Children in the Building

The William Smith Morton Library provides an adult, unsupervised environment for the graduate and academic study of religion and theology. Our collections, resources, databases, computer systems, and services are tailored for the use of graduate students, faculty, and professional staff, and are largely unsuitable for children.

The primary purpose of the Library is to meet the research needs of Union-PSCE and BTSR. The primary clientele served by the William Smith Morton Library are the students, faculty and staff of Union-PSCE and BTSR. To enable Library staff to focus on this mission, the Library maintains the following policy :

Policy

The parent must not keep children in the Library for extended periods of time.

All children under the age of 18 must be under the direct and appropriate supervision of a parent at all times, or an adult who has assumed responsibility for the child's care.

Appropriate and direct supervision includes the expectation that the parent instructs an overly active or energetic child to sit quietly in a chair or stroller, and that the parent ensures that the child follows all Library policies, including those with respect to food and beverages, cellphones, and any behavior that disrupts or interferes with the work of other library patrons. Parents must keep their children under control and within sight. Parents and their children must behave in ways that are respectful and mindful of other library users who might be disturbed by noise and constant movement.

Children under the age of 18 are not permitted to use any computer in the Library or Computer Lab. This policy applies both to attended and unattended children.

Parents who give children access to the Computer Lab will have both their Library and computing privileges suspended.

If an attended child is acting inappropriately (disrupting others, playing with computers or other library equipment, making noise, causing damage, or posing risks to themselves or to others), library staff will instruct the parent and child to leave the Library, and the parent will be given a copy of the Policy on Children in the Library.

If an unattended child is found in the Library, the Library staff will attempt to contact the parent and instruct that the child be taken home. A copy of the Policy on Children in the Library will be given to the parent.

Parents will be held responsible for any damage to computers, equipment, furniture, etc., caused by their children, and will be billed at market rates for all costs and damages incurred.

If a child's inappropriate behavior is observed repeatedly, and/or it is determined that a parent is repeatedly violating this policy, or refuses to follow this policy, then the Director of the Library or Circulation Supervisor will suspend the parents' Library privileges, and/or computing and Lab privileges, and/or impose fines.

Union-PSCE and BTSR students, faculty and staff : Please contact our Circulation Department for further information.