Title 36

SECTION 702.2

702.2 Conduct on Library premises.

§ 702.2 Conduct on Library premises.

(a) All persons using the premises shall conduct themselves in such manner as not to affect detrimentally the peace, tranquility, and good order of the Library. Such persons shall:

(1) Use areas that are open to them only at the times those areas are open to them and only for the purposes for which those areas are intended;

(2) Comply with any lawful order of the police or of other authorized individuals; and

(3) Comply with official signs of a restrictive or directory nature.

(b) All persons using the premises shall refrain from:

(1) Creating any hazard to oneself or another person or property, such as by tampering with fire detection and/or security equipment and devices, by fighting, by starting fires, or by throwing or deliberately dropping any breakable article, such as glass, pottery, or any sharp article, or stones or other missiles;

(2) Using Library facilities for living accommodation purposes, such as unauthorized bathing, sleeping, or storage of personal belongings, regardless of the specific intent of the individual;

(3) Engaging in inordinately loud or noisy activities;

(4) Disposing of rubbish other than in receptacles provided for that purpose;

(5) Throwing articles of any kind from or at a Library building or appurtenance;

(6) Committing any obscene or indecent act such as prurient prying, indecent exposure, and soliciting for illegal purposes;

(7) Removing, defacing, damaging, or in any other way so misusing a statue, seat, wall, fountain, or other architectural feature or any tree, shrub, plant, or turf;

(8) Stepping upon or climbing upon any statue, fountain, or other ornamental architectural feature or any tree, shrub, or plant;

(9) Bathing, wading, or swimming in any fountain;

(10) Painting, marking or writing on, or posting or otherwise affixing any handbill or sign upon any part of a Library building or appurtenance, except on bulletin boards installed for that purpose and with the appropriate authorization;

(11) Bringing any animal onto Library buildings and turf other than dogs trained to assist hearing or visually impaired persons;

(12) Threatening the physical well-being of an individual; and

(13) Unreasonably obstructing reading rooms, food service facilities, entrances, foyers, lobbies, corridors, offices, elevators, stairways, or parking lots in such manner as to impede or disrupt the performance of official duties by the Library staff or to prevent Library patrons from using or viewing the collections.

(c) Public reading rooms, research facilities, and catalog rooms are designated as nonpublic forums. As such, they shall be used only for quiet scholarly research or educational purposes requiring use of Library materials. All persons using these areas shall comply with the rules in effect in the various public reading rooms, shall avoid disturbing other readers, and shall refrain from engaging in disruptive behavior, including but not limited to (1) Eating, drinking, or smoking in areas where these activities are expressly prohibited;

(2) Using loud language or making disruptive noises;

(3) Using any musical instrument or device, loudspeaker, sound amplifier, or other similar machine or device for the production or reproduction of sound, except for devices to assist hearing or visually impaired persons, without authorization;

(4) Interfering by offensive personal hygiene with the use of the area by other persons;

(5) Spitting, defecating, urinating, or similar disruptive activities;

(6) Intentionally abusing the furniture or furnishings in the area;

(7) Intentionally damaging any item from the collections of the Library of Congress or any item of Library property;

(8) Using computing terminals for purposes other than searching or training persons to search the Library's data bases or those under contract to the Library, or misusing the terminals by intentional improper or obstructive searching; and

(9) Using the Library's photocopy machines or microfilm reader-printers for purposes other than copying Library materials, for copying that violates the copyright law (Title 17 U.S.C.), or for copying in violation of posted usage restrictions, e.g., “staff only.”

(10) Performing any other inappropriate or illegal act, such as accessing or showing child pornography, online or otherwise on Library premises; and

(11) failing to wear appropriate clothing in Library facilities, including, but not limited to, footwear (shoes or sandals) and shirts.

(12) any behavior or interaction by a member of the public that unnecessarily hinders staff from performing the Library's public service functions.

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