Policies

The Briarcliff Manor Public Library is chartered to provide library services, including collections, programs, facilities and resources, to all members of the community. We are dedicated to offering a welcoming, safe and respectful environment and ask that patrons help us by following the Code of Conduct below when in the Library.

The following are not allowed:

• Excessive noise, including from talking or cell phone/device use,
• Profane, obscene, abusive or threatening language or gestures,
• Boisterous activity, including running,
• Eating or drinking, except from a covered container,
• Animals, except those assisting a person with a disability.
• Filming or photographing patrons without their permission,
• Soliciting or providing fee-based services, including tutoring,
• Smoking or vaping,
• Weapons, except for law enforcement,
• Engaging in sexual acts,
• Trespassing.

The following must be observed:

• Children under the age of 10 and vulnerable patrons must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver age 14 or older.
• Appropriate attire, including shoes and shirts, must be worn.
• Library materials must be checked out before being removed from the building.
• Library staff may require library cards or proof of name/residency in order to complete transactions.
• Library personnel are to be treated with respect and consideration.

Please note that:

• Enforcement of the Code of Conduct will be conducted in a fair and reasonable way.
• Patrons may be asked to leave the library if they are not in compliance. The Library staff may call the police when necessary.
• This Code of Conduct is not a complete list of violations or prohibited behavior and is intended for guidance only. The library staff is authorized to take appropriate action in response to any other behavior which can reasonably be deemed to be unsafe, offensive or disturbing to library patrons or staff members.
• Patrons shall have the right to express a concern in writing to the Library Board of Trustees.

Adopted by the Briarcliff Manor Public Library Board of Trustees on July 28, 2021, revised September 14, 2022.

The Briarcliff Manor Public Library’s McGroddy Family Conference Room, located on the second floor of the Library, may be reserved for patron use for in person or virtual meetings, in accordance with the Library Bill of Rights.

• Priority for use is given to Library sponsored programs and use.
• Room reservations are made on a first come first served basis.
• Reservations should be made with the Library Director by calling 914-941-7072 or emailing director@briarcliffmanorlibrary.org
• A room reservation should be canceled as soon as possible if needs change. If the Library closes due to an emergency (e.g., weather), all meetings are canceled.
• The room may be reserved for a maximum of two hours (2 hours) and is held for 15 minutes after reservation begins and may be forfeited after that time.
• Room reservations may be booked up to two weeks in advance.
• The room may be reserved up to two times per calendar month by the same patron.
• The room seats about 8 people comfortably. Room capacity is for 6 people when social distancing policies are in place.
• The room is available from 10:00 a.m. until 15 minutes before the Library closes.
• The Library’s Code of Conduct must be followed or patrons will be asked to leave the room.
• The Library does not accept any responsibility for damage, loss, or theft of personal property.
• Eating or drinking is not allowed.
• The room must be left neat and in good order.
• The Library Board may amend the policy.
• Any patron denied use of the room may appeal to the Library Board of Trustees.

Adopted by the Briarcliff Manor Public Library Board of Trustees on October 13, 2021.

The Briarcliff Manor Public Library’s children’s break out room and teen break out room are available for children or teens to use for quiet work or collaborative work in small groups, in accordance with the Library Bill of Rights.

• Priority for use is given to Library sponsored programs and alternate uses at the discretion of the staff.
• The children’s breakout room is available for use by patrons up to 18 years old and their parent or caregiver age 14 or older. The teen breakout room is available for use by patrons 13 to 18 years old only.
• Rooms can be used on a first-come first-served basis. No reservations are taken.
• The room may be used for a maximum of one hour (1 hour), if another patron is waiting for the room.
• The children’s breakout room seats up to six (6) people. The teen breakout room seats up to four (4) people.
• The rooms are available from 10:00 a.m. until 15 minutes before the Library closes.
• The Library’s Code of Conduct must be followed or patrons will be asked to leave the room.
• The Library does not accept any responsibility for damage, loss, or theft of personal property.
• Eating or drinking is not allowed in the break-out rooms.
• The rooms must be left neat and in good order.
• The Library Board may amend the policy.
• Any patron denied use of the room may appeal to the Library Board of Trustees.

Adopted by the Briarcliff Manor Public Library Board of Trustees on October 12, 2022.

The Briarcliff Manor Public Library Board of Trustees, in recognition of the limited physical facilities available at the Library at this time, confines use of the Library facility to the purpose of conducting Library services, as determined by the Library staff, under the review of the Library Board.
Library services are defined as the use of the Library by its patrons:

• To read, including books, magazines and newspapers;
• To do research;
• To borrow and return items;
• To use wi-fi and electronic devices;
• To receive reference, technology or reader’s advisory assistance;
• To attend Library sponsored events that are designed to encourage reading and the use of Library services;
• To study or work;
• To meet quietly in small groups.

Adopted by the Briarcliff Manor Library Board of Trustees on February 8, 2023.

The Briarcliff Manor Public Library is a core community service. We provide free and open access to services, resources, and programs that foster literacy, cultural appreciation and personal growth and community connections.

Library programs extend and promote the role of the Library as a community resource; enhance the information found in Library collections; offer a way for people to obtain information; encourage participation in civic life; and help to address the cultural and leisure-related interests of the community.
This policy addresses programming (1) developed and sponsored by the Library and (2) developed by members of the community and cosponsored by the Library. In accordance with the Facility Use Policy, use of the Library facility is confined to conducting Library programs.

The Library may partner or co-sponsor programs with other agencies, organizations, and businesses provided the programs are compatible with the Library’s mission and vision. The Library will generate joint programming and invite partners to co-sponsor or collaborate. Co-sponsored programs must include involvement by Library staff in the planning of program content. Professional performers and presenters who offer specialized or unique expertise may be hired for Library programs.

Library sponsorship of a program does not constitute or imply an endorsement of its policies, beliefs, or program by any library personnel or by the Briarcliff Manor Public Library.

Library staff may use, but are not limited to, the following criteria in program planning:

• • Relation to Library mission and service goals
  • Community needs and interest
  • Presentation quality and treatment of content for intended audience
  • Presenter background/qualifications in content area
  • Availability of program space
  • Budget and staffing considerations
  • Connection to other community programs, exhibits or events.

Requests from individuals to present Library programs are considered using the above criteria.
The purpose of programs may not be purely commercial or for the solicitation of business. The presenter may leave business cards for participants to pick up after the program should anyone be interested in purchasing items or services from the presenter.

Every attempt will be made to accommodate all who wish to attend a program. However, when safety or the success of a program requires it, attendance may be limited. When limits must be established, attendance will be determined on a first come, first served basis, either with advanced registration or at the door.
Programs will be developed with consideration for the principles of accessibility and equity. These include, but are not limited to, access for people with disabilities, and times and locations that maximize convenience and encourage attendance by the target audience. The Library staff has the discretion to cancel programs, to be rescheduled or not.

In some cases, the nature and success of a program may require that attendance is limited based on age, especially programs intended for children and teens that are geared to their interests and developmental needs.

The Library cannot accommodate events that are expected to exceed our room capacity. The maximum capacity of the largest room, the Crandall Program Room, is 95.

All Library programs must be open to the public and offered free of charge. However, recognizing that program attendees may wish to purchase items like books written by speakers or recordings made by performers, the Library may permit the sale of such items in conjunction with a Library-sponsored program. All plans to sell such items must be arranged in advance and approved by the Library staff responsible for the program. Program presenters are responsible for the handling of all sales. The Library reserves the right to use video or photographs taken of program participants for internal use, publication, and use in Library promotional outlets, and for evaluation purposes.

The Library welcomes expressions of opinion from patrons concerning programming. Concerns can be addressed by contacting the Library Director or by filling out the “Programming Re-Evaluation Form” on the website.

1. Donation Boxes
The Briarcliff Manor Public Library respects all charitable endeavors, including the ongoing or special solicitation of donations in support of worthy causes. However, excepting funds being raised on behalf of the Library, since the Library has only limited capacity to monitor on-site donation boxes, we can only allow limited amounts on Library premises.
Charities registered with the NY Attorney General’s Charities Bureau may apply to have a solicitation box at the library for up to 2 months per year; selection will be made in order of application.
Registered charities can be looked up on the New York Attorney General’s web site at: https://www.charitiesnys.com/RegistrySearch/search_charities.jsp
To apply, please send an email or letter letting us know:
1. The name of the charity and New York State Charities Bureau Registration #
2. The purpose of the donation
3. What is being solicited (money or donated goods)
4. Who from your organization will be at the library no less than 1 day per week to empty the donation box.
5. Contact information for your charitable organization.
Charities must use our donation box (dimensions 18”d x 29”w x 22”h) and provide a clear sign stating the name of the charity, specifics of what is being collected and the dates of the collection.
Failure to empty the donation box on a weekly basis will result in permission being revoked. The Library is not responsible for loss or damage to donated items.
Electronics and any items containing batteries, perishable food, and items that may interfere with the routine environment of the library may not be donated.
Use of this is limited to 2 months per year, per organization.
The library may cease offering this courtesy without notice.

2. Donation Solicitations
We do not currently have a location for the public to post solicitations and notices about fund-raisers.
Approved by the Briarcliff Manor Public Library Board of Trustees on November 8, 2023. American Library Association (ALA)

The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.

V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.

VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

VII. All people, regardless of origin, age, background, or views, possess a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use. Libraries should advocate for, educate about, and protect people’s privacy, safeguarding all library use data, including personally identifiable information.

VIII. The Briarcliff Manor Library Board of Trustees may amend this policy.

Adopted June 19, 1939, by the ALA Council; amended October 14, 1944; June 18, 1948; February 2, 1961; June 27, 1967; January 23, 1980; January 29, 2019. Inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23, 1996.

Adopted by the Briarcliff Manor Public Library Board of Trustees on October 13, 2021 with the addition of VIII.

As members of the American Library Association, we recognize the importance of codifying and making known to the profession and to the general public the ethical principles that guide the work of librarians, other professionals providing information services, library trustees and library staffs.
Ethical dilemmas occur when values are in conflict. The American Library Association Code of Ethics states the values to which we are committed, and embodies the ethical responsibilities of the profession in this changing information environment.

We significantly influence or control the selection, organization, preservation, and dissemination of information. In a political system grounded in an informed citizenry, we are members of a profession explicitly committed to intellectual freedom and the freedom of access to information. We have a special obligation to ensure the free flow of information and ideas to present and future generations.
The principles of this Code are expressed in broad statements to guide ethical decision making. These statements provide a framework; they cannot and do not dictate conduct to cover particular situations.
We provide the highest level of service to all library users through appropriate and usefully organized resources; equitable service policies; equitable access; and accurate, unbiased, and courteous responses to all requests.

We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources.
We protect each library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.
We respect intellectual property rights and advocate balance between the interests of information users and rights holders.

We treat co-workers and other colleagues with respect, fairness, and good faith, and advocate conditions of employment that safeguard the rights and welfare of all employees of our institutions.
We do not advance private interests at the expense of library users, colleagues, or our employing institutions.
We distinguish between our personal convictions and professional duties and do not allow our personal beliefs to interfere with fair representation of the aims of our institutions or the provision of access to their information resources.

We strive for excellence in the profession by maintaining and enhancing our own knowledge and skills, by encouraging the professional development of co-workers, and by fostering the aspirations of potential members of the profession.

We affirm the inherent dignity and rights of every person. We work to recognize and dismantle systemic and individual biases; to confront inequity and oppression; to enhance diversity and inclusion; and to advance racial and social justice in our libraries, communities, profession, and associations through awareness, advocacy, education, collaboration, services, and allocation of resources and spaces.
Adopted at the 1939 Midwinter Meeting by the ALA Council; amended June 30, 1981; June 28, 1995; January 22, 2008; and June 29, 2021.

Adopted by the Briarcliff Manor Public Library Board of Trustees on March 8, 2023.

All people, regardless of origin, age, background, or views, possess a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use.1 When users recognize or fear that their privacy or confidentiality is compromised, true freedom of inquiry no longer exists.

Privacy is essential to the exercise of free speech, free thought, and free association. Federal and state courts have established a First Amendment right to receive information in a publicly funded library.2 Further, the courts have upheld the right to privacy based on the U.S. Constitution. Many states provide guarantees of privacy in their constitutions and statute law.3 Numerous decisions in U.S. case law have defined and extended rights to privacy to all.4

The right to privacy includes the right to open inquiry without having the subject of one’s interest examined or scrutinized by others, in person or online. Confidentiality exists when a library is in possession of personally identifiable information about its users and keeps that information private on their behalf.5 Article III of the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association states that confidentiality extends to “information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted,” including, but not limited to, reference questions and interviews, circulation records, digital transactions and queries, as well as records regarding the use of library resources, services, programs, or facilities.

Protecting user privacy and confidentiality has long been an integral part of the mission of libraries. The American Library Association has affirmed a right to privacy since 1939.6 Existing ALA policies affirm that confidentiality is crucial to freedom of inquiry. Rights to privacy and confidentiality are explicit in Article VII of the Library Bill of Rights and implicit in its guarantee of free access to library resources for all users.

Rights of Library Users

>Lack of privacy and confidentiality has a chilling effect on users’ selection, access to, and use of library resources. All users have a right to be free from any unreasonable intrusion into or surveillance of their lawful library use. ALA and its members recognize that children and youth have the same rights to privacy as adults. Library users expect, and in many places have, a legal right to have their personally identifiable information and library-use data protected and kept private and confidential by anyone with access to that information. Libraries should never enact policies or practices that abridge users’ right to privacy regardless of their age, ability, housing status, immigration status, involvement with the criminal justice system, religious affiliation, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other forms of identity or status unless explicitly required by law. Even then, libraries should consult with legal counsel before abridging any user’s right to privacy.

Libraries have a responsibility to inform users about policies and practices governing the collection, security, and retention of personally identifiable information and library use data. Additionally, users should have the choice to opt-in to any data collection that is not essential to library operations and the opportunity to opt-out again at any future time. All nonessential data collection should be turned off by default. In all areas of librarianship, best practice leaves users in control of as many choices as possible regarding their privacy. This includes decisions about the selection of, access to, and use of information. Information about options available to users should be prominently displayed, accessible, and understandable for a general audience.

Responsibilities in Libraries

The library profession has a long-standing ethic of facilitating, not monitoring, access to information. Libraries implement this commitment through the adoption of and adherence to library privacy policies that are consistent with applicable federal, state, local, and where appropriate, international law. It is essential that libraries maintain an updated, publicly available privacy policy that states what data is being collected, with whom it is shared, and how long it is kept. Everyone who provides governance, administration, or service in libraries, including volunteers, has a responsibility to maintain an environment respectful and protective of the privacy of all users. It is the library’s responsibility to provide ongoing privacy education and training to library workers, governing bodies, and users in order to fulfill this responsibility.

The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) Consensus Principles on Users’ Digital Privacy in Library, Publisher, and Software-Provider Systems recognizes that

[t]he effective management and delivery of library services may require the library user to opt into the provision of personal data in order to access a library resource or receive library services. Users’ personal data should only be used for purposes disclosed to them and to which they consent.7

Libraries should not monitor, track, or profile an individual’s library use beyond operational needs. Data collected for analytical use should be limited to anonymous or aggregated data and not tied to individuals’ personal data. Emerging biometric technologies, such as facial recognition, are inconsistent with the mission of facilitating access to library resources free from any unreasonable intrusion or surveillance.

Regardless of the technology used, everyone who collects or accesses personally identifiable information in any format has a legal and ethical obligation to protect confidentiality. Library security practices to safeguard personal information should be up to date and in compliance with state and national standards. Adherence to NISO Consensus Principles on Users’ Digital Privacy in Library, Publisher, and Software-Provider Systems requires that these practices include:

encryption of personal data while they are at-rest and in-motion; prompt updates of systems and software to address vulnerabilities; systems, procedures, and policies for access control of sensitive data; a procedure for security training for those with access to data; and documented procedures for breach reporting, incident response, and system, software, and network security configuration and auditing.8

Libraries should follow purpose-limitation, storage-limitation, and data-minimization principles9 when making decisions about collecting and retaining library-use data. In particular, libraries should collect and store only personally identifiable data required for specific purposes that are disclosed to the users.

Libraries should periodically review their data-collection and retention policies to identify situations in which the reason for collecting user data may no longer apply. Libraries may need to comply with state, institutional, or other governmental record-retention policy in addition to developing their own data-management policies. In addition, libraries should regularly review and update procedures for collecting and maintaining user data to ensure compliance with current industry privacy and security standards.

Libraries should never share users’ personally identifiable information with third parties or vendors that provide resources and library services, unless the library obtains explicit permission from the user or if required by law or existing contract. Libraries or their governing institutions should negotiate agreements with vendors that retain library ownership of user data and permit independent auditing of vendor data collection, retention, and access policies and practices. Such agreements should stipulate that user data is confidential and that it may not be used or shared except with the permission of the library. Any vendor that handles user information as part of a library’s service should have a publicly available privacy policy that commits to compliance with the NISO Consensus Principles. As existing contracts approach expiration, libraries should renegotiate future contracts to include these privacy safeguards.

Law enforcement agencies and officers may request library records and data that they believe contain information that would be helpful to the investigation of criminal activity. Libraries should have a procedure in place for handling law-enforcement requests. Libraries should make such records available only in response to properly executed court orders or legal process. These court orders are issued following a showing of good cause based on specific facts by a court of competent jurisdiction.

The American Library Association affirms that rights of privacy are necessary for intellectual freedom and are fundamental to the ethical practice of librarianship. The rapid pace of information collection and changes in technology means that users’ personally identifiable information and library-use data are at increased risk of exposure. The use of new technologies in libraries that rely on the collection, use, sharing, monitoring and/or tracking of user data may come into direct conflict with the Library Bill of Rights and librarians’ ethical responsibilities. Libraries should consider privacy in the design and delivery of all programs and services, paying careful attention to their own policies and procedures and that of any vendors with whom they work. Privacy is the foundation upon which our libraries were built and the reason libraries are such a trusted part of every community.

1 Article VII, Library Bill of Rights

2 Court opinions establishing a right to receive information in a public library include Board of Education v. Pico, 457 U.S. 853 (1982); Kreimer v. Bureau of Police for the Town of Morristown, 958 F.2d 1242 (3d Cir. 1992); and Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union, 117 S.Ct. 2329, 138 L.Ed.2d 874 (1997).

3 Ten state constitutions guarantee a right of privacy or bar unreasonable intrusions into citizens’ privacy. Forty-eight states protect the confidentiality of library users’ records by law, and the attorneys general in the remaining two states have issued opinions recognizing the privacy of users’ library records. See: State Privacy Laws Regarding Library Records.

4 Cases recognizing a right to privacy include: NAACP v. Alabama, 357 U.S. 449 (1958); Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479 (1965); Lamont v. Postmaster General, 381 U.S. 301 (1965); Katz v. United States, 389 U.S. 347 (1967); and Stanley v. Georgia, 394 U.S. 557 (1969).

5 The phrase “personally identifiable information” was adopted by the ALA in 1991. See: “ALA Policy Concerning Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information about Library Users.”

6 Article XI of the Code of Ethics for Librarians (1939) asserted that “it is the librarian’s obligation to treat as confidential any private information obtained through contact with library patrons.” Article III of the current Code of Ethics of the American Library Association (2008) states: “We protect each library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired, or transmitted.”

7 National Information Standards Organization, “NISO Consensus Principles on User’s Digital Privacy in Library, Publisher, and Software-Provider Systems (NISO Privacy Principles), Principle 4, Data Collection and Use” (Baltimore: National Information Standards Organization, December 10, 2015).

8 NISO Consensus Principles on Users’ Digital Privacy in Library, Publisher, and Software-Provider Systems (NISO Privacy Principles) (2015)

9 These principles, drawn from the European Union “General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)” (2016) and reflected in other fair privacy practice principles such as the “NISO Privacy Principles” (Baltimore: National Information Standards Organization, 2015) and “Guidelines on the Protection of Privacy and Transborder Flows of Personal Data” (Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2013), provide sound guidelines for libraries to follow in their data-privacy practices. Libraries in the United States are generally not subject to the GDPR but should consult with legal counsel to determine whether GDPR applies.

Adopted June 19, 2002, by the ALA Council; amended July 1, 2014; and June 24, 2019.

Adopted by the Briarcliff Manor Public Library Board of Trustees on March 8, 2023.

The FREEDOM TO VIEW, along with the freedom to speak, to hear, and to read, is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. In a free society, there is no place for censorship of any medium of expression. Therefore these principles are affirmed:

1. To provide the broadest access to film, video, and other audiovisual materials because they are a means for the communication of ideas. Liberty of circulation is essential to insure the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression.
2. To protect the confidentiality of all individuals and institutions using film, video, and other audiovisual materials.
3. To provide film, video, and other audiovisual materials which represent a diversity of views and expression. Selection of a work does not constitute or imply agreement with or approval of the content.
4. To provide a diversity of viewpoints without the constraint of labeling or prejudging film, video, or other audiovisual materials on the basis of the moral, religious, or political beliefs of the producer or filmmaker or on the basis of controversial content.
5. To contest vigorously, by all lawful means, every encroachment upon the public’s freedom to view.

This statement was originally drafted by the Freedom to View Committee of the American Film and Video Association (formerly the Educational Film Library Association) and was adopted by the AFVA Board of Directors in February 1979. This statement was updated and approved by the AFVA Board of Directors in 1989.

Endorsed January 10, 1990, by the ALA Council

Adopted by the Briarcliff Manor Public Library Board of Trustees on March 8. 2023.

Briarcliff Manor Public Library Trustee Self-AssuranceForm 2023.docx