Policies


Pequot Library Refund Policy

Program Tickets
Tickets sold may be refunded prior to five business days from the ticketed event. Exchanges of equal value may be made prior to five business days from the ticketed event; however, ticket availability for alternate dates is not guaranteed and is subject to a first-come, first-served basis.

Classes and Workshops
Pequot Library may cancel any class with insufficient enrollment; students will be notified and given a full refund. If a student withdraws at least 48 hours before the class begins, he/she will be refunded his/her tuition minus an administrative fee of $25. There are no refunds after the start of class, and membership fees are nonrefundable. Students are not enrolled until all forms and full payment are received. Pequot Library does not prorate or offer makeup days for student absences.

Tours
We request that cancellations of tours occur in writing at least three business days before your scheduled visit. You may email your cancellation letter to schoolprograms@pequotlibrary.org. Please note that refunds will NOT be given for reservations cancelled less than one business day before the scheduled date. Groups will be responsible for their minimum tour fee if they are a no-show or cancel less than 24 hours before the scheduled tour time.

Wright Classroom Policy

The Wright Classroom is for educational workshops and small meetings. The room’s capacity is 15 people, and it is 400 square feet. The room offers desks, chairs, electrical outlets, wires, a projector, Blu-ray player, and accompanying sound equipment.

1. Reservation Process: To reserve the Wright Classroom in advance, please contact Caroline Crawford at crawford@pequotlibrary.org or at 203-259-0346, extension 113. Those reserving the room will need to complete a reservation form.
2. Availability: The Classroom is available during Library hours based on availability. The space can be reserved in two-hour blocks. If no reservations are made for the Classroom, the space is available during Library hours on a first-come, first-served basis. If a reservation is made, the space can be used after Library hours with advance notice of at least two weeks.
3. User Responsibilities: The individual or party using the room is responsible for leaving it in the same condition in which it was found; they are responsible for any equipment damage incurred during their time in the Classroom. Pequot Library is not responsible for loss of or damage to personal property.
4. Regulations: No food is permitted in the Classroom during Library hours; however, covered beverages are allowed. Food is permitted at after-hours reservations. No smoking. No sales permitted on the premises. Please contact the Front Desk with any issues.
5. Eligibility: All reservations and opportunities for Classroom usage are based on availability. Pequot Library reserves the right to refuse a reservation at our discretion.
6. Fees: For commercial gatherings, the fee to use the Classroom is $80 for the first two hours. It is an additional $25 for each subsequent hour. For after-hours rentals, there is an additional $50/hour fee added to these costs. During Library hours, there is no fee for non-commercial gatherings. For nonprofits and other community organizations who wish to use the Classroom after hours the fee is $50 for the first two hours and then an additional $25 for each subsequent hour.

Study Room Policy

Located within the Wright Classroom, the Study Room is intended for one-on-one educational sessions. The capacity for the Study Room is four, and the dimensions are 8 feet by 9.5 feet. The room offers desks, chairs, and electrical outlets.

1. Reservation Process: To reserve the Study Room in advance, please contact Caroline Crawford at crawford@pequotlibrary.org or at 203-259-0346, extension 113. Those reserving the room will need to complete a reservation form.
2. Availability: The Study Room is available during Library hours on a first-come, first-served basis. The space can be reserved in half-hour blocks for up to four hours at a time. If no reservations are made for the Room, the space is available during Library hours on a first-come first-served basis.
3. User Responsibilities: The individual or party using the Room is responsible for leaving it in the same condition in which it was found; they are responsible for any equipment damage incurred during their time in the Study Room. Pequot Library is not responsible for loss of or damage to personal property.
4. Regulations: No food is permitted in the Study Room; however, covered beverages are allowed. No smoking. No sales permitted on the premises. Please contact the Circulation Desk with any issues.
5. Eligibility: All reservations and opportunities for Study Room usage are based on availability. Gatherings of a purely social nature are not permitted. Pequot Library reserves the right to refuse at our discretion.
6. Fees: There is no fee to use the Study Room for day-of use. The Study Room can be reserved for daily/weekly usage for $25 for a four-hour block of time.

Patron Code of Conduct

(Haga clic aquí para leer nuestro Código de conducta en español.)

1. General Use
Pequot Library strives to be accommodating to all visitors. There are, however, some limits in place to ensure the safety of patrons and to provide an inviting place to read and work for all. While on Library premises, all patrons should behave in a manner that does not infringe on the rights of others.
a. No engagement in activities not associated with the Library
b. Please behave in a quiet and respectful manner while working in the Library
c. Please comply with reasonable requests from staff
d. No illegal activity
e. No impeding efficient order of the Library
f. No for-profit business may be conducted on Library premises, except tutoring and mentoring
g. No offensive misconduct, including but not limited to bullying, insulting language, public drunkenness, using drugs, and offensive body odor
h. No unacceptable behavior, including but not limited to bathing, staring, stalking, and loitering
i. No abusive behavior or speech toward other patrons, staff members, and volunteers
j. No photography, audio or video recording without permission of the Library

2. Entrances, Parking Lots, and other Library Grounds
a. Staff areas are to be utilized by staff members only
b. No loitering in parking lot

3. Use of Electronic Devices
a. Cell phone conversations should be brief, quiet, and respectful; patrons engaged in longer conversations will be asked to continue their calls outside.
b. Electronic devices must be kept silent

4. Food or Beverages
a. Food and beverages are allowed in the main part of the Library only
b. Beverages should be in non-spill containers
c. Please dispose of trash properly
d. Food and beverages are not allowed in the Stacks and Mezzanine, or in the Children’s Library

5. Smoking, Alcohol, and Drugs
a. Smoking is not permitted in the Library or on the Library premises
b. Drugs are not permitted in the Library or on the Library premises
c. Alcohol is not permitted in the Library or on the Library premises, unless provided in accordance with a Library event

6. Use of Materials
a. Library materials should be treated with care and respect
b. Materials must not be defaced or vandalized

7. Distribution of Materials
a. No distribution of materials without staff permission

8. Animals
a. Dogs are permitted in the Library for a short period of time if they are on a leash and well-behaved
b. Please keep pets off furniture
c. Guide dogs are always welcome

9. Attire
Shoes and shirts are required at all times in the Library

10. Personal Property
The Library is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged property

11. Internet Access Policy
Internet resources accessible at the Library are provided equally to all Library users. Although the Library has filters in place to prevent the access of inappropriate content, parents or guardians are responsible for Internet information selected or accessed by their children. The Library is not responsible for any content provided by or provided to the Internet.

12. Policy for Unsupervised Children
Pequot Library has a responsibility to provide an environment that is safe and comfortable for every patron who is appropriately using its services and facilities. The Library Trustees and staff are eager for children to use the Library and welcome those who do so. Service to children is an important part of the Library’s mission. A parent or guardian must remain with a child under the age of 10 at all times on Library premises. Unsupervised children must remain in the Children’s Library. Pequot Library is a public building open to all individuals. It is not the Library staff’s function or purpose to provide supervision or to care for children while parents or caregivers are outside the Library. The Library staff is not authorized to act in place of parents. Staff members are responsible for assisting all Library customers but cannot adequately monitor unattended children. Staff will not monitor children leaving the Library.

13. Violation of Patron Code of Conduct
Violation of these rules can lead to denial of access to the Library. If a patron is banned, he or she has the right to appeal or challenge this decision.

This Code of Conduct is not intended to be a comprehensive list of violations. The Library reserves the right to take action against any behavior that can reasonably be deemed offensive or disturbing. The library staff is authorized to expel any person who does not follow the above rules. Law enforcement will be contacted if an individual does not exit the Library premises when told to do so by Library staff. This Code of Conduct has been approved by the Pequot Library Board of Trustees on May 10, 2017.

 

Circulating Collection Development Policy Objectives


Pequot is a public association library, “free as air to all,” that offers materials for the educational and recreational enrichment of community members and visitors. To this end, it aims to acquire materials that satisfy one or more of the below requirements:

• Of enduring value

• Relates to current events

• Currently popular or anticipated to be popular within the community

• Offers diverse points of view

Recommended Purchases: Pequot staff is happy to receive recommendations from patrons for Library purchases. All such recommendations will be passed on to the Chief Librarian who will consider the purchase in light of the above objectives. The acquisition of Library materials is made at the discretion of Library staff.

Donations & Gifts: Materials donated to the circulating collection will be accepted based on satisfaction of the above objectives. Once a donated item is a part of the circulating collection it falls under the purview of this Circulating Collection Development Policy, including the Collection Maintenance section.

Controversial Materials and Intellectual Freedom: Pequot Library does not promote particular beliefs or views. As such the Library provides materials for various points of view. Language, situations, or subjects that may be offensive to some community members or visitors do not disqualify materials that are to be judged in their entirety.

The Library recognizes parents and legal guardians as the parties responsible for the reading and viewing habits of their children. Questions, concerns, or suggestions about specific materials can be emailed to libraryservices@pequotlibrary.org.

In the interest of protecting the individual’s right to have access to materials, the Library supports the following documents: • First Amendment of the Constitution • Library Bill of Rights – Adopted June 18, 1948; amended February 2, 1967, and June 23, 1980, inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23, 1996, by the ALA Council. • The Freedom to Read Statement – Adopted June 25, 1953; revised January 28, 1972, January 16, 1991, July 12, 2000, June 30, 2004, by the ALA council and the AAP Freedom to Read Committee Collection Maintenance.

To ensure the health of the Library’s circulating collection, materials that fail to circulate for a significant amount of time will be considered for removal. Weeding will be performed annually by library services staff. At that time, she will evaluate the significance of materials that have not been circulating to the collection. Materials that no longer satisfy the above objectives will be removed from the collection. This includes materials that were donated or gifted to the Library circulating collection.