Policies Applicable to Minors

Approved June 20, 2023

For definitions and other information relevant to understanding Library Policies, please see Introduction to Library Policies.

The Library is dedicated to providing a safe and welcoming environment for minors (i.e., individuals under the age of 18) as they visit the Library, use our collections and services, and attend programs. Although serving children and families is an important part of the Library mission, it is not the Library’s function or purpose to supervise or care for minors. Accordingly, the Library and its staff cannot, and expressly do not, assume any responsibility to supervise or care for a minor on Library Premises. Rather, a minor’s caregiver (such as a parent, guardian or other person having custody or control, or providing supervision, of a minor) is responsible for the supervision, conduct and safety of such minor at all times while on Library Premises.

Note the following:

• The Library requires all users, including minors, to comply with the Library’s Policies including the Public Behavior Policy.
• Children under the age of 7, for their safety and well-being, must be accompanied by a responsible adult or teenager while on Library Premises, although Library staff may in their discretion require any minor to be accompanied by a responsible adult or teenager while on Library Premises.
• Portions of the collections are identified as Young Adult or Children’s to assist the community in identifying age-appropriate resources.
• The Library may restrict the use of certain equipment by age in designated areas such as in the Innovation Lab, Children’s Room, and Young Adult spaces. The Library may also restrict participation in certain programs by age.
• Caregivers of minors are responsible at all times for the use of the Library’s databases, website, and online catalog (see the Library Policy Electronic Resources) by such minors; monitoring and supervising such use; and determining and regulating what information and materials are appropriate for minors to access via Library Electronic Resources. The Library does not monitor, supervise, or regulate the use of Library Electronic Resources by minors.
• The Library uses filtering software on its computers in the Children’s Room at the Main Library and the Children’s Area at the Byram Shubert Branch Library and on a designated computer at the Cos Cob Branch Library to restrict access to certain types of sites based on the Children’s Internet Protection Act guidelines. The Library cannot and does not guarantee that the filtering software installed on such computers will block all material that could be considered inappropriate or harmful to minors, and the Library cannot and does not guarantee that such software will not restrict access to websites
  that have legitimate educational, research, or other value.
• The Library may partner with third-party services to provide educational content for children online. Parents and guardians should review those services’ security policies before permitting their children to use the service.
• The Library Privacy & Confidentiality of Library Records Policy discusses the ability of parents and guardians to obtain copies of a minor’s Library records.