Conduct

Last Updated:
Type(s):
Library Use Policies
Audience(s):
Adults, Children, Teens

The Northport-East Northport Public Library is chartered by the State of New York to meet the educational, informational, cultural, and recreational needs of the community it serves. To ensure an atmosphere conducive to these purposes, the following rules, regulations, and procedures are enacted by the Board of Trustees for the purpose of maintaining public order in the library facilities and on its grounds by all Library patrons, visitors, and employees, as well as other licensees and invitees, in accordance with Section 262 of the Education Law of the State of New York. 

The following activities are prohibited: 

  • Leaving young children unattended (Please see Unattended Children Policy) 
  • Engaging in disruptive behavior or disorderly conduct 
  • Interfering with other people’s use of the Library 
  • Harassing people on Library property 
  • Obstructing vehicular or pedestrian traffic, operating bicycles, skateboards, or rollerblades on sidewalks, in parking areas, or on landscaped grounds 
  • Using loud, abusive, or threatening language 
  • Defacing, destroying, or tampering with Library material, property, or equipment 
  • Congregating, loitering, sleeping, or soliciting on Library property 
  • Rearranging or putting feet on furniture or sitting on tables 
  • Having bare feet or inappropriate attire 
  • Using equipment at a volume level that is disruptive to others 
  • Smoking, vaping, consuming alcohol, partaking of controlled substances, or carrying weapons 
  • Bringing or consuming food or beverages not purchased in the Library Café 
  • Bringing non-service related animals into the library. 
  • Distributing leaflets, circulating petitions, or electioneering 
  • Violating the Computer Use Policy, Photographing and Filming in the Library Policy, or other policy set by the Board of Trustees 
  • Engaging in a course of conduct which alarms or “seriously annoys” another person; such prohibition to include but not limited to striking, shoving, kicking, unpermitted touching, or otherwise subjecting another person to physical contact or attempting or threatening to do so 
  • Engaging in unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature 
  • Making obscene gestures or using abusive language 
  • Disturbing one or more persons by arguing, propagandizing, or preaching 
  • Staring at another person or following another person about the premises such that the other person could reasonably be considered to be annoyed, disturbed, or threatened 
  • Monopolizing public access equipment such as copier, fax machines, restrooms, and computers 
  • Evidencing bodily hygiene so offensive as to constitute a nuisance to other patrons 
  • Defacing or rendering a restroom inoperable or unsanitary 

Any individual who fails to follow these rules, including the referenced Policies, or directions of Library staff may be asked to leave the Library and as detailed in the Library’s Maintenance of Public Order Policy, could result in the suspension of your Library privileges for up to one year. Library personnel are authorized to contact the appropriate law enforcement agency to ensure compliance. These guidelines are extracted from the Library’s formal Maintenance of Public Order Policy, a copy of which is available on request. 

Adopted 10/18/05
Revised 07/18/06, 07/17/08 04/18/19 

Download Policy