D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 19, § 810

Code of Conduct Policy

Authority: An Act To establish and provide for the maintenance of a free public library and reading room in the District of Columbia, approved June 3, 1896, as amended (29 Stat. 244, ch. 315, § 5; D.C. Official Code § 39-105 (2012 Supp.)); Section 3205 (jjj) of the District of Columbia Government Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-139; D.C. Official Code § 39-105 (2012 Supp.)); Section 2 of the District of Columbia Public Library Board of Trustees Appointment Amendment Act of 1985, effective September 5, 1985 (D.C. Law 6-17; D.C. Official Code § 39-105 (2012 Supp.)); and the Procurement Reform Amendment Act of 1996, effective April 12, 1997, as amended (D.C. Law 11-259; 44 DCR 1423 (March 14, 1997)); Section 156 of An Act Making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999, and for other purposes, approved October 21, 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, Pub. L. 105-277; codified at D.C. Official Code § 39-105 (2012 Repl.)). Source: Final Rulemaking published at 56 DCR 1046-1059 (January 30, 2009); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 60 DCR 10967 (July 26, 2013); as corrected by Errata Notice published at 60 DCR 11203 (August 2, 2013); as corrected by Errata Notice published at 61 DCR 988 (February 7, 2014); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 64 DCR 7491 (August 4, 2017); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 67 DCR 11230 (September 25, 2020); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 72 DCR 010233 (September 19, 2025); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 73 DCR 007837 (May 22, 2026).District of Columbia, Office of the Secretary

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810 BEHAVIOR GUIDELINES AND RESPONSE MATRIX

810.1 It is the policy of the District of Columbia Public Library (“DCPL”) to provide and maintain a safe and secure environment in which every customer can attain equitable access to information, expanded opportunities and an increased quality of life. The behavior guidelines or library rules of conduct are developed only to deter unacceptable customer behavior that may interfere or disturb other library customers or promote an unsafe and insecure environment. It is DCPL’s intention that by developing these guidelines its customers are free from harassment, abuse, harm or undue stress when utilizing its facilities. The DCPL wants to ensure its customers an environment that will provide a lifelong learning experience that is conducive to reading and use of information resources that will aid one’s personal growth and development, while also ensuring that its customers, both internal and external, receive the highest quality of services possible. More importantly, the DCPL wants to guarantee that those customers using the library and its resources have a safe, comfortable environment that supports appropriate library services.

810.2 For the safety and comfort of the public and staff, and to create an environment conducive for library business the following activities are prohibited on library property and facilities:

GUIDELINE # & PENALTY	Offenses	Warning First	30 Days	90 Days	6 Months	1 Year
SMOKING #1
	1^st Offense		X
	Repeat Offense			X
*GAMBLING #2
	1^st Offense		X
	Repeat Offense			X
*FIGHTING #3
	1^st Offense				X
	Repeat Offense					X
SLEEPING, LYING, OR PLACING HEAD ON TABLES OR ON THE FLOORS #4
	1^st Offense	X

	Repeat Offense		X	X

GUIDELINE # & PENALTY	Offenses	Warning First	7 Days	30 Days	90 Days	6 Months
DISTRIBUTING OR POSTING PRINTED MATERIALS WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION FROM AN ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. MEMORIAL LIBRARY OR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARIES, OR THE BRANCH MANAGER #5
	1^st Offense	X	X
	Repeat Offense			X
TRESPASSING IN NONPUBLIC AREAS OR BEING IN THE LIBRARY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF AN AUTHORIZED LIBRARY EMPLOYEE BEFORE OR AFTER LIBRARY OPERATING HOURS AND CAMPING ON LIBRARY GROUNDS #6
	1^st Offense			X	X
	Repeat				X	X

	Offense
Such violations are generally more serious in nature & may result in an arrest*

GUIDELINE # & PENALTY	Offenses	Warning First	7 Days	30 Days	6 Months	1 Year
*USE OR POSSESSION OF ILLEGAL DRUGS OR OPENED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES #7
	1^st Offense Repeat Offense				X	X
*ENTERING THE FACILITY WITHOUT WEARING SHIRT AND/OR SHOES #8
	1^st Offense Repeat Offense	X	X	X
MORE THAN ONE LARGE AND ONE PERSONAL BAG NOT EXCEEDING A TOTAL OF TWO (2) BAGS FOR EACH CUSTOMER. THE OFFICIAL AIRPORT STANDARD 'CARRY ON' SIZE - 9x14x22' WILL BE APPLIED TO THE LARGE BAG #9
	1^st Offense Repeat Offense	X X

GUIDELINE # & PENALTY	Offenses	Warning First	7 Days	30 Days	90 Days
*USING LIBRARY RESTROOMS FOR INAPPROPRIATE USE, E.G., BATHING, SHAMPOOING, DOING LAUNDRY, AND CHANGING CLOTHES #10
	1^st Offense Repeat Offense			X	X
*ANY ACTIVITY THAT INTERFERES WITH CUSTOMER OR STAFF USE OF THE LIBRARY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: - VERBALLY HARASSING OTHERS; - USE OF OBSCENE LANGUAGE; - STALKING #11
	1^st Offense Repeat Offense	X	X	X	X
EXCESSIVE NOISE, INCLUDING LOUD CONVERSATION AND MUSIC #12
	1^st Offense Repeat Offense	X	X

GUIDELINE # & PENALTY	Offenses	Warning First	7 Days	30 Days	6 Months	1 Year
*INDECENT EXPOSURE, SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OR NAKEDNESS #13
	1^st Offense				X
	Repeat Offense					X
ANIMALS, OTHER THAN SERVICE ANIMALS ASSISTING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES # 14
	1^st Offense	X
	Repeat Offense		X
SELLING, SOLICITING OR PANHANDLING UNLESS AUTHORIZED BY CHIEF LIBRARIAN OR DESIGNEE. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES MAY NOT OBSTRUCT ENTRANCE TO AND EXITS FROM THE LIBRARY #15
	1^st Offense	X
	Repeat Offense		X	X

GUIDELINE # & PENALTY	Offenses	Warning First	7 Days	30 Days	90 Days
MOVING LIBRARY FURNITURE OR EQUIPMENT WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION FROM DCPL STAFF # 16
	1^st Offense Repeat Offense	X	X	X
BLOCKING LIBRARY ENTRANCES AND AISLES OR INTERFERING WITH THE FREE ACCESS TO BUILDING AND MATERIALS #17
	1^st Offense Repeat Offense	X	X	X
ABUSE OF INTERNET GUIDELINES (SEE INTERNET GUIDELINES.) #18
	1^st Offense Repeat Offense			X	X
*Such violations are generally more serious in nature & may result in an arrest

GUIDELINE # & PENALTY	Offenses	Warning First	7 Days	30 Days	90 Days	6 Months	1 Year

FRAUDULENT USE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S LIBRARY CARD OR NUMBER F OR ANY PURPOSE, INC CLUDING RESERVING COMPUTERS # 19
	1^st Offense Repeat Offense	X	X
*STEALING, DAMAGING, A LTERING, OR INAPPROPRIATE USE OF LIBRARY PROPERTY INCL UDING MATERIALS, COMPUTER HARDW ARE AND SOFTWARE, PRINTERS, COPIERS, P HONES OR OTHER E QUIPMENT # 20
	1^st Offense Repeat Offense		X	X

GUIDELINE # & PENALTY	Offenses	Warning First	7 Days	30 Days	90 Days	6 Months	1 Year
*CARRYING FIREARMS AND DANGEROUS WEAPONS OF ANY TYPE OR ITEMS THAT COU

LD POTENTIALLY BE USED AS A WEAPON #21
	1^st Offense Repeat Offense			X	X
FOOD AND BEVERAGES IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: NEVER PERMITTED IN ANY DESIGNATED SPECIAL COLLECTION AREA, E.G., BLACK STUDIES CENTER, WASHINGTON, OHANA, CHILDREN'S ILLUSTRATOR COLLECTION, AND COMPUTER LAB. MAY BE PERMITTED IN SPECIFIC ANNOUNCED LOCATIONS BY THE LIBRARY. #22
	1^st Offense Repeat Offense	X	X
*Such violations are generally more serious in nature & may result in an arrest

GUIDELINE # & PENALTY	OFFENSES	Warning First	7 Days	30 Days	90 Days	6 Months	1 Year
UNATTENDED PACKAGES, LUGGAGE, OR BAGS. THE LIBRARY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST OR MISSING ITEMS #23


	1^st Offense Repeat Offense	X	X
USE OF ROLLER SKATES, S COOTERS, SKATEB OARDS, BICYCLES, OR OTHER SIMILAR DE VICES #24
	1^st Offense Repeat Offense	X		X
CHILDREN UNDER AGE EIGHT WITHOUT APPROPRIATE SUPERVISION ( SEE "UNATTENDED CHILDREN'S POLICY".) #25
	1^st Offense Repeat Offense	X X

GUIDELINE # & PENALTY	Offenses	Warning First	7 Days	30 Days	90 Days	6 Months	1 Year
CHILDREN UNDER AGE SIXTEEN (16) DURING REGULAR SCHOOL HOURS [TRAUNCY] BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 9:30 A.M. THROUGH 2:00 P.M. WITHOUT PARENTAL/G

GUARDIAN CONSENT. STAFF WILL NOTIFY PARENT OR GUARDIAN IF TRUANCY OCCURS ( D.C. OFFICIAL CODE, T ITLE 32-221 (2001 ED.)) D.C. SCHOOLS DEFINE TRUANCY AS THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE A BSENT FROM SCHOOL WITHOUT A VALID RE ASON (WITH OR WIT HOUT PARENTAL K NOWLEDGE OR CONS NT #26
	1^st Offense	X
	Repeat Offense	X

GUIDELINE # & PE NALTY	OFFENSES	Warning First	7 Days	30 Days	90 Days	6 Months	1 Year
ADULTS AND TEENS, AGE FOUR TEEN (14) AND OLDER, ARE REST RICTED F ROM CHIL DREN'S ARE AS AND COM PUTERS. T

HIS EXCLUS ION DOES NOT APPLY T O PARENTS, GUARDIANS OR CARETAKERS WHEN PRESENT WITH CHI LDREN IN T HE AREA AND THOSE ADULTS THAT ARE SELECTING CHILDREN'S MATERIALS #27
	1^st Offense	X
	Repeat Offense	X
Such violations are generally more serious in nature & may result in an arrest*

GUIDELINE # & PENALTY	OFFENSES	Warning First
ADULTS ARE RESTRICTED FROM TEENS AREAS AND COMPUTERS. THIS EXCLUSION DOES NOT APPLY TO PARENTS, GUARDIANS OR CARETAKERS WHEN PRESENT WITH TEENS IN THE AREA AND THOSE ADULTS WHO ARE SELECTING TEEN MATERIALS
#28
	1^st Offense	X
	Repeat Offense	X
Such violations are generally more serious in nature & may result in an arrest*

810.3 A customer that is aggrieved by an administrative decision involving a violation of the DCPL Behavior Guidelines may appeal the decision in writing to the DCPL Office of Public Safety within ten (10) working days of the decision. The Appeal Officer of the DCPL Office of Public Safety shall review the record regarding the incident giving rise to the decision. The Appeal Officer may affirm, modify, or overrule the decision based upon the Appeal Officer's review of the record. Send written appeal to:

Appeal Officer

DCPL, Office of Public Safety

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library

901 'G' Street, N.W.

3rd Floor

Washington, D.C. 20001

810.4 If a customer enters any DCPL property while an official bar is in effect, the customer is subject to arrest for unlawful entry pursuant to D.C. Official Code §22-3302 (2001 Ed.).

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 56 DCR 1046-1059 (January 30, 2009).