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Child Patron and Youth Services Program Policies Children must be accompanied by an adult. You and your children are welcome in the library. However, the library is busy—over 600 people visit in a typical day. While library staff is concerned for the well-being of children who visit, library staff cannot monitor their safety. Children under the age of 10 must stay with a responsible adult at all times. Children and accompanying siblings in violation of this policy will be given a copy of this policy and may be asked to leave the library. Children under 12 left at the library at closing will be entrusted to the safekeeping of the Woodburn Police Department. Adults attending meetings at the library must make arrangements for the adult supervision of their children. Library staff is here to help. It is the job of library staff to make children feel welcome by greeting them in a friendly manner and by assisting them to find and use library materials. It is also the job of library staff to inform parents and children about library rules established to ensure their safety and well-being while in the library. Library staff may ask parents to monitor their children’s behavior, especially if it is deemed destructive or unsafe. Child patrons should: Have quiet voices and bodies. No running, jumping, screaming, wrestling or other rowdy behavior. Preschoolers may be gently reminded to use their inside voices and walking feet. Eat food or drink outside the library, baby bottles excepted. Use materials safely. No throwing of books, Lego’s, puzzle pieces, or anything else. Clean up. Pick up Lego’s, games, and puzzles after use. Take turns on the computers. We want you to enjoy storytime and other programs. Here are a few rules to keep in mind when your program is in session. Your cooperation will help everyone to enjoy and profit from these programs. Parent participation is vital, as parents are best equipped to help their child focus on program activities. Please join in and show your child how much fun it is! Please put toys and food away. They distract your child and others. Please share with the other adults in the time allotted for it after storytime, so that children can engage in the storytime activities while they are still fresh. ---PAGE BREAK--- If your child is crying loudly or otherwise distracting the group, you are encouraged to step away for a moment and regroup. If you are unsure or concerned about your child’s behavior, let’s talk! Young children are still learning appropriate ways to interact with each other and often can react emotionally to physical advances from others. Please help your child respect the personal space of others and help him or her negotiate his or her own space. Relax! It is not expected that your child will sit still and participate in each activity. Our goal is to have fun with rhymes, music and movement activities, songs books, and literacy rich activities. Computers are available for children. Computers in the Youth Services area are reserved for children 12 years and younger and their families. We want to give everyone a turn when it is busy and make the best use of our resources when it is not busy. Please observe the following policies specific to Youth Services computers: Children must sign up for computers at the Youth Services desk. Internet computers have filtering software, which has been installed to prevent children from viewing age-inappropriate Websites. Filtering software is not foolproof, however, and parents are encouraged to supervise their children’s Internet use. Children younger than 10 must have the permission of an accompanying adult to use Internet computers. Computer use by patrons younger than 3 must be guided at all times by an adult. Parents may use Internet computers as a courtesy provided that they are accompanied by a small child and children are not waiting to the computers. Computer sessions are limited to 30 minutes per day. Additional time may be granted for homework at the time of sign-up. Printing costs 5¢ per page. Please pay for printouts at the Youth Services desk. Computers may be reserved up to one day in advance. Computer use may be restricted during library-sponsored programs taking place in the Youth Services area. Computer use is limited to two people per computer. Children who violate computer-use policies may lose their privilege to use them.