Another Patron Banned From Ela Library

The Board has barred a woman from the facility for a year.

The board’s unanimous vote came Sept. 20, after library officials said the woman violated the library's behavior policies on two occasions.

The first incident occurred in June. Interim Executive Director Brenda Duff said the woman was in the upstairs quiet area of the library and was being loud. When library staff asked her to observe the noise policy, she “became verbally abusive and used foul language," Duff said. The woman was asked to leave and refused, so the was contacted, and the woman was removed from the library.

Library policy states that the "noise level should be maintained at a level that is neither disturbing to other patrons in that area of the library nor disruptive to library service."

Police asked library staff if they wanted to issue a no trespass order for the woman, which would keep her from coming into the library indefinitely.

“The staff decided to not put a no-trespass on her because it was the first time it happened,” said Duff.

In September, the woman came to the library with a toddler. While using the computer in the children’s department, the toddler was left unattended. Staff asked her to observe library policy and “watch the child,” Duff said, adding that the woman again became verbally abusive and used foul language and refused to leave.

Library policy states that "children 8 years of age and under must be closely supervised at all times by a responsible person who is at least 14 years old."

“This time she used worse language than before and in the children’s section,” said Duff. “I called the police and they asked if I wanted to put a no trespass order on her and I did.”

Duff recounted the incidents to the library staff at the board meeting and they all agreed to ban the woman for a year and to keep the no trespass order in place for a year as well.

“We want to support what you and the staff have decided,” said board member Kathy Caudill.

The woman was informed by Duff that a vote to ban her at the next library meeting would be on the agenda and she could attend. The woman was not present.

The woman is not an Ela Library cardholder.

The ban can be rescinded at any time by the library board.

A letter will be sent to the woman through the notifying her of the ban this week, Duff said.

“I wanted to protect our staff and our patrons,” said Duff.

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