Libraries and leisure

Library Byelaws

BYELAWS made under section 19 of the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 by the HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

1. In these byelaws, unless the context otherwise requires:
   1. "the Act" means the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964
   2. "charge" means any charge imposed in accordance with the Regulations;
   3. "child" means a person under the age of 16 years;
   4. "emergency situation" includes situations where a library or part of a library is required to be evacuated for security reasons or because of threat from fire or other hazard and practices and false alarms in relation thereto;
   5. "last known address" means the last address held on the library authority's records;
   6. "the library authority" means the Hertfordshire County Council
   7. "library" means:
   1. Any premises which are occupied by a library authority and are premises where library facilities are made available by the authority, in the course of their provision of a public library service, to members of the public;
   2. Any vehicle which is used by the library authority for the purpose of providing a public library service to members of the public and is a vehicle in which facilities are made available;and includes any part of such premises or vehicle;
   8. "the library officer" means any officer employed by the library authority in connection with its functions under the Act;
   9. "library property" includes property owned by or provided for the use of the library authority whether or not it is made available by the library authority for use by the public and property obtained by the library authority for the loan to or use of the public;
   10. "the Regulations" means The Library Charges (England and Wales) Regulations 1991 S.1.1991/2712;
   11. words importing the masculine gender include the feminine, words in the singular include the plural and words in the plural include the singular;
   12. expressions used, unless the contrary intention appears, have the meaning which they bear in the Act and Regulations.
2. An act performed in connection with the proper execution of his duty by a library officer shall not be a contravention of these byelaws.
3. No person shall give a false name or address for the purpose of entering the library or for the purpose of using any library facility.
4. No person who in the reasonable opinion of a library officer is offensively unclean in person or clothing or both shall remain in the library after having been asked by a library officer to leave the library.
5. Except with the consent of a library officer, no person shall:
1. cause or allow any dog (other than a working dog accompanying a disabled person) or other animal belonging to him or under his control to enter or remain in the library;
2. bring into any part of the library a wheeled vehicle or conveyance other than a wheelchair, pram, pushchair or shopping trolley;
3. enter or remain in any part of the library which a reasonable person would or should know is prohibited to the public or;
4. remain in the library after the time fixed for its closing.
6. No person shall remain in the library after an emergency situation has been made known to him.
7. No person shall, unless specifically permitted by a library officer, take or attempt to take any library property from the library or past a check out or security point.
8. No person shall, without lawful excuse, destroy or damage any library property intending to destroy or damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property should be destroyed or damaged.
9. No person shall behave in a disorderly manner in the library, use violent abusive or obscene language therein, or intentionally or recklessly cause or do anything likely to cause injury to any other person or property.