Purpose
The Live Oak Public Libraries (“Library”) requires that all visitors to the library follow this visitor policy. This policy is to ensure personal safety for both employees and visitors as well as minimize disruption of work-related activities.
Definitions
- “Visitor” includes personal visitors, such as family members, as well as former employees, retirees, vendors, and contractors (excluding county building contractors).
- “Workplace” refers to all library facilities that are not normally open to patrons (e.g., staff only areas, technical services area, IT areas, circulation workroom, and all “behind the scenes” areas, etc.).
- “Official business” is defined as pre-arranged meetings, deliveries, and in the case of a vendor/contractor, pre-defined work to be completed in the workplace areas.
Procedures and Guidelines
All visitors who do not have official business with the department are restricted to the areas normally open to patrons and from visiting the workplace. Those with official business need to sign in at the front circulation desk, and will be required at sign in. Visitors will receive a visitor’s or contractor badge to be worn while in the “workplace,” and must return the badge and sign-out at the end of their visit. Visitors will require an escort to the area they will be conducting business. Visitor’s badges must be displayed while the individual is in the building to show they have been properly authorized.
If a retiree or former employee wants to visit with former colleagues, it may be pre-arranged and will be allowed only in the designated break rooms. Time spent attending to a personal visitor detracts from work production of not only the employee, but also co-workers.
Employees are to challenge strangers in the workplace who do not display the visitor’s badge to determine their authority for access to these areas. Unauthorized visitors should be escorted courteously, but quickly, from the workplace.