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Is a Public Library Responsible for Patron Conduct Outside the Library?

Our public library has been told by patrons that another patron is following up on interactions at the library, including at the circulation desk, by showing up at the reporting patrons’ homes. Such behavior, if harassing, is against our Code of Conduct. Does our library risk legal liability for this?

Enforcing Code of Conduct

The New York Archives Conference recently posted a formal Code of Conduct (https://www.nyarchivists.org/nyac/code). While discussing our procedures for implementing this code, we began to wonder about the legal implications for enforcement. Are there any considerations for the standards we use in evaluating a complaint? What should we use for the burden of proof? To what extent are we empowered to investigate claims? What happens if someone challenges any resulting board action? Can we be sued for taking action and besmirching someone’s professional reputation? To summarize, we're wondering what legal ground we can stand on while enforcing our code of conduct.

It would be great to have a response before our conference on June 11. Thank you