The Haverstraw King’s Daughters Public Library is committed to serving its community during good times and hard times. The year 2020 has brought unprecedented challenges to our nation, state, and area of service. To continue serving our patrons during this difficult time while placing the health and safety of our community at the forefront, the Library Board of Trustees has adopted this Temporary Safety Practices Policy as an addendum to the existing Policy 2.1. Patron Rules of Conduct.

The Board of Trustees’ authority to adopt these measures is found in our charter, bylaws, New York Education Law Sections 255, 260, 226, 8 NYCRR 90.2, and Article 2 of the Not-for-profit corporation law. We also consider it our duty to develop these measures to keep our services accessible at this time.

HKDPL staff members have the authority to enforce these measures like any other of the Library’s rules. Concerns about this policy should be directed to the library director.

Thank you for honoring these measures, which are designed to keep our community safe, while allowing access to the library.

The Haverstraw King’s Daughters Public Library operates per relevant law and Executive Orders, including those pertaining to mandatory workforce reductions, and the wearing of masks in public places. Therefore, the temporary practices in this Policy may be further modified as needed to conform to relevant Orders.

Until the Board of Trustees votes to revoke this temporary policy, the library will require all people on the premises to abide by the following safety practices:

1. All persons must wear a face mask which covers the mouth and nose
2. All persons must maintain a minimum of 6’ social distancing on library property
3. Patrons should only approach public service desks when directed to come forward
4. All persons should not enter the building if they have a fever, feel ill or are in contact with someone who is ill

Until the Board of Trustees votes to revoke this temporary policy, the following services, activities and building areas may be restricted or limited to varying degrees:

1. Patron admittance to the building
2. Hours of operation
3. Building occupancy
4. Public computers
5. Book stacks and collections
6. Availability of meeting rooms, quiet study rooms, tutor rooms, group work room, program rooms and gallery by non-library groups
7. Seating
8. Notary Public, Passport Services, Faxing and Photocopying
9. Restrooms

Any person who fails to follow Safety Practices 1-4 above while on the premises will be given one warning at the discretion of Library staff. Instead of being given a second warning, the patron will be asked to leave the premises for the day. Failure to comply with staff requests may result in law enforcement intervention.

Any person who fails to adhere to the restrictions in Activities 1-9 above will be asked to leave the premises for the day. Failure to comply with staff requests may result in law enforcement intervention.

Section 36.208(a) of the 2010 ADA Regulations implements section 302(b)(3) of the Act by providing that this part does not require a public accommodation to permit an individual to participate in or benefit from the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages and accommodations of the public accommodation, if that individual poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. Paragraph (b) of this section explains that a ‘‘direct threat’’ is a significant risk to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by a modification of policies, practices, or procedures, or by the provision of auxiliary aids and services.

In the event any safety requirement is not practicable on the basis of a disability, please contact the Library Director to explore a reasonable accommodation, such as curbside pickup of materials.

To aid the community in honoring these requirements, the Library will transmit this policy through social media, and use a variety of health authority-approved, age-appropriate, multi-lingual and visual means to transmit this message in a manner consistent with our mission and our identity as a welcoming and accessible resource to the community.

Adherence to these practices shall be enforced as a requirement of the Library’s Code of Conduct until such time as this temporary policy is revoked.

Adopted by the Board of Trustees July 14, 2020