The primary purpose of the Saugus Public Library's meeting rooms is to allow the Library to hold meetings and programs that expand access to information and extend Library services within the community. Priority for use of the rooms is given to the Library and to Library related groups who hold meetings and programs to enhance the services of the Library. The Board of Trustees of the Saugus Public Library welcomes the use of the Community Meeting Room, located on the first floor, and the Fred Brooks Room, located on the second floor, for cultural, educational, informational, and/or civic meetings that it deems to be of general interest to the community.

The Community Meeting Room and the Fred Brooks Room are open to all groups regardless of beliefs or affiliations provided that the group is a non-profit organization, that it does not have policies that discriminate against individuals or groups of persons, that its meetings are open to the public, and that no admission fee is charged. However, because the Library is a municipal entity, groups with religious or political affiliations or agendas or groups that discriminate may not use the Library rooms. The Library does not endorse the viewpoints of meetings or meeting room users. No religious services or partisan political meetings or events may be held. All meetings are subject to the following conditions, which may be amended or excepted from time to time by the Board of Trustees:

1. Library meetings and programs receive first consideration when scheduling the Meeting Rooms followed by Town of Saugus meetings. The library reserves the right to move or reschedule a meeting when unforeseen Library or Town events or meetings create a conflict. The library will attempt to give the group as much notice as possible in these circumstances.
2. Individuals and/or groups may not reserve the rooms to conduct programs. All programs held in the Library are set by the Library Director in conjunction with Library Staff with the approval of the Board of Library Trustees.
3. The rooms may be booked up to six months at a time with an extension after the fifth month for another six months if demand permits. However, because the rooms are in great demand, groups who need the rooms for regular meetings are encouraged to investigate alternative sites as backup to the Library rooms.
4. Reservations must be made in writing on a form provided by the library and are confirmed on a first come first served basis. A signed copy of the Meeting Room Application must be received and approved by the Library Director before a meeting is held.
5. Attendance is limited to the established capacity of the rooms, which is 70-75 for the Community Meeting Room and 10-12 for the Fred Brooks Room. Smoking and alcoholic beverages are not allowed. Light refreshments e.g. coffee, tea, soda,snacks may be served in the Community Meeting Room only. No food or drink is permitted in the Fred Brooks Room at any time.
6. Meetings of a commercial nature to promote or create sales either in the Library or as a result of a meeting in the Library are not permitted. No sale of merchandise or exchange of money may take place in the library except for the fundraising events of the Saugus Public Library.
7. The library is not responsible for the loss of, or damage to any property brought on the premises.
8. Nothing shall be attached to the walls of the Rooms.
9. The Individual or Group requesting the room will be responsible for the arrangement of the room and for returning the room to the condition it was in before the meeting took place. Time should be allowed immediately before and after the meeting for this purpose so that the group is prepared to leave promptly when the library closes.
10. The name and telephone number of the person requesting the use of the Meeting Room will be provided to anyone who calls the library for information about the groups scheduled meeting.
11. Use of the Library's equipment must be requested at the time the room is reserved and listed on the reservation form. The person signing the form is responsible for the loss of or damage to any and all Library equipment and furnishings.
12. Parents or caregivers bringing children to meetings must keep the child with them in the Meeting Room. See unaccompanied minor policy.
13. Youth groups are welcome to use the Meeting Rooms. A responsible adult must make the reservation and an adult must be present during the meeting.
14. The library reserves the right to close the building in extremely bad weather or other unforeseen emergencies.
15. The library address or telephone number may not be used in any way that would endorse support or imply sponsorship of the meeting itself or the groups using the Meeting Rooms.
16. Individuals or groups using the Meeting Rooms shall secure any necessary performance licenses and shall indemnify the Library for any failure on their part to do so.
17. Advance notice of at least 24 hours must be given for cancellation of use of the Meeting Rooms. Failure to provide notice of cancellation may warrant cancellation of subsequent bookings.
18. There is no charge for use of and the Meeting Rooms, however, donation to the Saugus Public Library is strongly encouraged and appreciated. The funds are used to support Library programs.
19. The Meeting Rooms are available for use during the following times only. All meetings must end 30 minutes before the Library closes.
    
    Monday-Thursday 9:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
    Friday 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
    Please plan your agenda accordingly.

Failure to abide by these rules may result in denial of future use of these Rooms.

Approved by
The Board of Library Trustees
March 27, 2002.

Amended by
The Board of Library Trustees
November 7, 2011.

The Trustees of the Saugus Public Library care deeply about the well-being of the children who are our patrons. However, the Saugus Public Library is not responsible for the welfare of the children who are left unattended in the library. Parents are strongly urged to accompany their children, especially younger children, at all times during their visits to the library. We do not have the staff on hand to perform day care or baby sitting duties; the children's library is not staffed at all times; present staff is engaged entirely in circulation, reference, and other library duties. Staff is not licensed to perform child care. Parents are reminded that numerous unexpected events may occur while children are here unattended; the child could wander out of the library on his own; be approached by untrustworthy people who sometimes visit public buildings; or be physically injured. The library is not responsible for the whereabouts of unattended minors. The child could be asked to leave for inappropriate behavior or be stranded at closing time or during an unexpected closing. In these situations, if no parent or responsible adult is available or reachable by telephone, police assistance will be requested for the safety of the child.

Approved by
The Board of Library Trustees
May 1, 1995.

It is expected that all persons using the library will conduct themselves in an orderly and respectable manner and follow the rules of behavior set forth for public buildings. Proper dress and conversation are also expected. If a librarian determines that a patron is acting in an objectionable manner, is creating a public nuisance, or is inhibiting the rights and/or privileges of other patrons, the library reserves the right to ask that patron or patrons to leave the library. Such person or persons may also be restricted from using library facilities. Should a patron refuse to leave the library premises when asked to do so, the Saugus Police Department will be called. In the event the property of the library is damaged or destroyed, the person or persons responsible for such damage will be held accountable for their actions. In extreme cases of vandalism, the matter will be turned over to the Trustees of the Library and/or the police for action. Patron identification, that is, name, address, and phone number may be requested if necessary.

Approved by
the Board of Trustees of the Saugus Public Library
May 1, 1995.

Introduction: The Saugus Public Library strives to offer its patrons the most current and comprehensive resources available in print, audiovisual, and electronic media formats. In addition to its print and non print collections and CD ROM and online database resources, the library is pleased to provide its patrons with access to the Internet.

Access to the Internet: The library provides Internet access as a library resource and as the medium through which it offers numerous electronic databases in support of the library's role as Saugus' public provider of information and in accordance with the library's mission "to satisfy the informational, intellectual, and cultural needs of the Saugus community, and to enhance and enrich all patrons' lifelong reading, learning, and educational experiences." The library offers access to the Internet in an effort to complement, extend, broaden, and enhance its locally available information resources. The Internet allows users to connect to networks of resources beyond the library, to the NOBLE Network, and other networks throughout the State, country, and world.

Filtering: The library filters Internet access on all public PCs in the Children's Room to restrict access to objectionable materials.

Resources on the Internet: The Internet is a vast, unregulated information resource. Because anyone can publish anything at any time from anywhere, the library has no control over nor is it responsible for the content of the information available on the Internet. The Internet and its available resources may contain controversial material that some users might find offensive. Information on the Internet may be current, comprehensive, and reliable or it may be inaccurate, incomplete, and out-of-date. The library provides access to the Internet. Users are encouraged to use critical judgment when evaluating the information they find on the Internet. Parents are encouraged to assist their children with their Internet searching. The Saugus Public Library uses the NOBLE Network Web Site as the introductory screen on its workstations with Internet access. This "site" has been "developed to identify specific resources on the World Wide Web which are authoritative, helpful to users, and appropriate to libraries' mission and service roles. They are meant to serve as starting points for individual explorations. NOBLE provides these "useful Internet resources" links to broad subject topics in an effort to assist patrons with their Web browsing. There are also links to sites that are both helpful and appropriate for children and young adults. Patrons are encouraged to browse these resources before they broaden their searches on the Web. These sites are evaluated and selected by librarians, and meet the guidelines and criteria set forth in the Network's Home Page Policy."The library develops its own recommended "sites" and bookmarks to assist patrons in their Internet searching.

Internet Instruction: While the library cannot select every site that users "visit" during an Internet session, library staff will make every effort to guide patrons toward useful resources and to provide general assistance on the Internet as time permits. Reference and Children's librarians cannot provide in-depth training on Internet operations or personal computer skills. Staff may, however, be able to offer searching suggestions and answer questions. Internet training is offered to instruct users on developing effective search strategies. Parents who are concerned about their children's use of the Internet are encouraged to supervise and assist them in their sessions. Classes will be offered for parents and children on safe and effective Internet searching. A brochure is available at all Public Service Desks called Family Safe Searching on the Internet.

Internet Privacy and Security: Internet transactions may not be either private or secure. Please use caution when transmitting personal information on the Internet. Library staff will treat the contents of electronic files as private and confidential and subject to any applicable State laws governing the confidentiality of patron records. However, Internet users must be aware that subsequent users of the workstation may be able to access prior search information. Because of the public nature of the library's Internet services, confidentiality can not be guaranteed.

Internet E-mail: Neither the Saugus Public Library nor the NOBLE Network offers e-mail accounts to patrons. Please be aware that responses to e-mail sent directly over the Internet from these workstations are not available to the sender. However, users may be able to access their personal e-mail accounts at the PCs and terminals in order to send and receive messages. Patrons may also establish e-mail accounts through services on the Internet* (e.g. Hot Mail, Yahoo, Alta Vista...) When accessing e-mail in the library at public workstations, please keep in mind that private communications may be accessible to the next workstation user. Minors should use caution when communicating with others on the Internet, avoiding giving out personal information of any kind. Users are not permitted to download or install programs that will give them access to their personal e-mail accounts (e.g. Instant Messenger, AOL, ICQ, or ICW).

Internet Chat Rooms: Chat Rooms can be a valuable source of information on the Internet. Users may be able to find a group discussing current topics of interest and importance to them. Because of the limited number of workstations and the popularity of the Internet among library users, the Saugus Public Library strongly discourages users from using library workstations for entering chat rooms which are for entertainment rather than for information purposes. Minors should use caution and avoid giving out personal information of any kind in chat rooms.

Acceptable Use: The Saugus Public Library has developed a set of policy guidelines which apply to the use of the electronic workstations and resources in the library. Failure to adhere to these "acceptable use" guidelines may result in loss of workstation and Internet resource privileges.

Workstation Use: The library expects the user to use the electronic workstation in a responsible manner, taking care not to damage the equipment.

• Please be considerate of others. Patrons may use computer work stations for a total of 120 minutes per day. If no one is waiting for a computer, the patron may request a time extention.
• Please leave all equipment turned on. If a problem with any of the hardware or software develops, please notify a staff member. Do not attempt to make adjustments to the equipment yourself.
• Please use the programs as they are installed. Please do not install your own programs or run applications from your own disks or CD-ROMs.
• Please do not add, remove, alter, copy, or damage software, settings, or data; do not add or delete bookmarks or links. (If you find a useful site, please bring it to our attention and we will be happy to consider marking it.)
• Please do not add, remove, alter, or damage hardware or hardware settings.
• Please download only to your own pre-formatted floppy disk or portable drive; do not download information, icons, graphics, or programs to the hard drive. Blank disks may be purchased at Reference and Children's desks.

Internet Acceptable Use: The library expects its users to use the Internet in a responsible manner and as an information resource to be utilized in fulfillment of the library's role and mission. The term "USER" for the purposes of this document, applies to both Minor and Adult computer users. The library provides access to interactive forums (news groups, chat rooms, bulletin boards, etc.) in an effort to meet the informational needs of our patrons. USERS should not use chat rooms that are for entertainment purposes only. Illegal or unethical use of the Internet workstation by USERS is not permitted. Such use includes but is not limited to:

• USERS shall not violate copyright or licensing agreements
• USERS shall not violate another user's privacy
• USERS shall not view or transmit material that is not constitutionally protected
• USERS shall not represent themselves as someone else
• USERS shall not distribute advertising, junk mail, chain letters
• USERS shall not interfere with or harass other users either in person or online
• USERS shall not transmit harassing, threatening, or obscene material
• USERS shall not transmit computer viruses
• USERS shall not engage in any activity which is deliberately and maliciously offensive, libelous or slanderous
• USERS shall not engage in "hacking" or otherwise attempt to violate computer security or to gain unauthorized access to the library's network or computer systems or any other network or computer system.
• USERS shall not access material that is obscene, pornographic, child pornography, "harmful to minors", or otherwise inappropriate for educational uses.
• USERS should use caution in their use of electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications, as these forms of communication can expose Internet users to dangerous situations.
• USERS should never disclose personal data, such as name, address, and telephone number, financial information, school information to strangers on the Internet.

Any violation of library policy and rules may result in loss of library-provided access to the Internet. Additional disciplinary action may be determined in keeping with existing procedures and practices regarding inappropriate language or behavior. When and where applicable, law enforcement agencies may be involved.

In addition to these guidelines listed above, USERS should abide by the acceptable use policies adopted by the NOBLE Network and by other remote sites accessed during the Internet session.

USERS must abide by the acceptable use policies adopted by the NOBLE Library Network and by other remote sites accessed during the Internet session.

The library reserves the right for a staff member to terminate an Internet session at any time when a patron is in violation of any portion of this policy. Use of these workstations in the Saugus Public Library by patrons, implies their acceptance of these guidelines.

Approved by
The Saugus Public Library Board of Trustees
January, 2002.