Policies

Purpose

Meeting rooms at the Manchester City Library and our West Branch are intended for library programming and for public gatherings of a civic, cultural, or educational nature.

Room usage is free of charge to registered non-profit organizations serving the citizens of Manchester, provided no admission fee is charged. For-profit organizations will be charged for the usage of library rooms.

All meetings are to be open to the public and cannot be reserved for personal use such as weddings, birthdays, and other special occasions.

Reservation of Meeting Rooms

First priority for bookings of meeting room facilities will be reserved for Manchester City Library programs and activities or programs sponsored by the library.

The Library meeting spaces can be reserved through the Library Office at the main library, Monday through Friday, 1:30–4:30 p.m. Tours of meeting spaces can be arranged during the library building's operating hours. Requests for reservations can also be made online.

All registration paperwork must be returned to the library for review and approval before a reservation is confirmed.

Scheduling of meeting rooms is on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are limited to one booking per month by any one group or organization due to high demand. Rooms must be booked at least one week in advance, but not more than 6 months in advance. At the end of 5 months, groups may contact the Library to book additional meetings. Rooms must be reserved separately. Exceptions are at the discretion of the Director.

• No resources or services may be sold while utilizing library rooms without written authorization by the Director.
• All activities must be legal and create no disturbance to other library functions.
• Meeting room users are subject to all library rules, as posted.
• No food or drinks are allowed in library meeting rooms without prior permission.
• It is the responsibility of the group or organization reserving the room to leave the room in a neat and orderly condition.

The Library reserves the right to move meeting locations to accommodate all requests. When it becomes necessary for the library to change a meeting time, place, or date, the Library Office staff will notify the group’s contact person 48 hours before the scheduled program. Every effort will be made to give groups more notice.

All groups, other than those that provide proof of being a registered non-profit agency, will be charged for use of the room.

No admission fee, registration fee, donation, or other monetary solicitation may be sought from meeting attendees unless you have the written authorization of the Director.

Should any type of fee be charged, the group will be charged for the use of the room as stated above.

Equipment

All equipment available for library rooms is listed on the room reservation form. If the meeting at the Main Library will require any available audio-visual equipment as listed on the form, it must be included in the paperwork that is due prior to the room booking being confirmed. The library reserves the right to refuse any unplanned, day-of-event, audio-visual requests. There is no audio-visual equipment available for use at the West Branch Library.

If a group leaves the room for a break or when the program is concluded, library staff must be notified immediately so that the room can be secured.

When a group is planning to show a video or DVD in the Main Library auditorium, a Library staff member will be assigned to start and stop the video or DVD so that the audio-visual equipment room may be locked. It is the responsibility of the group or organization to obtain performance rights for any film shown on library premises. Independent or unrated films may not be shown without prior approval and/or review by Library Administration.

Kitchen Facilities

The Winchell Room has a separate kitchen, which must be reserved. There are no kitchen facilities at the West Branch Library. Use of this room is not part of any other booking.

Groups who book the kitchen are required to do whatever cleanup is necessary to restore the room to the way it was found. All items brought in by groups are to be removed from the kitchen area including, but not limited to, food, paper products, and other serving utensils upon completion of each use of the kitchen.

Note

Notice of Events

Fliers advertising events may be left with library staff to be posted one week before the scheduled event.

No group will imply in its advertising or during the meeting that the Library sponsored or supports its meeting, group, or presentation without first receiving permission in writing from the Director. Any group found to have promoted its event as library sponsored will lose its reservation.

Special Security Costs

When a determination is made by the Director that the proposed use of the meeting room(s) will necessitate additional security or police presence, the reserving group or organization shall be responsible for pre-paying all of the cost of same. Proof that extra security has been secured must be received at least one week prior to the event.

Liability

“Any person who shall willfully or maliciously deface, damage or destroy any property belonging to or in the care of any gallery or museum or any state, public, school, college or other institutional library shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any such person shall forfeit to or for the use of such library, gallery or museum, three (3) times the amount of the damage sustained to be recovered in an action in the superior court.”

All persons deserve to be treated with courtesy and respect. Please treat all staff, patrons, and property, city or personal, with the same courtesy with which you would wish to be treated.

Staff members may ask abusive or uncivil patrons to leave and come back or hang up and call back when they are better able to conduct themselves courteously.

It is the goal of the Trustees of the Manchester City Library to allow all patrons of the library to use its facilities, for the purposes for which the library was established, to the maximum extent possible during regularly scheduled hours.

• Library materials shall be used and handled with care. Writing, marking, earmarking, disfigurement, any sort of alteration, mutilation, destruction, or unauthorized access of Library materials is prohibited.
• Loud conversation and noise shall be kept to a minimum. All patrons shall be provided with a peaceful, quiet environment conducive to research and study.
• Patrons shall respect the rights of others. Patrons shall not annoy others through noisy or boisterous activities, by staring, or by following others about the Library. Patrons shall not interfere with library staff in the pursuit of their job duties.
• Patrons whose bodily hygiene is so offensive as to constitute a nuisance to others shall be required to leave the Library.
• Personal belongings and valuables of patrons shall not be left unattended by their owners. The Library shall not be responsible for patrons' belongings or valuables or for their recovery.
• Personal electronics are permitted in the Library provided that their use poses no hazard or nuisance to others. Any images or sounds produced by such personal electronics shall be seen and heard only by the patron(s) using this equipment. Personal devices may only be plugged into designated areas of the Library.
• Everyone visiting or working at the Library deserves to have a safe and welcoming environment.

Safe Child Policy

Children eight years of age or younger must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or adult of at least 18 years of age who acknowledges responsibility for the child during their entire stay in the library. These parents or adults are responsible for their children’s behavior while in the building.

Philosophy Behind the Safe Child Policy

The Manchester City Library welcomes children of all ages. It is a doorway through which life-long learning takes place. The public library is, however, just that, a public building. As such, anybody can come into it, law-abiding or otherwise.

Library Staff have many duties to perform in order to serve all citizens of Manchester. They cannot monitor the behavior or whereabouts of each patron, including children. Staff do not take over parental responsibilities for children who come into the library.

A child could be tempted to go off with a stranger. A child could become ill. A child could get mixed in with a school group and become lost. Any of these or other emergencies could take place in a public building. It is for the safety of each child that the Manchester City Library has adopted this Safe Child Policy.

Unattended Children and Disruptive Behavior

The Board of Trustees, Library Director and Staff, and the City of Manchester assume no responsibility for any child left unattended in the Library.

No child under the age of eight (8), even while attending library programs, shall be in the Library without a parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the child also in the Library.

If a child under the age of eight is left unattended and appears to be lost or frightened, library staff will make every attempt to locate their parent or guardian. If the parent or guardian is not located or a child is left in the library at closing time, the Police Department will be notified. Under no circumstances shall a staff member take the child out of the library.

Children under the age of eight are the responsibility of their parents, guardian, or teacher when in the library. Disruptive behavior shall be considered any behavior that is disruptive to the patrons, building, and/or staff of the library. Such behavior shall include, but not be limited to, loud talking, laughing, eating or drinking, and running in the building. All parents are urged to accompany children under the age of eight years.

Any child under age eight who is accompanied by a parent or guardian and who is being disruptive will be asked by the staff to behave. If such behavior continues, the parents will be told that their child is disturbing others and will be asked to control the child. If they refuse or are unable to control the child, the family may be asked to leave.

Disruptive children over age eight will be given only one warning and informed that they will be asked to leave if the disruptive behavior continues. Staff will follow through to ensure that the child does leave the building/premises. If he/she refuses to leave, the Librarian in Charge shall call the Library Security Officer or, in the event of the Officer’s absence, shall call the Police Department.

The Library Director has the authority to deny use of the library to any child who is continually disruptive.

Patrons may not engage in any activities that violate Federal, State, or Local Laws. Some of these are listed below.

Federal, State, and Local Laws

• Assault: Physical *RSA 631:2-A
• Climbing fences *130.38 City Ordinance
• Criminal Threatening *RSA 631:4
• Criminal Solicitation *RSA 629:2
• Criminal Trespassing *RSA 635:2
• Deliver or possess Drug Paraphernalia *RSA 318-B:1
• Destruction of library property *RSA 202-A:24
• Detaining Library Books *RSA 202-A:25
• Disorderly Conduct *RSA 644:2
• False Fire Alarms *RSA 644:3
• Gambling *RSA 647:2
• Harassment *RSA 644:4
• Indecent Exposure/Lewdness *RSA 645:1
• Injuring City trees *RSA 634:2
• Injuring plants *Sec. 130.36 City Ordinance
• Injuring property *Sec. 130.35/130.07 City Ordinance
• Littering *Sec. 130.50 City Ordinance
• Loitering/Prowling *RSA 644:6
• Obstructing Passageways *Sec 130.02 City Ordinance
• Public urination or defecation *RSA 645:1-a
• Reckless Conduct *RSA 631:3
• Sell, purchase, transport, or possess any controlled drug *RSA 318-B:2
• Sexual Assault *RSA 632-A:3
• Theft *RSA 637:3

The following are not allowed in or on library property

• Alcoholic beverages
• Animals (except Service Animals)
• Bathing, shaving, or washing clothes
• Bedrolls, sleeping bags, blankets, large bags, suitcases, and boxes
• Bicycles or Electric Scooters; please secure them to bike racks provided, not to the front stair handrails
• Blocking egress anywhere in the building, including entranceways and stairways
• Damaging any library equipment and/or furniture
• Drinks/food
• Drug paraphernalia
• Illegal drug use
• Interrupting patron/staff interactions
• Intoxication (including drugs)
• Leering, following, or any other actions that may make patrons/staff uncomfortable
• Maliciously accessing, altering, deleting, damaging, or destroying any library computer system, networking computer program, or data
• Personal grooming
• Plugging in personal electronic devices except in designated locations, such as the charging station
• Rolling or chewing of tobacco products
• Smoking (including e-cigarettes)
• Running
• Soliciting from others, including but not limited to money, tobacco products, cell phone usage, etc.
• Sleeping or lounging, including on furniture, floors, stairs, and grounds
• Spitting
• Voyeurism/Peeping
• Wet bathing suits or shoes with cleats
• Yelling and/or swearing

General

• Adults in the children’s areas must be accompanied by a child.
• Adults in the teen areas must be accompanied by a teen.
• Adults may not use the children’s restroom.
• We ask that weapons not be displayed and be secured so as to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all visitors.
• You must wear a shirt and shoes in the library.

Revised and approved by the Manchester City Library Board of Trustees on March 18, 2024.

Collection Policy

III.D.1. Purpose

This policy is established by the Library Board of Trustees to guide the library staff in the management of the collection and to inform the public of the principles upon which the library makes decisions regarding the maintenance and use of the collection.

The quality of library service depends to a great extent on the availability of a well-selected, well-maintained collection which provides library materials in adequate numbers in a variety of appropriate formats. Providing such a collection is one of the most important things the Manchester City Library does.

III.D.2. Definitions

“Materials” is used for all forms of media and has the widest possible inclusion, encompassing both physical and digital formats. The library chooses which formats to include and retain based on patron usage, requests, and trends.

“Selection” refers to the decision that must be made to add a given item to the collection. It does not refer to guidance or assisting a library user.

“Collection development” refers to the ongoing evaluative process of assessing the materials available for purchase and in making the decisions, first, on their inclusion, and second, on their retention if they are added.

III.D.3. Responsibility for Materials Selection

Final responsibility for selection lies with the Board of Library Trustees. However, the Board delegates to the Director, who has the authority to interpret and guide the application of the policy in making day-to-day selections. The Director will authorize other staff to apply this policy in building collections.

III.D.4. Duties of Library Staff

All staff members selecting library materials will be expected to keep the library roles in mind and apply their knowledge, training, and experience in making decisions.

III.D.5. Selection Criteria Policy

General

All acquisitions, whether purchased or donated, are selected with consideration to the standards outlined below. Items need not meet all the criteria to be included in the library’s collections, but must adhere to some combination of the following guiding principles:

• Accuracy of content
• Attention of critics, reviewers, media, and the public
• Authority, reputation, or qualifications of the author, artist, publisher, or producer
• Availability for purchase
• Availability in other area libraries, the internet, or by other means
• Condition of material
• Date of publication
• Demand for the material
• Price and other budgetary considerations
• Relation to the existing collection's strengths and weaknesses
• Relevance to the interests and needs of the community
• Representation of diverse points of view
• Scarcity of information in the subject area
• Significance, timeliness, or permanence of the subject matter
• Suitability of the format to library circulation and use

Material Specific

• Branch Collections: Because of space limitations, the branch shall provide primarily materials of popular interest and those specific to community needs.
• The New Hampshire Room: Contains materials relevant to researching the history of Manchester and New Hampshire. This includes selected biographies and genealogies of prominent or historically significant residents of Manchester and its surrounding areas, and other material relevant to Manchester or general New Hampshire history.
• Youth Collections: Materials for Youth Services are selected to meet the needs of youth from infancy through high school, and are housed in the children’s room or teen area. Special attention is paid to meeting a wide variety of needs and interests across various reading levels.
• Periodicals: Periodicals are purchased to supplement the book collection, provide recreational and professional reading, and/or provide material not yet available in book form. Selection of periodicals will be based upon their consideration as authoritative, objective, of local interest and demand, and indexed in standard periodical indexes.
• Digital Resources: The Manchester City Library upholds the same criteria for digital resources as we do with physical materials. However, we do not have the same level of control over the selection of these resources, as noted below:
  • OverDrive/Libby: The Manchester City Library subscribes to, but does not have direct control over, the titles in the OverDrive/Libby platform. The NH Downloadable Books consortium has its own collection policy.
  • CloudLibrary: Member libraries of the GMILCS consortium are responsible for selection of the titles for the CloudLibrary platform.
  • Hoopla and Kanopy: Due to the vast size of these collections, we do not routinely evaluate titles that are made available.

III.D.6. Collection Maintenance Policy

Selection is only one aspect of collection development. Library materials are continuously assessed within the context of the full collection, as well as for their continuing relevance to library users. The withdrawal of materials is a formal process conducted by knowledgeable staff as a necessary method to maintain collection vitality, size, and scope. This process is known as deselection or weeding.

The following criteria are used in selecting materials for withdrawal:

• Damage or poor condition
• Infrequent use and lack of demand
• No longer accurate
• No longer relevant to the needs and interests of the community
• Materials in formats that are no longer collected
• Availability elsewhere, including other libraries and online

Items deselected from the library’s collection are handled in this manner:

• Donated to the library’s book sale to support our Museum Pass program
• Recycled or discarded based upon management decisions
• Donated to another cultural institution for better safekeeping and access with the approval of the Library Director
• Donated to community agencies that may ask for materials, such as the shelter, city departments, and local schools, with the approval of the Library Director
• Repurposed for library programming and activities
• At the discretion of the Library Director, exceptions may be made from time to time

Library staff, Trustees, and Foundation Board members are welcome to purchase materials based on current book sale rates after they have been deselected for personal use and can make the payments at any library circulation desk.

The library does not automatically purchase replacements or substitutions for all items withdrawn. The same criteria that apply to selection also apply to replacements and substitutions.

III.D.7. Use of Library Materials Policy

The library recognizes that many materials are controversial and that any given item may offend some library user. Selections will not be made on the basis of any anticipated approval or disapproval, but solely on the merits of the work in relation to collection building and to serving the interests of Manchester City Library users.

The use of rare and scarce items of great value may be controlled to the extent required to preserve them from harm, but no further.

Responsibility for the reading, listening, and viewing of library materials by children rests with their parents or legal guardians. Selection will not be inhibited by the possibility that materials may inadvertently come into the possession of children.

III.D.8. No Endorsement of Content

Selection of an item for the library collection does not constitute an endorsement by the library of either the content or viewpoint expressed in that item.

Reconsideration Policy

The Board of Trustees of the Manchester City Library believes that censorship is a purely individual matter and declares that while anyone is free to reject material of which one does not approve, one cannot exercise this right of censorship to restrict the freedom of others.

The reconsideration committee will consist of the library director, one library administrator, and the library selector for that particular genre or program.

Any member of the Manchester community may request the reconsideration of any library material or program held at the Library. An individual may submit no more than two (2) written Requests for Reconsideration in any given month, and no more than ten (10) in any calendar year.

The first step in the reconsideration procedure is the completion of the Reconsideration Form.Note: You can pick up a copy of this form at any library service desk.

The Committee will review the patron input and respond in writing with the results of their findings within twenty business days.

Any appeals can be made to the Library Board of Trustees, to be heard at their next regularly scheduled meeting after the decision has been issued, and whose decision will be final and binding.

Materials in the Manchester City Library collection for which decisions have been rendered through the Reconsideration process by the Committee or Board of Trustees will not be reconsidered again for a period of three (3) years following a judgment.

Computer Usage Policy

All users of public computers are expected to use these resources in a responsible manner, consistent with the educational, informational, and recreational purposes for which they are provided.

Responsible, ethical use of these resources includes the following:

• Using resources for educational, informational, and recreational purposes only, not for unauthorized, illegal, or unethical purposes.
• Respecting the privacy of others by not misrepresenting oneself as another user; by not attempting to modify or gain access to files, passwords, or data belonging to others; by not seeking unauthorized access to any computer system; or by damaging or altering software components of any network or database.
• Respecting the privacy of others using these resources by not interfering with their use.
• Making only authorized copies of copyrighted or licensed software or data.
• Patrons are responsible for damage to library hardware or software due to inappropriate actions or inaction while using the computers. Fees will be assessed and charged to the patron for required repairs or replacement.
• The library is not responsible for any damage to patron data that is being accessed with library equipment, or for any damage to patron equipment plugged in to library outlets or USB ports, or connected to the library’s public wifi.
• While our public computers are on a secure network, patrons should exercise caution when sharing sensitive information like credit card or Social Security numbers. The library is not responsible for any theft of personal information or monetary loss that results from the use of our public computers. The library discourages patrons from sharing any personal data at all when using our public wifi, because this network is not secure.
• Children below the age of 8 must be accompanied by an adult or guardian when using Children’s computers.
• There is a fee for printing.
• Patrons may not turn off computers.
• Electrical outlets for patron laptops are available at designated places throughout the building. Patrons must ensure that their use of these outlets does not pose a tripping hazard.
• Patrons may charge personal devices like cell phones, MP3 players, and tablets via USB at public Internet stations, provided they are logged in to the computer and attend to their device. Patrons looking for an electrical outlet must use the outlets set aside for laptops.

Internet Policy

Purpose of this Policy

To fulfill its mission of providing public access to all types of information in a variety of formats, the Manchester City Library provides access to Internet resources via library equipment and free WiFi access during library hours. This policy provides rules for Internet use at all Manchester City Library locations.

Who May Use the Internet?

• All patrons, including non-Manchester residents, are allowed to use the Internet.
• Patrons with a library card may use it to log in to our computers.
• Patrons without a library card may be issued a one-hour guest pass for Internet use, valid only on the day of issue.

Use of the Internet

• Maximum use per person is 60 minutes per day. Access to WiFi is unrestricted via a patron’s own device and requires no library card or guest pass to use.
• The Librarian reserves the right to end a patron’s Internet session at any time, for reasons such as policy enforcement, violation of the library’s code of conduct, or computer maintenance.
• No more than two people may work at a Library Internet station at any one time.
• Internet workstations may be used for viewing, printing, and downloading information for lawful purposes, including educational, research, and recreational use. Users are responsible for complying with Federal, State, and local laws, including copyright restrictions.
• All users will be charged per page for printing. Wireless printing is available at the main library.
• Library staff can provide basic assistance with Internet and computer use. More in-depth help can be provided based on staff availability. Patrons who need additional support may request one-on-one tutoring, which can be scheduled as staff time allows.
• Children’s Room Internet stations are for use only by children up to age 11.
• Teen Room Internet stations are for use only by teens ages 12–17.
• The library reserves the right to ask users to refrain from displaying images which are inappropriate for public viewing.
• Patrons using library computers or their own personal devices for listening must use their own headphones, earbuds, or similar listening equipment, and must follow the Respect for Staff, Users and Library Property Policy.
• The Internet offers unlimited global access to information. The Manchester City Library is unable to monitor or control the content of material through this medium. Parents and guardians of children under 18 are responsible for their children’s use of the Internet.

Failure to Abide by This Policy

1. Abuse of Internet services can result in loss of library privileges.
2. Willful and malicious damage to equipment will result in suspension of library services and/or prosecution of criminal charges [RSA 202-A:24].

The reconsideration committee will consist of the library director, one library administrator, and the library selector for that particular genre or program.

Any member of the Manchester community may request the reconsideration of any library material or program held at the Library. An individual may submit no more than two (2) written Requests for Reconsideration in any given month, and no more than ten (10) in any calendar year.

The first step in the reconsideration procedure is the completion of the Reconsideration Form.Note: You can pick up a copy of this form at any library service desk.

The Committee will review the patron input and respond in writing with the results of their findings within twenty business days.

Any appeals can be made to the Library Board of Trustees, to be heard at their next regularly scheduled meeting after the decision has been issued, and whose decision will be final and binding.

Materials in the Manchester City Library collection for which decisions have been rendered through the Reconsideration process by the Committee or Board of Trustees will not be reconsidered again for a period of three (3) years following a judgment.