Library Guidelines | City of Fremantle
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Library Guidelines

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Photo of the Fremantle Library showing the front pod, the stairs, and some shelves.

 

Code of Conduct

The City of Fremantle Library is a community space where everyone is welcome. We need to work together and treat each other with respect to make sure the space is safe.

Be safe

  • Inform Library staff of concerns
  • Supervise people in your care
  • Take care of Library property
  • Watch your belongings

Be respectful

  • Cooperate with staff directions
  • Maintain a quiet environment
  • Ask before taking photos or filming
  • Wear suitable clothing, including footwear.

Be cybersmart

  • View appropriate material
  • Protect logins and passwords
  • Log out of your accounts

Unacceptable behaviour

Behaviour that is offensive, inconsiderate or compromises the safety of the people or property is unacceptable.

The following will not be tolerated:

  • Violence
  • Aggression, harassment, and abuse
  • Use of alcohol or illicit substances
  • Theft or destruction of property

Clients must cooperate with staff and Community Safety officers, including leaving the building or moving their belongings when asked to do so.

 

Food and Drink Guidelines

This guide provides visitors to the Library and library staff, including authorised officers of the library as to what food and drink may be consumed in the building.

Consumption of sealable or lidded drinks and snacks are allowed in some area of the library and the courtyards.

No food or drinks are to be consumed in the Gaming Zone, and Local History area.

No food or drinks can be consumed while using the Public Computers or during programs using technology i.e. Coderdojo and Tech Help.

Food and drinks should not be left unattended or uncovered.

Patrons are expected to clean up after themselves by placing food refuse in the rubbish bins provided.

No alcoholic beverages are allowed in the Walyalup Civic Centre.

 

Supervision of children (0 - 12 years old) in the library

The term ‘children’ refers to any child aged from birth to 12 years inclusive.

City of Fremantle Library welcome children and families to our Library, and we strive to provide a welcome and inclusive environment which meets their needs for recreation, information, and education. However young children are not safe when left unattended in the library. The staff cannot know if the children are leaving the building with a parent or stranger. It is not our intention to seek out unattended children but be able to respond to situations should they arise.

Library staff are trained to provide Library services and are not equipped or expected to supervise or look after children.

For their own security and wellbeing, children must be accompanied by a responsible guardian over the age of 18 years. The guardian must supervise children in the library and are responsible for the monitoring of their behaviour and activities. All children aged five years and younger must always be within sight of their guardian.

Library staff will not be responsible for unsupervised children, please be aware that parents or guardians always remain responsible for the safety of all their children. Any person who leaves a child insufficiently supervised, or unsupervised in the library is exposing them to potential harm and may be committing an offence under the Children and Community Services Act 2004 (WA).

If required, Library staff may respond to situations involving unsupervised children, such as: 

  • If a child is found agitated, crying, or frightened in the library. 
  • If a child is injured or unwell. 
  • If a child is perceived to be in danger or in danger of harming other Library users. 
  • If another person has been perceived as a threat to the child. 
  • If the child exhibits inappropriate behaviour. 
  • An unattended child is found in the library at closing time. 
  • An unattended child is found in the library during an emergency evacuation.

In cases like these, staff may try to contact the child’s parent, guardian, or caregiver. If this is not successful or if it is deemed necessary, Library staff will report the incident to the Fremantle Police and ask them to collect the child or children from the library.

 

Collection Development Guidelines

Objective

To provide the City of Fremantle and the community with a framework for the selection, acquisition, evaluation, and deaccession of materials for the Library collection.

Scope

These guidelines extend to library materials held within Fremantle Library, Fremantle Toy Library and The Meeting Place, and the digital resources provided by the City of Fremantle Library.

Statement

The City’s library service aims to provide free access to a comprehensive and dynamic collection of print, non-print and digital resources which meet the current and future recreational, educational, and cultural needs of the community.

Purchase of Library materials will maintain the collection in response to community needs and will supplement resources supplied by the State Library of Western Australia.

The City’s Library Manager is responsible for the management and procurement of Library collection materials. Selection of materials will be based on the following criteria:

  • Cost 
  • Literary merit 
  • Relevance and suitability 
  • Currency and accuracy of content 
  • Authority and reputation of author, publisher, producer, or illustrator 
  • Quality of presentation 
  • Durability of format for loan and storage 
  • Language (materials in languages other than English are acquired according to community needs).

Additional selection criteria may be considered when selecting digital resources: 

  • Vendor support 
  • Technical considerations 
  • Download speed 
  • Ease of use 
  • Availability of usage statistics 
  • Content availability and coverage (Australian sources) 
  • Platform 
  • Contract provisions (limitations of subscriptions).

Donations

In most cases, donations will not be accepted. If accepted, the material donated becomes the property of the City. The Library reserves the right to handle donated material as it sees fit and will not enter into discussion or correspondence regarding the handling of these materials.

Exclusions

Items may be excluded for several reasons including the following: 

  • The subject matter is covered in resources in the City of Fremantle Library collection or is available via inter-library loan. 
  • The material is not readily available. 
  • The content is out of date. 
  • The item is in an unsuitable format. 
  • The item is not of general interest or value to the local community.

City of Fremantle Library will not exclude materials by rejecting on moral, gender, individual lifestyle, political, racial, or religious grounds alone.

Material will not be rejected on the grounds that its content is controversial or likely to offend some section of the community. Such material may otherwise be relevant to the purpose of the Library and meet the standards, such as historical importance, intellectual integrity, effectiveness of expression or accuracy of information, which are required by the Library service. Library resources are available to all Library users without restriction, except where legally required, or as set out in the Library’s loan conditions. The Library encourages parents/carers to set their own family rules in consultation with their child. It is the responsibility of parents/carers to monitor young people’s selection and use of Library resources.

Deaccession of stock

The Library collection and content shall be reviewed and updated, with surplus stock deaccessioned based on the following criteria: 

  • Out of date or inaccurate content 
  • Low community relevance and/or interest in content 
  • New edition available 
  • Digital availability 
  • Poor physical condition

Surplus material may be sold at Library book sales at a cost prescribed in the City’s Fees and Charges Schedule or by other methods deemed effective and appropriate, including (but not limited to) donations to community or commercial agencies or sustainable paper recycling.

Local History

Please refer to Local History Collection Management Guidelines.

Legislation/ Local Law Requirements

Library Board (Registered Public Libraries) Regulations 1985. State and Local Government Agreement for the Provision of Public Library Services in Western Australia, 2020. Local level agreement for the delivery of public library services, 2011 Funding Arrangement for the delivery of public library services, 2011 Western Australian Classification Publications, Film and Computer Games Enforcement Act 1996. Censorship Act 1996.

Other Relevant Policies/ Key Documents

Statement on Free Access to Information (Australian Library and Information Association 2018) Statement on Libraries and Literacies (Australian Library and Information Association, 2006). Statement on Public Library Services (Australian Library and Information Association, 2018)

Definitions and abbreviations

  • Deaccessioned: The process upon which a library item or resource is removed from the collection, catalogue or database.
  • Digital Resources: Resources provided and stored in an electronic format including the internet, electronic databases, digital audio, images and film, eBooks, eAudiobooks, eNewspapers, and eMagazines.
  • Library Materials: Any item held in the library collection that includes but is not limited to books, CDs, DVDs, audio books, magazines, maps, plans, photographs and electronic resources.

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