Recently Asked Questions (RAQs)

We are revising our Meeting Room Policy. Currently we have a group of seniors who meet at our library for [really healthy] exercise in the morning before the library is open. They have been doing this for about [many] years. As we know the participants very well and they want to meet before the library is open, we have allowed them to come into the building when it is not officially open.

There is no staff on duty. They open and lock up when finished. This has been a wonderful service we can provide our seniors in a rural community where there are very few options for group gatherings. We would like to keep this practice in place.

However, as we discuss the meeting room policy, we realize that we would not be comfortable with having other groups be in the library when we were not open to the public with staff present.

Can we write our policy to allow this group to continue with the current practice, yet limit other groups to only use the meeting room when the library is open.

I am interested in developing a policy to outline who/how the library may collect donations on behalf of other organizations. We have always had a Lion's Club eyeglass donation box in the library. I inherited this procedure but I cannot find any policy that specifies the parameters of such an agreement. Does the organization we would collect for have to be a 501C3? I can't find guidance on what is acceptable, appropriate and most of all legal. Does the organization have to be one that reports finances to the state? We are a special legislative district library. I found some information from the state (below) but my legalese isn't what I'd like it to be. Thanks for any information you can provide. (PS this is prompted by someone telling a local group that we would let them collect old sneakers for their cause...Eeeewww!)

SECTION 174-B
Solicitation
Executive (EXC) CHAPTER 18, ARTICLE 7-A

We are planning an emergency preparedness training for library staff to include CPR, First Aid, Stop the Bleed, and Narcan training. We have heard from librarians that some boards are concerned about the implications of having staff trained. We would like to have some commonly asked questions addressed so that we can answer them if they come up.

1. If staff are trained, do they incur a duty to act? Would they personally or the library as institution become liable should they freeze up and not intervene?

2. If staff are trained but inadvertently cause harm in the process of administering aid, are they covered by any kind of Good Samaritan law?

3. Can a library have a policy of requiring all staff to undergo these types of trainings?

4. Are there any other legal implications or obligations that should be considered that the average person may not think of?

Does a contractor have to comply with FOIL request if they are contracted to a county government?

We have a [person] requesting information about a Security Guard who is a Contract Employee (employed by another government entity). All I know is the Guard's 1st name- which is on no paperwork we have. I have already told the requestor that the Guard is employed by an outside company. We are [REDACTED] County government and contract through [REDACTED Other Public Agency] - What do we have to do legally?

How long should the library retain employee records, payroll records, sales and purchase records, mortgage and loan documents, and other records?