Mission Statement: The Rice Lake Public Library connects all people to their community and the world by promoting literacy, providing opportunities for recreation, supporting lifelong learning, and ensuring free and open access to ideas.

Vision Statement: The Rice Lake Public Library is the center of community life in the Rice Lake area. It is a source of pride for local residents, most of whom make extensive use of the library’s materials and facility. All people feel welcome at the Rice Lake Public Library.

Value Statement: We believe in community, service, access, and the public good. People come to the library for a good book, to gather for a community meeting, to attend one of the library’s varied programs, to play or have quiet time with their children, to make use of the library’s technology, to seek out information from a trusted source, or simply to “hang out.” Making customer service a top priority, the library consistently anticipates and meets the needs of Rice Lake area residents.

Objectives:  The general goals of the Rice Lake Public Library shall be: 

1. To serve all residents of the community and the surrounding region.

2. To acquire and make available to all residents of the Rice Lake area the materials and services as will address their needs to a) become well informed, b) locate answers to important questions, c) cultivate the imagination and creative expression, d) develop skills for career and vocational advancement, and e) enjoy leisure by means of reading and other media services.

3. To acquire the means to provide the most frequently requested material locally and upon demand.

4. To make these materials as conveniently available to the people of the community as the library budget will permit.  The standards for libraries, as adopted by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s Division for Libraries, Technology and Community Learning, shall be the goal toward which the library will strive.

5. To maintain a program of service which locates information, guides reading, organizes and interprets material for people of various backgrounds, and stimulates thinking and intellectual development in individuals of any age.

6. To seek to identify community needs, provide programs and services to meet such needs, and to cooperate with other organizations, agencies and institutions that can provide programs of service to meet community needs.

7. To strive consistently to discover new methods and improvements for better service for the library's customers.

Reviewed, updated, and approved by the Rice Lake Public Library Board of Trustees June 11, 2024.

The library will serve all residents of the community and the public library system area. Service will not be denied or abridged because of religious, racial, social, economic, or political status; or because of mental, emotional, or physical condition; age; gender, or sexual orientation. The use of the library may be denied for due cause. 

Appropriate Library Behavior Policy 

Purpose:  The purpose of this policy is to express the roles and responsibilities patrons have to ensure the library's physical and virtual spaces are welcoming, safe, and secure.  Under section 43.52 (1) of the Wisconsin State Statutes, the Rice Lake Public Library Board of Trustees may enact regulations that serve to ensure the safety of all library staff and patrons. 

The Board of Trustees is committed to providing an atmosphere where people of all ages may come to use the library’s collection and facilities without being unduly disturbed or impeded by other library users.  If a patron is not responsive to the needs of other library users or disregards library policies, the patron will be asked to leave the building. 

Specific Guidelines: 

1. Any behavior that disrupts or hinders public use of the library is prohibited on library property.  This includes, but is not limited to, loud or boisterous behavior, verbal or physical harassment, intoxication, being in the library without a shirt or shoes, and remaining in the building after regular closing hours.

2. Electronic or other types of personal equipment may be used in the library as long as this equipment does not disturb other library users.  The courteous use of cell phones is permitted; however, if a ringing phone or a patron’s conversation disturbs library users, staff will ask the patron to use the cell phone in the lobby or outside the building.

3. Animals, except those used to aid persons with disabilities, are not permitted in the library, unless they are part of a library‐sponsored program.  Animals may not be left unattended on library property.

4. Bicycles are not permitted in any library public area or entryway.  Roller skating and skateboarding are not permitted in the library.  Wagons and strollers may not be left obstructing a corridor, hallway, aisle, entry or exit.

5. Only persons on library business will be allowed to solicit for the sale of goods and services in the library.  Salespersons may meet with authorized library personnel only.  Exceptions may be made for library‐sponsored activities and organizations affiliated with the library. 

6. Taking surveys, circulating petitions, distributing leaflets and canvassing for signatures are permitted in the library only when authorized by library administration.

7. Carrying firearms and dangerous weapons of any type (except by law enforcement officers) is prohibited.  Per statute, signage is posted at all public entrances to the library.

8. The use of tobacco or e‐cigarette products is prohibited on library grounds; this includes public spaces such as sidewalks and parking areas within 25 feet of all library entrances.

Theft of Library Materials:  Illegal conduct will be referred to the proper authorities for legal action in accordance with section 943.61 (3) of the Wisconsin State Statutes.   The concealment of library material beyond the last station for borrowing is evidence of intent to deprive the library of possession of the material.  An employee of the library who has probable cause for believing that a person has committed a theft in his or her presence may detain the person in a reasonable manner for a reasonable length of time in order to turn the person over to the police, or to the person’s parent or guardian in the case of a minor.  The detained person shall be promptly informed of the purpose for the detention, but shall not be interrogated or searched against his or her will before the arrival of the police, who may conduct a lawful interrogation. 

A brief written report of any incident involving theft, vandalism, illegal activity or major disruptive behavior will be filed with the Library Director as soon as possible after its occurrence.  The Library Director, acting on behalf of the Board of Trustees, may suspend the library privileges of any individual who willfully violates library regulations when the severity or continued reoccurrence warrants such action.  The person whose privileges are suspended shall be advised in writing of the suspension and the reason for such action.  The person shall be informed that the suspension may be appealed at the next regularly scheduled library board meeting.

Child Safety Policy 

The Rice Lake Public Library encourages children of all ages to visit the library and hope they will find it a warm, inviting place to be.  The happiness and safety of children left alone in a public building is of serious concern. Unattended children may become frightened, anxious, or bored. Older children cannot be expected to deal with a small child who is frightened, tired, or ill. Library staff have many public duties and cannot serve as babysitters.  No public place, including the library, can guarantee the safety of children. 

We ask your cooperation in the following areas as we strive to make the library a safe and happy place for your child. 

1. All children 4 years old and under must be in the company of and supervised by a parent or responsible caregiver when in the library.

2. Children ages *5-7 years old must have a responsible caregiver in the building and available to them.

3. Children ages 8 years old and older are responsible for their own behavior in the library and must follow library rules and regulations. Any child 8 or older who is left unattended must have a means of contacting his/her parent or guardian. The library courtesy phone is available for local calls.

4. The library staff will attempt to contact parents of children whose safety is in doubt.  If parents are unavailable, the library staff will contact the police department to provide custody.

5. A child of any age who is unaccompanied by a responsible adult or a caregiver for an extended period of time (more than 4 hours or over the course of mealtimes) may be approached for information concerning his/her parent's availability.

6. All children should have the telephone number of someone who can assist them in an emergency.

7. If any child has not been picked up at closing, the Library will contact the police to provide custody.

*Grade school children of all ages are welcome to ride the school bus to the library for sponsored programs and activities, provided their parent or guardian has arranged a ride for them following the conclusion of the program.  Due to the busy and sometimes chaotic nature of these events, library staff are unable to manage how and with whom a child leaves the library.

Food and Allergy Policy

Food and beverages are allowed in the Rice Lake Public Library and those with severe food allergies should be aware that food allergens may be present in the library as it is a shared community space. All-purpose cleaning wipes and/or all-purpose spray cleaner, paper towels, and disposable gloves will be available if you wish to wipe down a hard surface. Library staff do not oversee food brought in by patrons or outside groups for potential food allergens. Food is occasionally present in our programs, both as snacks and as craft materials. Notice will be provided when food or refreshments will be present at a program. Those with food allergies are responsible for monitoring refreshments served at the library. Responsibility for monitoring minors rests with their parents, guardians, or custodial caregivers.

Reviewed, updated, and approved by the Rice Lake Public Library Board of Trustees June 11, 2024.

The Rice Lake Public Library provides materials for information, entertainment, intellectual development, and enrichment of the people of the community.  The library shall endeavor to: 

1. Select, organize, and make available necessary books and materials.

2. Provide guidance and assistance to patrons.

3. Sponsor and implement programs, exhibits, displays, book lists, etc., which would appeal to children, teens, and adults.

4. Cooperate with other community agencies and organizations.

5. Secure information beyond its own resources when requested using interlibrary loan and other resource sharing methods provided through the system and state.

6. Lend to other libraries upon request.

7. Develop and provide services to patrons with special needs.

8. Maintain a balance in its services to various age groups.

9. Cooperate with, but not perform the functions of, school or other institutional libraries.

10. Provide service during hours which best meet the needs of the community, including evening and weekend hours.

11. Regularly review library services being offered.

12. Use media and other public relations mechanisms to promote the full range of available library services.

Reviewed, updated, and approved by the Rice Lake Public Library Board of Trustees June 11, 2024.

Objectives

The purpose of the Rice Lake Public Library is to provide all individuals in the community with carefully selected books and other materials to aid the individual in the pursuit of education, information, research, pleasure, and the creative use of leisure time.  

Because of the volume of publishing, as well as the limitations of budget and space, the library must have a selection policy with which to meet community interests and needs.  

The materials selection/collection development policy is used by the library staff in the selection of materials and also serves to acquaint the general public with the principles of selection.  

The Library Bill of Rights, The Freedom to Read Statement, and The Freedom to View Statement have been endorsed by the Rice Lake Public Library Board of Trustees and are integral parts of the policy.  The Rice Lake Public Library will not restrict access to any part of the collection to any patron holding a valid library card.  

Responsibility for Selection 

The ultimate responsibility for selection of library materials rests with the library director who operates within the framework of the policies determined by the Board of Trustees. This responsibility may be shared with other members of the library staff; however, because the director must be available to answer to the library board and the general public for actual selections made, the director has the authority to reject or select any item contrary to the recommendations of the staff. 

Criteria for Selection

General criteria for selecting library materials are listed below. An item need not meet all of the criteria in order to be acceptable:

a. individual merit of each item

b. popular appeal/demand/relevancy

c. suitability of material for the clientele

d. existing library holdings

e. budget

Reviews are a major source of information about new materials. The lack of a review or an unfavorable review shall not be the sole reason for rejecting a title which is in demand. Therefore, consideration is given to requests from library patrons and books discussed on public media. Materials are judged on the basis of the work as a whole, not on a part taken out of context.

Intellectual Freedom

The Library and the Library Board of Trustees uphold the democratic right of all Americans to freely express their thoughts and ideas, both popular and unpopular. We support the right of each individual to privately read, listen, and view the full range of published thoughts and ideas. The Library Board of Trustees considers reading, listening, and viewing to be individual, private matters. The Library Board of Trustees believes that full, confidential, and unrestricted access to information is essential for patrons to exercise their constitutional rights. While anyone is free to select or reject materials for themselves or their own minor child(ren), the freedom of others to read or inquire will not be restricted. Only parents and guardians have the right and responsibility to guide and direct the reading, listening, and viewing choices of their own minor child(ren). The Library does not stand in the place of parents (in loco parentis).

The Library and the Library Board of Trustees adhere to the principles stated in the Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read Statement, and the Freedom to View Statement published by the American Library Association (appendices A, B, and C). The Library Board of Trustees have also adopted a Resolution Against Book Bans (appendix D). These supporting documents can be found as appendices at the end of this policy.

The Library collection will be organized, marked, and maintained to help people find the materials they want. Any labeling, sequestering, or alteration of materials because of controversy surrounding the author or the subject matter will not be sanctioned.

Local Authors

1. Submitting Your Work for Rice Lake Public Library's Consideration: 

Local authors, publishers and producers frequently ask us to include their work in RLPL’s collection. Our professional selection staff evaluates each published work or media production according to our Materials Selection Policy.

You may send either a copy of your work for evaluation or information (please include reviews, author information and ordering details) about your book to: Local Author Submissions, 2 E. Marshall St. Rice Lake, WI 54868. Your book will be considered for purchase.  A donated copy may be added to the Local Author Shelf. Please note that review copies will not be returned.

Rice Lake Public Library generally does not add books to the general collection that have been self published or published with a book packager.

2. What You Can Expect from the Library:

Through inclusion in the collection the Library assists the author's efforts to make his/her work accessible to the larger community. On occasion, further promotion may take place.

For example:

• An author may be booked to present a program at our library;

• The library may include the item in a display or on a particular subject or genre list;

• Depending on the program, flyers and/or press releases may be issued;

• Information about the author or author's work may be included in the library Newsletter or on our Social Media sites.

The Library bears no additional obligation for marketing an author's work. It is neither the role nor the responsibility of the public library to provide any of the following services for authors. Authors are fully responsible for securing these services: 

• Literary agent

• Reviewer

• Proofreader

• Publisher

• Editor

• Publicist

Local authors may work directly with our programming manager to plan an appearance. 

Interlibrary Loan  

Because of limited budget and space, the library cannot provide all materials that are requested. Therefore, interlibrary loan is used to obtain from other libraries those materials that are beyond the scope of this library's collection.  

In return for utilizing interlibrary loan to satisfy the needs of our patrons, the Rice Lake Public Library agrees to lend its materials to other libraries through the same interlibrary loan network, and to make an effort to have its current holdings listed in a tool that is accessible by other libraries throughout the state. 

Gifts and Donations  

Books, pamphlets, periodicals, audiovisual materials and other items are accepted with the understanding that the library has the authority to make whatever disposition of the materials deemed advisable.  Donated items that are not added to the library’s collection may be placed into the library’s book sale, and proceeds will be used by the Friends of the Library to enrich library services.  Items not suitable for sale will be recycled or discarded. 

Staff responsible for the evaluation and selection of gift materials will base their decisions on the guidelines set forth in the collection development policy. 

Memorial gifts of books or money are also accepted with suitable bookplates placed in the book. Specific memorial books can be ordered for the library on request of a patron if the request meets the criteria established by the Board. It is desirable for gifts of or for specific titles to be offered after consultation with the library director. Book selection will be made by the director if no specific book is requested. The Rice Lake Public Library encourages and appreciates gifts and donations. 

Gifts of money, real property, art objects, portraits, antiques, and other museum objects are accepted or rejected on the basis of suitability to the library’s mission, décor and the availability of space for display, as well as the understanding that the library has the authority to make whatever disposition is deemed advisable, which may include sale, transfer to another agency, and so forth. 

Gifts of toys or treats for children will be evaluated by staff for safety and suitability.  Staff will determine whether to incorporate such gifts into the library’s collection, whether to distribute them to children, or whether to discard them. 

Special collections of gift books that are deemed usable may be integrated into the regular collection rather than being kept together as a separate entity.  A requirement that an item receive special housing or special handling may render it unacceptable. 

Requests to have materials temporarily housed in the library, when the materials are not outright gifts, will be considered on a case‐by‐case basis.  Generally speaking, such requests will not be honored unless their benefit to the community as determined by the library director outweighs the extraordinary administrative procedures required to service them and they cannot reasonably be made available to the community through any other source. 

By law, the library is not allowed to appraise the value of donated materials, though it can provide an acknowledgment of receipt of the items if requested by the donor. 

Weeding  

An up-to-date, attractive and useful collection is maintained through a continual withdrawal and replacement process. Replacement of worn volumes is dependent upon current demand, usefulness, more recent acquisitions, and availability of newer editions. This ongoing process of weeding is the responsibility of the library director and designated staff members, and is authorized by the Board of Trustees. Withdrawn materials will be handled in a similar manner and under the same authority as donated materials.  

Review/Reconsideration of Materials  

The Rice Lake Public Library recognizes that some materials are controversial and that any given item may offend some patrons. Selection of materials will not be made on the basis of anticipated approval or disapproval, but solely on the basis of the principles stated in this policy.  

Parents and legal guardians have the right and responsibility to educate their minor children about the books and other materials that may be best for them. No other adult should make those decisions for their parents’ or guardians’ children. Selection of library materials will not be inhibited by the possibility that materials may come into the possession of children.  

Library materials will not be marked or identified to show approval or disapproval of their contents, and no library material will be sequestered except to protect it from damage or theft.  

Procedure for Requesting Material Review/Reconsideration  

• The library patron should obtain a Request for Material Review/Reconsideration form (appendix E) from the main circulation desk at the Library, complete the form, and return it to the Library Director in the supplied envelope.

• The Library Director will contact the patron to acknowledge receipt of the form.

• The Library Director will review the request and present findings to the Library Board within 30 days of receipt of the form.

• The Library Director may request that the Library Board president appoint an ad hoc committee composed of one (1) board member, one (1) Library Staff, and one (1) community member, to review the request with the Library Director and present findings to the full Library Board. None of the committee members can have posed the challenge, be related to the challenger, or be affiliated with the organization bringing the challenge.

• In all cases, the materials are to be judged based on the entire work, not on selected excerpts.

• The individual requesting material review will be notified of meeting dates.

• The library item under review shall remain in place and accessible throughout the entirety of the process.

• The decision of the Library Board will be final. One copy of the final report from the Library Board shall be given to the patron, one copy to the Library Director, and one copy shall remain in the Library Board official records. 

• Requests to reconsider materials, which have previously undergone the reconsideration process, will not be reevaluated unless more than 60 months (five years) have passed since completion of the last review.

Reviewed, updated, and approved by the Rice Lake Public Library Board of Trustees June 11, 2024.

Registration

All borrowers must be registered and must have a valid local or system patron card to borrow library materials. Patrons must fill out an application form to register for a new library card.

Materials cannot be checked out until a library card is issued.

Applicants under 16 years of age must have a parent or guardian give their consent on the application form before a new card can be issued. Applicants of 16 or 17 years of age must include the name of a parent or guardian on the application form; however, a parent or guardian’s signature is not required.

Loan periods

1. Most books check out for three weeks. New fiction books check out for two weeks.

2. Interlibrary loans are due the date indicated by the lending library.

3. Audiobooks check out for three weeks.

4. Experience Kits check out for three weeks.

5. WiFi Hotspots check out for two weeks.

6. Periodicals and DVDs may be checked out for one week.

7. Most materials can be renewed twice unless there is an outstanding hold for the item.

The director may establish the loan period for special collections, materials which are temporarily in great demand, such as for student projects, or materials added to the collection which are in a new format, e.g., computer software.

Limits

There is no limit on the number of books, DVDs, video games, or magazines that can be checked out.

Computers and Wi-Fi hotspots are limited to one per cardholder. 

Holds

Holds may be placed by patrons either in person, over the phone, or via the online catalog/MORE app. 

Patrons will be notified by phone, email, text, or mail when the item is available for checkout. There is no charge to the patron for placing a hold or for interlibrary loan services.

Fines and charges

Library materials do not accrue overdue fines. Lost or damaged materials will be billed according to policy.

An automated notice is sent after the material is due. If the material is not returned following this first overdue notice, a second notice will be sent. If the material still is not returned, the borrower will be sent a bill for the replacement cost of the material.

A refund will be issued if a patron returns an item in good condition, accompanied by the original receipt issued by the library, within 30 days of paying for the item.

Patrons who have $10 or more in outstanding charges on their account may not be allowed checkout of other MORE member library’s materials except for those items owned by Rice Lake Public Library.  

Damaged materials

If materials are returned with damage, library staff members shall assess damage charges in accordance with the following guidelines.

1. Book less than 3 years old and/or with fewer than 6 circs:

Replacement cost

2. Book more than 3 years old and/or with more than 6 circs: 

½ of the replacement cost

3. DVD with fewer than 18 circs: 

Replacement cost

4. DVD with more than 18 circs:

½ of the replacement cost

½ of the replacement cost

5. Disc from audiobook:

$5 per disc

6. Equipment such as laptops, WIFI Hotspots and certain Experience Kits will be charged 

the full current replacement cost.

Appeal of library charges

Patrons who feel they have been charged unfairly or incorrectly will be asked to fill out an appeal of library charges form. A staff member will make a decision on the appeal and notify the patron by phone or in writing. If the patron is not satisfied, he or she may appeal the decision to the library director and ultimately to the Library Board of Trustees if necessary.

Confidentiality

Wisconsin State Statute 43.30 and the Rice Lake Public Library protect the privacy of library users. Confidentiality extends to information sought or received, and materials consulted, borrowed, or acquired. It also includes database search records, reference interviews, interlibrary loan records, and all other personally identifiable uses of library materials, facilities, or services, except records produced by a library surveillance device. The Rice Lake Public Library abides by state statute.

The Rice Lake Public Library is an impartial resource providing information on all points of view, available to all persons regardless of age, race, religion, national origin, social or political views, economic status, or any other characteristic. This role must not be compromised by an erosion of the privacy rights of our library users.

In accordance with Wisconsin law, custodial parents or guardians of children under age 16 may, upon request, review library records pertaining to their children’s use of the library’s documents or other materials, resources, or services. Custodial parents and guardians must sign a Rice Lake Public Library form certifying that the requester is the custodial parent or guardian of the child whose records have been requested before the library will provide those records to the parent or guardian.

Reviewed, updated, and approved by the Rice Lake Public Library Board of Trustees June 11, 2024.

Purpose

The Rice Lake Public Library provides reference and reader’s advisory services to help people find information, select library materials, and use library and other information resources. Staff responds to varied information needs using the library’s collections to the fullest extent possible and identifying sources beyond the library whenever necessary. Staff uses professional judgment to assess needs and provides information, assistance, or instruction appropriate to individual requests.

Guidelines

1. Staff replies to all requests for information and will accept questions in person, over the phone, by fax, via postal mail, e-mail, and social media sites.

2. While most requests for assistance will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis, priority will be given to in-person inquiries.

3. In providing information, staff will use professional judgment while avoiding personal interpretation and recommendations. Sources are always provided.

4. Staff may set reasonable limits on the amount of time and level of response given to patron requests for information. Simple requests for information can usually be answered fully. More complex questions may require that patrons participate in finding needed information, with staff providing guidance and assistance. Patrons doing in-depth research or needing extensive individual guidance in either materials or technology should expect to receive professional assistance, direction, and library instruction, but will be expected to conduct the actual research themselves.

5. Staff may refer library users to other agencies and libraries in pursuit of needed information. 

6. Staff is not limited to the library’s printed resources, but also may consult appropriate digital resources as well as the regional resource library and other agencies by telephone in pursuit of "ready reference" information.

7. Reference and reader’s advisory service complies with copyright and other applicable restrictions in the use of library materials.

8. Reference transactions are confidential under Wisconsin Statute 43.30.

Reviewed, updated, and approved by the Rice Lake Public Library Board of Trustees June 11, 2024.

Programs and Events

Library programs and events are offered to make the library more enticing to people of all ages, to encourage them to visit the library and to develop a love of books, reading and libraries. Selection of library program topics, speakers, courses, classes and resource materials will be made by library staff on the basis of the interests and needs of library users and the community.

Programming includes such activities as storytimes, craft activities, movie showings, the summer library program, book discussion groups, author visits, and informational or entertaining speakers and performers.

The Board of Trustees recognizes that programs are an integral part of library service to the community. In conjunction with the library director, the board will establish a budget and goals for programming to facilitate the effective implementation of this service.

In planning programs, the library will follow the American Library Association’s “Freedom to View” statement. Selection of a work does not constitute or imply agreement with or approval of the content. Library programming will not exclude topics, books, speakers, media and other resources because they might be controversial.

Concerns about programs or events scheduled at the library will be handled in a manner similar to concerns about materials. A Program/Display Statement of Concern (appendix F) can be picked up at the main circulation desk, completed, and returned to the Library Director in the supplied envelope.

Policy on Photographs Taken in the Library

Children and adults participating in the Rice Lake Public Library’s programs may be photographed by newspaper or television reporters/photographers, library staff members or others involved with the program.

These photographs may appear without compensation in news publications or productions, on the Web, or in printed or electronic materials related to the role and function of the Rice Lake Public Library.

Adults who do not want to be photographed or parents who do not want their child photographed should notify staff.

Public Relations

The public relations goals of the Rice Lake Public Library are:

• to promote a good understanding of the library's objectives and services among governing officials, civic leaders, and the general public.

• to promote active participation in the varied services offered by the library to people of all ages.

The Board of Trustees recognizes that public relations involves every person who has connection with the library. The board urges its own members and every staff member to realize that he or she represents the library in every public contact. Good service supports good public relations.

The director will be expected to make presentations and to participate in community activities to promote library services. A reasonable amount of library time will be allowed for preparation and speaking. Materials to be used by press, radio, television, or online will be approved by the director.

Reviewed, updated, and approved by the Rice Lake Public Library Board of Trustees June 11, 2024.

The library’s meeting rooms are a community asset, and the Library Board wishes to encourage use by community groups when they are not in use for library functions. Therefore, the meeting rooms will be available for use by local community groups subject to the guidelines established below. The Library Board and staff do not assume any liability for groups or individuals attending a meeting in the library. The fact that a group is permitted to meet at the library does not in any way constitute an endorsement of the group's policies or beliefs by the library staff or board. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited. Adults must be present for children’s gatherings. Requests for use of meeting room shall not be permitted or denied based on religious, racial, social, political or economic status; or mental, emotional or physical condition; or age, gender, or sexual orientation. 

The library’s meeting rooms include:

• RCU Community Room (main level)

• Study rooms (main level)

• Basement (not open to the public, may be used at the discretion of staff)

The library’s meeting rooms are only available for public use during the hours that the library is open and must end at least 15 minutes before the library closes. The RCU Community Room may be used during the library’s closed hours and a reservation must be made.  

I. Uses of the Meeting Rooms

1) Study Rooms (main level): The library has three study rooms on the main level. The library study rooms are available during the library’s open hours and are reserved for two hours. All groups must be out of the rooms fifteen (15) minutes prior to closing time.

Study rooms may be used for individuals or small groups. The purpose of the study rooms is to have space where individuals or small groups can meet for study, discussion, or use technology without disrupting other patrons. The pink and purple room comfortably fits 1-2 people, and the gold room comfortably fits up to 6 people. Chairs and tables are provided in each room.

2) RCU Community Room (main level): The RCU Community Room is open to the public during the library’s open hours and is reservable during the library’s closed hours. The commercial use fee for the RCU Community Room (holds up to 150 people) will be $50 per event.

The RCU Community room is available for library programs and public use during the library’s open hours. During open hours the room is a shared space with collection items, seating, tables, and restrooms and will remain available for public use. During closed hours, the room may be reserved for programs, meetings and events. A reservation includes a rental fee for local commercial enterprises and private citizens. The rental fee is waived for programs sponsored by nonprofit, educational, and cultural agencies, governmental units, and community service agencies.

The Basement is a staff area for storage and work, but can be an alternative gathering space at the discretion of staff. All meeting room policies apply to the basement. If a program is moved to the basement it must still be free and open to the public to attend.

An organization or group may reserve study rooms or the community room no more frequently than 20 times in a calendar year. The only exceptions will be for meetings of City of Rice Lake governmental units and library sponsored programming. Limits on the use of meeting rooms are established to provide as much access to the meeting facilities as possible to as broad a range of organizations and groups as possible.

Library staff reserve the right to enter meeting rooms at any time. 

In the event the library is unexpectedly closed, meetings scheduled during that time will be canceled. In the event of cancellation, the group’s leader is responsible for notifying group members.

II. Meeting Room Priorities

Regular meetings in sequence will be allowed only if they fall under priorities 1 or 2 listed below. Organizations that fall under other priority levels must book their next meeting the day they show up for their current meeting.

Priority 1: Any part of the library’s own program or programs in which the library is a sponsor, participant or cooperating agency. Such programs include storytimes, book discussion groups, library special events, and Friends of the Library meetings.

Priority 2: Educational programs sponsored by UW-Extension, educational institutions, and other organizations having outreach educational and informational programs that are granted Library Board approval.

Priority 3: Meetings of local government agencies.

Priority 4: Meetings of local nonprofit organizations, service agencies supported by community funds, and monthly meetings of various community organizations. These meetings must be open to the public.

Priority 5: Local commercial enterprises. These events must be informational in nature and not for the purpose of selling a product or service.

Priority 6: Private space rental for social gatherings. These events must understand that the current layout of the building includes workspaces that are only accessible through the meeting rooms. The library is not responsible for providing security or for managing the privacy of the function.

The meeting room may not be used for:

1.  Any purpose that, in the opinion of the Library Board, may interfere with the normal use of the library.

2. Fund-raising purposes, except for training and informational programs of community service agencies.

3. Programs whose purpose is the sale, advertising, or promotion of products or services.

4. A return engagement by a group that has abused the facility in the past.

5. Meetings of children or teens without an adult supervisor present.

6. Meetings in which attendance will exceed 150 people in the RCU Community Room.

7. The name or address of the Rice Lake Public Library may not be used as the official address or headquarters of any organization. 

Reviewed, updated, and approved by the Rice Lake Public Library Board of Trustees June 11, 2024.

As an educational and cultural institution, the Rice Lake Public Library welcomes exhibits and displays of interest, information and enlightenment to the community. Displays of handiwork, art work, collections, historical material, nature study, or any other material deemed of general interest may be exhibited. The library director shall accept or reject material offered for display in accordance with suitability and availability of space.

The library assumes no responsibility for the preservation, protection, or possible damage or theft of any items displayed or exhibited. All items placed in the library are done so at the owner’s risk. Owners shall sign a library display and exhibit release. Individuals or groups that wish to have displays and exhibits in the library will be responsible for setting them up and taking them down at the agreed-upon dates.

Reviewed, updated, and approved by the Rice Lake Public Library Board of Trustees June 11, 2024.

The wall area in the Marshall Street lobby is available for the public to use for notices of educational opportunities as well as events and meetings free and open to the public. Other notices may be considered for by the Library Director. Staff have the right to remove outdated notices and notices that do not fall within the above guidelines. All notices must be cleared with a member of the library staff before posting. 

The Rice Lake Public Library is providing access to the internet as a means to enhance information resources and learning opportunities for the citizens of the library's service area. The Board of Trustees has established the internet use policy to ensure appropriate and effective use of this resource.

Access to the internet is available to all patrons; however, this service may be restricted at any time for use not consistent with the guidelines.

Expectations:

Users should be aware that the inappropriate use of electronic information resources can be a violation of local, state, and federal laws and can lead to prosecution. The user will be held responsible for their actions using the internet. Users are expected to abide by the policies below which include generally accepted rules of network etiquette. Unacceptable uses of the service will result in the suspension or revocation of internet use privileges.

Warnings: 

The internet is a decentralized, unmoderated global network; the Rice Lake Public Library has no control over the content found there. The library will not censor access to material nor protect users from offensive information. The library is not responsible for the availability and accuracy of information found on the internet. Parents of minor children should be aware that as with all other library materials, their child’s card offers access to this wide array of content.

While the public computers at the Rice Lake Library are protected from viruses by current virus protection software, complete safety from viruses and other hacker related issues cannot be guaranteed.

The library cannot assure that data or files downloaded by users are virus-free. The library is not responsible for damages to equipment or data on a user's personal computer from the use of data downloaded from the library's internet service.

The use of the internet and e-mail is not guaranteed to be private.

Internet Acceptable Use Guidelines

1. All users of electronic information resources are expected to use these resources in a responsible manner, consistent with the educational and informational purposes for which they are provided. These resources are not to be used for unauthorized, illegal, or unethical purposes.

2. All users must agree to the internet Policy every time access is granted. If computers are shared all users must indicate their willingness to comply with the policy.

3. As with other library materials, it is the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian to determine and monitor their children’s use of the internet.

4. Patrons’ time on the public computers is managed by an automated system.

5. No more than two people may use the internet computers at the same time without special permission by library staff. The second person must have the consent of the person whose time was originally scheduled.

6. Black and white printouts cost 15 cents per page, 50 cents per page for black-and-white copies on any specialty paper provided by the library and color printouts cost 50 cents per page. In accordance with state law, sales tax is charged on printouts.

7. Patrons should not misrepresent themselves via access codes, passwords, or signature.

8. The privacy of others using the computers must be respected.

9. No altering of computer hardware or software is allowed.

10. Patrons must abstain from the deliberate propagation of computer worms and viruses.

11. Users shall not send, receive, or display inappropriate materials, defined as text or graphics that may reasonably be construed as obscene.

12. Library staff will try to assist patrons needing help on the internet.  However, staff members working at the public desk are unable to provide extensive training because they must be available to assist other library patrons.

13. Library staff members will attempt to troubleshoot problems with the library’s internet computers. However, problems with accessing websites can sometimes be outside of the library’s control.

Violation of the Internet Acceptable Use Guidelines will result in suspension of internet privileges.

Social Media

Social media are defined as any web application, site, or account created and maintained by the Rice Lake Public Library (RLPL) which is an environment for library staff and library customers to share opinions and information about library related materials and activities. We encourage comments and we recognize and respect differences of opinion. Comments may, however, be blocked, edited, or removed if they contain:

1. Obscene, profane, or sexual content

2. Conduct or encouragement of illegal activity

3. Information that may tend to compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems

4. Content that violates a legal ownership interest of any other party

5. Personal attacks, insults, or threats

6. Potentially libelous statements

7. Organized political or religious activity or proselytizing

8. Private, personal information published without consent or about a minor

9. Content or hyperlinks unrelated to the forum

10. Commercial promotions or spam

11. Content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, ancestry, national origin, age, sex or gender,handicap or disability, arrest or conviction record, marital status, sexual orientation, military service, or the use or nonuse of lawful products outside of the workplace

12. Images or sound recordings related to any of the above

Your submission of content constitutes your acceptance of these guidelines and your agreement to indemnify RLPL and/or the City of Rice Lake, its employees and officers, from and against all liabilities, judgments, damages, and costs (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by any of them which arise out of or are related to the posted content.

Neither RLPL nor the City of Rice Lake is obligated to take any actions as described above and neither is responsible or liable for content posted by any user. Users should recognize that their comments are being published in a public space available to anyone. There are no private postings. Any content posted on the library’s website is a public record and is regulated by the Wisconsin State Public Records Law.

WIFI

WiFi (short for Wireless Fidelity) provides internet access to persons using a wireless capable device. This free service provided by the Rice Lake Public Library is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Patrons who use their own hardware for email and internet access free up library computers for people who vitally need this service. Time limits imposed on the library’s public access computers do not apply to wireless users.

Technical Requirements

Patrons need a notebook/laptop computer or other wireless device with 802.11b or 802.11g wireless networking. Individuals need to know how to use their wireless device’s configuration software to connect to the wireless network. Due to liability issues, library staff members are not allowed to configure patrons’ laptops or handheld computers or install any devices or software on those computers.

Assistance

Library staff members will assist with basic troubleshooting in establishing a wireless connection. However, staff members are not able to provide technical assistance with hardware, and no guarantee can be made that patrons will be able to make a wireless connection.

Computer Use Policy

Those choosing to use the Rice Lake Public Library’s WiFi service are subject to the responsibilities and limitations outlined in the library’s computer use policy. The library reserves the right to end an individual’s WiFi session when his/her computer use creates an atmosphere inappropriate for a public library setting, or when the individual is otherwise in violation of the library’s computer use policy.

Security of Data

The Rice Lake Public Library’s wireless network is not secure. Information sent to and from a WiFi device may be captured by anyone else with a wireless device and appropriate software. Virus, security and privacy protection are not provided by the library. Responsibility for the safety and security of an individual’s data files, computer or other wireless device configurations and all personal equipment rests with the individual and will not be assumed by the library.

Limits of Access

Access to the library’s electrical outlets may be limited.

Reviewed, updated, and approved by the Rice Lake Public Library Board of Trustees June 11, 2024.

Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspots

Mobile hotspots are portable devices that provide wireless internet (Wi-Fi) access on many devices (laptop, smartphone, MP3 player, tablet, etc.). Hotspots typically use mobile broadband service from cellular providers for high speed internet access.

Borrowers must present a MORE library card in good standing to check out a mobile hotspot from Rice Lake Public Library. Rice Lake Public Library hotspots are not available for transit to other libraries or for interlibrary loan. 

Borrowers are responsible for the safe-keeping and return of these items to the library in good working order and assume liability for the equipment while it is in their care. Borrower is responsible for damaged and/or missing pieces of the lent items. Patron agrees to cover the cost of damage and/or replacement costs, as determined by the library and listed on the carrying case.

The library does its best to provide clean, secure, and fully functioning equipment but is not responsible for charging the device or unforeseen hardware or software failure. Library staff will make every effort to document any existing damage; however, if a borrower discovers any pre-existing damage to the hotspot checked out, the borrower should notify library staff as soon as possible. Failure to notify the library of existing damage limits the borrower’s ability to dispute charges for a damaged device or equipment.

Rice Lake Public Library mobile hotspots must be picked up within 72 hours of hold notification. The lending period is fourteen (14) days and may not be renewed. Rice Lake Public Library mobile hotspots may not be returned to other libraries. Rice Lake Public Library requires that hotspots be returned inside the library and not to any book drop. The hotspot is not considered returned until all items associated with it have been returned to the library in good condition.

Performance of the hotspot will vary depending on location and coverage in the area. The Rice Lake Public Library mobile hotspots offer unlimited data, but in accordance with Verizon policy there may be some slow downs after a certain amount of data is used. 

Hotspots are an open wireless connection and internet content is not regulated or controlled by RLPL. Patrons are responsible for their own security and privacy. Hotspot users are encouraged to follow safe internet practices. Hotspot users agree to refrain from online activity that violates federal, state, or local laws. 

The library reserves the right to deny the use of mobile hotspots to any borrower who repeatedly loses equipment, returns it late, or returns it to the bookdrop.

Borrowers agree to abide by the library policy and procedures.

Printers

Black-and-white and color printing are available from the library’s public use computers. Black-and-white prints cost 15 cents per page, 25 cents per page for black-and-white copies on any specialty paper provided by the library, and color prints cost 50 cents per page. Sales tax is charged on all printouts. Patrons are responsible for ensuring that they do not print unwanted pages, and they are charged for each page printed.

Photocopier

A photocopier is available for public use. Charges are 15 cents per page for black-and-white copies on 8 ½ X 11 paper and 25 cents per page for black-and-white copies on any specialty paper provided by the library, and 50 cents per page for color copies. Sales tax is charged on all photocopies. Two-sided copies are twice the charge of single-sided copies.

Copy machine users are advised that there are restrictions on copyrighted materials. Any violation of copyright is the responsibility of the copy machine user.

FAX Machine

The library’s fax machine is available for public use, subject to the following fees:

• Sending to anywhere in North America: 25 cents per page

• Sending to all other international numbers: $1.00 per page

• Receiving fax transmissions: 15 cents per page

Reviewed, updated, and approved by the Rice Lake Public Library Board of Trustees June 11, 2024.

The naming of all new Library buildings and of all existing library buildings undergoing significant renovation and expansion is the responsibility of the Library Board, guided by the following criteria.

New library facilities shall be named and existing library facilities shall be renamed

• with a preference for geographic or functional designation, or

• when the Board chooses to honor an individual for significant, outstanding contribution in keeping with the nature and mission of the library (in which case the name should be generally recognized within the community and be able to stand the test of time), or

• when the Board chooses to accept the gift of a donor (or donors) who requests naming rights and who contributes a minimum of 51% of the total project costs, including construction, equipment, furnishings and collections for the building.

Further,

• The Library Director, in consultation with the library design team and the RLPL Building Committee for that facility, will be responsible for determining the manner in which the name is recognized (e.g.signage.)

• The Library Director or RLPL Building Committee may recommend naming opportunities for the Board’s consideration.

• No naming opportunities will be considered for corporations or religious entities.

• The term for the naming of the new facility shall be a maximum of 25 years, after which the building could be renamed, based on the above criteria.
  
  

Naming of Interior Spaces
Other naming opportunities are available within the new building or existing buildings undergoing significant renovation and expansion. These opportunities are identified by the Library Director in consultation with the library's design team and the RLPL Building Committee for that facility, and could include such areas as meeting rooms, auditoriums, reading lounges, special use areas, collections, equipment, gardens or other interior and exterior spaces.

• Naming opportunities are available for individuals, families, foundations and corporations making a significant contribution to the project, as determined by the square footage costs of the specific area of interest, plus the cost of new equipment or collections for that area.

• The Library Director, in consultation with the library design team and the RLPL Building Committee for that facility, will be responsible for determining the manner in which the name is recognized (e.g.signage.)

• A list of the interior naming opportunities and costs for each facility under construction will be submitted to the Library Board for approval.

While the Board is grateful for and encourages donations from all individuals, businesses and organizations, the Board has the right to decline any gift to the library and/ or to reject any naming proposals.  Additionally, should the Board determine that the public interest requires renaming at any point, it will be within its rights to do so based on the above criteria.

*Process: This policy is reviewed by the Library Director (or designee) every two (2) years,

who then makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees. The Board reviews and revises as necessary.

Reviewed, updated, and approved by the Rice Lake Public Library Board of Trustees June 11, 2024.

The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.

V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.

VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

VII. All people, regardless of origin, age, background, or views, possess a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use. Libraries should advocate for, educate about, and protect people’s privacy, safeguarding all library use data, including personally identifiable information.

Adopted June 19, 1939, by the ALA Council; amended October 14, 1944; June 18, 1948; February 2, 1961; June 27, 1967; January 23, 1980; January 29, 2019. 

Inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23, 1996.

The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack. Private groups and public authorities in various parts of the country are working to remove or limit access to reading materials, to censor content in schools, to label "controversial" views, to distribute lists of "objectionable" books or authors, and to purge libraries. These actions apparently rise from a view that our national tradition of free expression is no longer valid; that censorship and suppression are needed to counter threats to safety or national security, as well as to avoid the subversion of politics and the corruption of morals. We, as individuals devoted to reading and as librarians and publishers responsible for disseminating ideas, wish to assert the public interest in the preservation of the freedom to read.

Most attempts at suppression rest on a denial of the fundamental premise of democracy: that the ordinary individual, by exercising critical judgment, will select the good and reject the bad. We trust Americans to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions about what they read and believe. We do not believe they are prepared to sacrifice their heritage of a free press in order to be "protected" against what others think may be bad for them. We believe they still favor free enterprise in ideas and expression.

These efforts at suppression are related to a larger pattern of pressures being brought against education, the press, art and images, films, broadcast media, and the Internet. The problem is not only one of actual censorship. The shadow of fear cast by these pressures leads, we suspect, to an even larger voluntary curtailment of expression by those who seek to avoid controversy or unwelcome scrutiny by government officials.

Such pressure toward conformity is perhaps natural to a time of accelerated change. And yet suppression is never more dangerous than in such a time of social tension. Freedom has given the United States the elasticity to endure strain. Freedom keeps open the path of novel and creative solutions, and enables change to come by choice. Every silencing of a heresy, every enforcement of an orthodoxy, diminishes the toughness and resilience of our society and leaves it the less able to deal with controversy and difference.

Now as always in our history, reading is among our greatest freedoms. The freedom to read and write is almost the only means for making generally available ideas or manners of expression that can initially command only a small audience. The written word is the natural medium for the new idea and the untried voice from which come the original contributions to social growth. It is essential to the extended discussion that serious thought requires, and to the accumulation of knowledge and ideas into organized collections.

We believe that free communication is essential to the preservation of a free society and a creative culture. We believe that these pressures toward conformity present the danger of limiting the range and variety of inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our culture depend. We believe that every American community must jealously guard the freedom to publish and to circulate, in order to preserve its own freedom to read. We believe that publishers and librarians have a profound responsibility to give validity to that freedom to read by making it possible for the readers to choose freely from a variety of offerings.

The freedom to read is guaranteed by the Constitution. Those with faith in free people will stand firm on these constitutional guarantees of essential rights and will exercise the responsibilities that accompany these rights.

We therefore affirm these propositions:

1. It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make available the widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that are unorthodox, unpopular, or considered dangerous by the majority.

Creative thought is by definition new, and what is new is different. The bearer of every new thought is a rebel until that idea is refined and tested. Totalitarian systems attempt to maintain themselves in power by the ruthless suppression of any concept that challenges the established orthodoxy. The power of a democratic system to adapt to change is vastly strengthened by the freedom of its citizens to choose widely from among conflicting opinions offered freely to them. To stifle every nonconformist idea at birth would mark the end of the democratic process. Furthermore, only through the constant activity of weighing and selecting can the democratic mind attain the strength demanded by times like these. We need to know not only what we believe but why we believe it.

2. Publishers, librarians, and booksellers do not need to endorse every idea or presentation they make available. It would conflict with the public interest for them to establish their own political, moral, or aesthetic views as a standard for determining what should be published or circulated.

Publishers and librarians serve the educational process by helping to make available knowledge and ideas required for the growth of the mind and the increase of learning. They do not foster education by imposing as mentors the patterns of their own thought. The people should have the freedom to read and consider a broader range of ideas than those that may be held by any single librarian or publisher or government or church. It is wrong that what one can read should be confined to what another thinks proper.

3. It is contrary to the public interest for publishers or librarians to bar access to writings on the basis of the personal history or political affiliations of the author.

No art or literature can flourish if it is to be measured by the political views or private lives of its creators. No society of free people can flourish that draws up lists of writers to whom it will not listen, whatever they may have to say.

4. There is no place in our society for efforts to coerce the taste of others, to confine adults to the reading matter deemed suitable for adolescents, or to inhibit the efforts of writers to achieve artistic expression.

To some, much of modern expression is shocking. But is not much of life itself shocking? We cut off literature at the source if we prevent writers from dealing with the stuff of life. Parents and teachers have a responsibility to prepare the young to meet the diversity of experiences in life to which they will be exposed, as they have a responsibility to help them learn to think critically for themselves. These are affirmative responsibilities, not to be discharged simply by preventing them from reading works for which they are not yet prepared. In these matters values differ, and values cannot be legislated; nor can machinery be devised that will suit the demands of one group without limiting the freedom of others.

5. It is not in the public interest to force a reader to accept the prejudgment of a label characterizing any expression or its author as subversive or dangerous.

The ideal of labeling presupposes the existence of individuals or groups with wisdom to determine by authority what is good or bad for others. It presupposes that individuals must be directed in making up their minds about the ideas they examine. But Americans do not need others to do their thinking for them.

6. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians, as guardians of the people's freedom to read, to contest encroachments upon that freedom by individuals or groups seeking to impose their own standards or tastes upon the community at large; and by the government whenever it seeks to reduce or deny public access to public information.

It is inevitable in the give and take of the democratic process that the political, the moral, or the aesthetic concepts of an individual or group will occasionally collide with those of another individual or group. In a free society, individuals are free to determine for themselves what they wish to read, and each group is free to determine what it will recommend to its freely associated members. But no group has the right to take the law into its own hands, and to impose its own concept of politics or morality upon other members of a democratic society. Freedom is no freedom if it is accorded only to the accepted and the inoffensive. Further, democratic societies are more safe, free, and creative when the free flow of public information is not restricted by governmental prerogative or self-censorship.

7. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians to give full meaning to the freedom to read by providing books that enrich the quality and diversity of thought and expression. By the exercise of this affirmative responsibility, they can demonstrate that the answer to a "bad" book is a good one, the answer to a "bad" idea is a good one.

The freedom to read is of little consequence when the reader cannot obtain matter fit for that reader's purpose. What is needed is not only the absence of restraint, but the positive provision of opportunity for the people to read the best that has been thought and said. Books are the major channel by which the intellectual inheritance is handed down, and the principal means of its testing and growth. The defense of the freedom to read requires of all publishers and librarians the utmost of their faculties, and deserves of all Americans the fullest of their support.

We state these propositions neither lightly nor as easy generalizations. We here stake out a lofty claim for the value of the written word. We do so because we believe that it is possessed of enormous variety and usefulness, worthy of cherishing and keeping free. We realize that the application of these propositions may mean the dissemination of ideas and manners of expression that are repugnant to many persons. We do not state these propositions in the comfortable belief that what people read is unimportant. We believe rather that what people read is deeply important; that ideas can be dangerous; but that the suppression of ideas is fatal to a democratic society. Freedom itself is a dangerous way of life, but it is ours.

This statement was originally issued in May of 1953 by the Westchester Conference of the American Library Association and the American Book Publishers Council, which in 1970 consolidated with the American Educational Publishers Institute to become the Association of American Publishers.

Adopted June 25, 1953, by the ALA Council and the AAP Freedom to Read Committee; amended January 28, 1972; January 16, 1991; July 12, 2000; June 30, 2004.

A Joint Statement by:

American Library Association
Association of American Publishers

Subsequently endorsed by:

American Booksellers for Free Expression
The Association of American University Presses
The Children's Book Council
Freedom to Read Foundation
National Association of College Stores
National Coalition Against Censorship
National Council of Teachers of English
The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression

The FREEDOM TO VIEW, along with the freedom to speak, to hear, and to read, is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. In a free society, there is no place for censorship of any medium of expression. Therefore, these principles are affirmed:

1. To provide the broadest access to film, video, and other audiovisual materials because they are a means for the communication of ideas. Liberty of circulation is essential to insure the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression.

2. To protect the confidentiality of all individuals and institutions using film, video, and other audiovisual materials.

3. To provide film, video, and other audiovisual materials which represent a diversity of views and expression. Selection of a work does not constitute or imply agreement with or approval of the content.

4. To provide a diversity of viewpoints without the constraint of labeling or prejudging film, video, or other audiovisual materials on the basis of the moral, religious, or political beliefs of the producer or filmmaker or on the basis of controversial content.

5. To contest vigorously, by all lawful means, every encroachment upon the public's freedom to view.

This statement was originally drafted by the Freedom to View Committee of the American Film and Video Association (formerly the Educational Film Library Association) and was adopted by the AFVA Board of Directors in February 1979. This statement was updated and approved by the AFVA Board of Directors in 1989.

Endorsed January 10, 1990, by the ALA Council

WHEREAS, reading is a foundational skill, critical to future learning and to exercising our democratic freedoms; and

WHEREAS, libraries provide access to books that offer teachable moments for readers of all ages and expand our understanding of people with different backgrounds, ideas, and beliefs; and

WHEREAS, books are tools for understanding complex issues; and

WHEREAS, limiting people’s access to books does not protect them from life’s complex and challenging issues; and

WHEREAS, all people deserve to see themselves reflected in a library’s collection; and

WHEREAS, librarians are professionals trained to not impose their own thoughts and opinions on which ideas are right, but to make knowledge and ideas available so that people have the freedom to choose what to read; and

WHEREAS, removing and banning books from public libraries is a slippery slope to government censorship and the erosion of our country’s commitment to freedom of expression; and

WHEREAS, a large majority of Americans across the political spectrum oppose book bans; and

WHEREAS, book bans harm communities; then

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Trustees of the Rice Lake Public Library of Rice Lake, WI endorse the following statement:

Individuals should be trusted to make their own decisions about what they read and believe. Further, no one should make decisions for other parents’ or guardians’ children about what they read.

We, the Trustees, are united against book bans.

THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Rice Lake Public Library Board of Trustees will act to protect the rights of everyone to access a variety of books and materials in libraries and online.