Matters of Policy

Have you been among the patrons who have wondered why the library follows certain procedures and policies? The Library Board of Trustees is the policy-making body for the library and the only group with the authority to change policies. Some changes are brought about by Ohio legislation. Others are the result of input from the staff, the public, and the board members themselves. Here are some recent policy changes:

• All records of library patrons are protected by a Patron Confidentiality Law passed by the Ohio Legislature in 2000. Becuase of this law, the library needs the permission of the patron to have another person (even a spouse) access the patron's record or check out materials for that person. Borrowing records are also only available to any agency of the state, federal, or local government after due process.
• The Louisville Public Library does not permit weapons of any kind, either concealed or in plain view, on its property or in its building, unless the owner of the weapon is a law enforcement officer. When Ohio enacted the Concealed Carry law in 2004, it specifically excluded public libraries as permissible locations for concealed weapons.
• Recreational riding of wheeled vehicles (including but not limited to bicycles, skateboards, roller blades, roller skates) is not permitted on library grounds or in the library building. All wheeled vehicles must be left outside the building. This is for the safety of riders and other patrons.
• Patrons are requested to restrict cell phone usage to the foyer or outside the building. This is a matter of courtesy to other patrons and privacy for the phone user.

The Patron Service Policy and the Patron Confidentiality Policy are available online.