Library Policies

Cell Phone Usage

The Cooper-Siegel Community Library understands that cell phones are a vital component of communication and information gathering. Polite cell phone use and text messaging are permitted with the following provisions:

  • Limit your cell phone usage to the library’s upper or lower vestibules, enclosed stairwell, group study rooms if available, or outside the library.
  • Please refrain from using your cell phone while at the public service desks or during library programs.
  • If a cell phone must be used while at a computer station, please keep the conversation brief and quiet so other library patrons are not disturbed.
  • Be considerate of others. Honor requests for quiet and move to another location if an unintended distraction occurs.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Internet and Electronic Resources

The Cooper-Siegel Community Library provides access to electronic resources, including the Internet. The library promotes and enforces responsible use of electronic resources for research and educational use. Electronic resources in the library are intended to provide patrons with convenient access to informational resources consistent with the mission and values of the public library. Patrons are asked to adhere to their legal and ethical responsibilities in the appropriate use of the Internet.

Collection Development Policy

Please click here to see our Collection Development Policy.  If you would like a more in-depth version of our Collection Development Policy please click here.

Please click here to see our Self-Publishing Policy

Materials Reconsideration Form

If a member of the community is concerned with an item in our collection, we invite them to have a conversation with our staff. If they still wish the library to reconsider the material, a Materials Reconsideration Request form can be completed.

Internet and Computer Use Policy

In response to advances in technology and the changing information needs of the communities that it serves, the Cooper-Siegel Community Library endeavors to develop collections, resources, and services that meet the cultural, informational, educational and recreational needs of our diverse communities. It is within this context that the library offers access to the Internet.

The Internet is a global communication network and information resource with the information provided as varied as its many users. The library cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy, quality or timeliness of Internet information. The Internet may contain information of a controversial or offensive nature.

Cooper-Siegel Community Library computers shall not be used for any fraudulent or unlawful purpose, including any activities prohibited under any applicable federal, Pennsylvania, or local laws, including activities in violation of 18 Pa Cons. Stat. Sec. 5903, which prohibits certain acts of public indecency.

Cooper-Siegel Community Library complies with the requirements of the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). CIPA is a federal law that requires all computers in a public library to be filtered if that library accepts any federal funds for Internet access or computers used for Internet access. [Supreme Court decision: United States v. American Library Association, Inc., No. 02-361 (June 23, 2003)]

All computers in the Cooper-Siegel Community Library are filtered but be aware that filters are unreliable, at times blocking sites of legitimate informational or educational value, or allowing access to sites that are illegal, obscene, or sexually explicit within the meaning of 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. Sec 5903.

The Cooper-Siegel Community Library is committed to providing an environment free from sexual harassment. Adults may be advised that while accessing and viewing sexual materials is within the law for an adult, the risk of exposure to minors and the consequences of being “harmful to minors” are significant. As such, when children are in proximity or even if another adult is expressly offended, the patron viewing such materials may be asked to close a website. The library staff will be an arbiter of what constitutes unacceptable content and reserves the right to end an Internet session at any time if it is creating a disturbance.

Parents or legal guardians are responsible for monitoring their children’s use of the Internet and for the information selected and/or accessed by their children. The library strongly encourages parents or legal guardians to supervise their children’s Internet use and to provide them with guidelines about acceptable use.

Material on the Internet and the World Wide Web is copyrighted. It is the user’s responsibility to be aware of the display of any notice concerning the copyright of information on the Web and to respect the copyright laws of the United States.

Many businesses offer the opportunity to buy merchandise by credit card on the Internet. The Cooper-Siegel Community Library shall not be party to any purchases of services or merchandise made over the Internet and shall not be liable for any costs or damages arising out of such a transaction. Any purchases that a child makes, with or without a parent or guardian’s knowledge, will be the responsibility of the parent/legal guardian.

While library staff will assist users in accessing the Internet, users are nevertheless responsible for their own searches.

Internet privileges will be revoked if you:

  • Display materials that could be construed as obscene or offensive
  • Use the connection for purposes that would break any local, state, or federal law
  • Damage, misuse, reprogram, or tamper with the library’s computer equipment or software
  • Enter a chat room
  • Use personal software programs without express authorization from the library staff
  • Print without paying for copies
  • Act in a way that the library deems inappropriate

The library reserves the right to enforce Internet policies, to designate computers for specific purposes, to set time limits and to require registration.

Users who knowingly disregard library policies may be denied use of library computers, asked to leave the building, or reported to appropriate law enforcement.

The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) Compliance

  1. The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) is a federal law that requires all computers in a public library to be filtered if that library accepts any federal funds for Internet access or computers used for Internet access. [Supreme Court decision: United States v. American Library Association, Inc., No. 02-361 (June 23, 2003)] Cooper-Siegel Community Library complies with the requirements of CIPA.
  2. All computers in the Cooper-Siegel Community Library are filtered. Please be aware that filters are unreliable, at times blocking sites of legitimate informational or educational value, or allowing access to sites that are illegal, obscene, or sexually explicit within the meaning of 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. Sec 5903.
  3. Cooper-Siegel Community Library uses filtering software that blocks or filters Internet access to some Internet sites that may not be consistent with the policy of Cooper-Siegel Community Library.
  4. Parents or legal guardians are responsible for monitoring their children’s use of the Internet and for the information selected and/or accessed by their children. The library strongly encourages parents or legal guardians to supervise their children’s Internet use and to provide them with guidelines about acceptable use.
  5. Cooper-Siegel Community Library computers cannot be used for any fraudulent or unlawful purpose, including any activities prohibited under any applicable federal, Pennsylvania, or local laws, including activities in violation of 18 Pa Cons. Stat. Sec. 5903, which prohibits certain acts of public indecency.
  6. Any adult (17 years of age or older, as defined by CIPA) may request that the filter or technology protection measure be disabled without significant delay by a Cooper-Siegel Community Library staff member authorized by the Library Director, consistent with the privacy policy of Cooper-Siegel Community Library.
  7. An authorized Cooper-Siegel Community Library staff member may override the filter or technology protection measure for a minor (age 16 years or younger, as defined by CIPA) in the event that the filter wrongly blocks or filters Internet access to a site with legitimate informational value.
  8. Cooper-Siegel Community Library cannot be responsible for any patron’s unauthorized use of a computer with a disabled filter.
  9. Complaint Procedure: Any patron who wishes to file a complaint about the filtering software on the library computers may do so within thirty (30) days to:
    1. The Library Director and/or the Library Board President;
    2. The Director of the Electronic Information Network;
    3. The Federal Communications Commission.

Meeting Room Policy

Please click here to view our Meeting Room Policy.  For inquiries regarding the use of our meeting rooms, please click here.

Public Safety Policy

We strive to keep our library safe and welcoming places for all visitors. Please remember we are a public facility. We encourage visitors to use the same precautions you use in other public facilities. Know where your children are at all times. Please show patience and support our instructors’ check-in and check-out procedures for children’s classes. Never leave your valuables unattended. Finally, please report any safety concerns or improvement ideas to our staff.

The library staff and board take the safety of our visitors very seriously. All staff and instructors have current background checks and clearances on file. We maintain a close relationship with municipal officials, their public safety departments, and fire and EMS teams, and we provide regular safety training for our staff.

Working together we will continue to keep our facilities safe and welcoming places for our community members.

Community Library Association Code of Conduct

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