Children and Teen Services Policy

Effective Date: December 2013
Revision Date: December 2024
Next Year of Review: 2026

The Bruce County Public Library recognizes that the needs of young people are important in their own right: that their intellectual growth, their cultural appreciation, and recreational activities should be fostered through quality library service, delivered with consideration and respect. This policy sets out the services to be offered for children and teens.

Rights of the Child

The Bruce County Public Library endeavours to provide this service based on the principles stated in the Ontario Library Association's Children's Rights in the Public Library, 1988, and Teen Rights in the Public Library adopted June 2010. See Appendices A and B.

Scope

The services described in this policy are intended to meet the needs of children and teens, as well as parents, guardians and adults who work with children or are interested in children’s literature.

Services

Collections
1. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will ensure the maintenance and organization of a comprehensive children’s and teens’ collection based on the Collection Development Policy.
2. The children’s and teens’ collections will meet high standards of quality and reflect the changing educational needs and personal interests of children and teens as well as trends in society.
Reference and Readers Advisory
1. The qualified staff will utilize the full range of collections, technology and methods to answer all users’ requests for advice on selecting books and for information, regardless of age and without judgment, with confidentiality and respect.
2. Library staff will engage in meaningful and age-appropriate conversation to better understand the individuals wants and needs.
3. Library staff will point out the variety of resources available in all areas of the library as appropriate.
Programs
1. The library will provide programming for children, teens, and parents, both in and out of the library, to stimulate creative potential and to encourage and facilitate the habit of reading, independent learning and use of the library.
2. Programming for children and teens will follow the Bruce County Public Library Programming Policy.
3. The library will provide educational, entertaining, and literacy related programs and support for children and teens, such as
  1. programs for parents/guardians, adults, and caregivers that will educate them on the importance of early literacy, the role of the library in their children’s lives, and the support the library can offer them.
  2. programs for classes, children’s groups, daycares, etc., that, depending on age, will emphasize early literacy, new skills, and library orientation, and that encourage reading for leisure, or highlight various aspects of the collection.
  3. programs for summer, school breaks and professional development days will highlight various aspects of our collection while encouraging reading for pleasure or leisure activities.
4. The number of participants for all programs will be restricted based on size of the facility, fire department limits, staff capacity and resources, etc. Pre-registration may be required.
5. Some programs may limit the age of children or teens and/or the number of children per accompanying adult. This limit may be enforced by staff.

Library Space

Where possible, the library will provide well-planned areas for children and for teens that are distinct from the adult area.
These areas should be visually stimulating so that children and teens are able to readily distinguish their own space from the rest of the library.
Where possible, these areas will have furniture, shelves and equipment that are designed for and accessible to all children.
The library will ensure that signage is clear and age appropriate.
The children’s and teens’ areas are interactive learning environments where controlled noise levels are tolerated and where young users are invited to explore the library materials and services in their own way.

Staffing

The board will support a program of ongoing staff training and professional development in children’s and teens’ services.
The CEO will ensure that all staff members assigned to children’s and teens’ services receives appropriate training to provide knowledgeable library service.
While library staff will assist young people with finding materials, using the Internet or attending programs, they do not act in “loco parentis”. Parents/guardians are responsible for their children’s use of the library and its services.

Advocacy for Children and Teens

The library will advocate for children’s and teens’ services in the community by:
1. collaborating with agencies to promote early literacy, love of reading, lifelong learning and children’s and teens’ health and well-being.
2. seeking support for children’s and teens’ services from community organizations, fundraising, donations, etc.
3. networking with other agencies who provide service to children and teens in the community, region, and province.
4. communicating with principals, teacher librarians and teachers in the community.
5. promoting the children’s and teens’ services and collections to groups who could benefit from them (schools, daycares, etc.).
6. welcoming class visits and orientation for school children and home-schooled children.