[OPLINLIST] Update: Policies for Community Service at the Library

Mon Jan 7 12:14:20 EST 2013

Thank you all very much for your input!

Several people asked if I could pass along the comments I received about
Policies for Community Service at the Library, so I am going to cut and
paste responses below.  Generally, it seems like most respondents do not
have an actual policy.  For several libraries, this is intentional to allow
for flexibility and judgment calls.  Others just never put it in writing.
McComb Public Library was willing to share their policy, so I’ve attached it
to this e-mail, too.

Four respondents said they do not accept Court-Appointed Community Service
workers at all because of a combination of the hassles/bad past experiences.

And here are some of the comments from those that do accept court-appointed
community service:

“We really don't have a written policy.  I usually interview the person to
find out more about their crime and the type of work that they are
able/willing to perform, as well as the number of hours that they need to
work and the deadline by which the work must be completed.  If it is a
violent crime of any kind, I won't take them.  Often, one of these issues
precludes them from performing service at the library.

The court sometimes wants them to complete their service in a short amount
of time, and I really don't need a volunteer for 30 hours per week.
Sometimes, the volunteer thinks they are going to work 3 Saturdays and get
everything done, and when they realize I usually want them for just a few
hours per day max, they aren't interested.

You don't actually want to count on these people- they often stop showing up
after a few days or don't show up at all.

In the past, I have had a particular staff member in charge of volunteers,
and they worked with the volunteers to make a schedule, and they acted as
the supervisor.  I also make a point of telling the volunteer that it is
their responsibility to give us any paperwork from the courts that we need
to fill out, etc.”

“When someone asks to volunteer... the first thing we ask if it is court
ordered.  If so, we send them to our Facilities Supervisor.  He then talks
with them, and asks what their offense was (it's all public record anyway,
so no need to worry about offending an offender).  If the crime involved
theft, anything against children, or anything sexual - they do not do their
service with us.  Most of our people are college kids caught for pot or
underage drinking or other "minor" things.  If our Facilities Supervisor
decides that he wants to work with them, and if he has enough work for them
to do to get their time in (we had folks who wanted to do 30 hours in 2
days...  It is not our responsibility to make work for them to do, or alter
our workflows), then he will schedule them.  They clean, weed flower beds,
water the lawn, dust shelves, pick rocks out of the lots, and tons of other
things that we need to have done.  Also, if they show up late or goof off -
we just tell them to leave and do their hours elsewhere.”

“We do ask about their violation, for our safety and our patrons. We
schedule them during the day when the library is not as busy, normally
having them clean or do outside work. I let them know ahead of time what
their hours are and if they are late or do not show up then we do not allow
them to come back. If their performance is not up to par we give them a
verbal warning and then they are not to come back if it continues.”

“I make an appointment with the person  and usually the court gives the
person forms that need to be filled out along with a time sheet; I make
copies of those to keep on file.  When the person calls, I ask why there is
court-mandated community service and our library will not have a person do
service if it is theft-related or abuse-related. I have to be here to
monitor the person so I schedule according to my work schedule and put on my
department schedule.  If the community service worker is a minor, I
immediately call the probation officer in charge [if they do not show up/are
late]; this information is noted on the court papers and is required. If it
is an adult, I treat as employee. (At the appointment, I set the rules as
library employee if the court has not set rules and if late, the person
would get 1 more chance. If it is no show, the person is no longer a
community service worker @ the library.) If they do not perform tasks
correctly, then if minor, I monitor more closely and if it continues, I
alert the court officer. (Usually the court officer will come in and meet
with me and the minor and let him/her know the options.) If adult and the
person has been trained to do a job, I tell the person not to come back and
alert the court.

I have been working with court-mandated community service workers for over
11 years and each case is very different. The library has no written policy
so I have always worked with our director if there were any concerns. All
the other supervisors are informed and help when and as needed.”

“I head up the Volunteer program here and that includes Community Service
workers.  I get the calls pertaining to mandatory community service.  I take
down their info including name, phone number, date of birth,  number of
hours needing to be completed, date court has required to be completed, &
charge.  We do not allow sex offenders to work here.  Depending on the
charge is where I will locate them in the library.  Our job tasks are all
the same with one exception.  If there is a guy available and our
maintenance/groundskeeper employee is needing help with groundswork,
painting, moving boxes etc., then we will place him with our maintenance
employee.  We do not allow them to use any electrical or power tools.  All
others are cleaning off shelves by removing books, dusting off books and
replacing them on shelves.  We also have them use sanitizing wipes to wipe
down all DVD cases in our AV room.  I let them know up front that they can
have 2-15 minute breaks and a ½ hour lunch.  They are also informed that if
they do not call and don’t show/be late then they lose the library as a
worksite.  As long as they call, I will reschedule them.  If they have anger
issues/domestic violence we have them work in the AV room where staff can
see them. “

“I often have juveniles who have to do 10-20 hrs of community service at my
library, since it is the only place that they can do so in our tiny village.
When I receive the call from their parents or their probation officer, I ask
as to what their 'crime' was. These crimes are usually unruly child, curfew,
fighting, and/or property damage. If their crime was theft or anything
harsh, I do not allow them to serve their time at the library. They then
have to do so at the sheriff's department with whatever they ask.

They have two papers that they bring (and that I make copies of for my
records and in case they lose theirs). One is an emergency
contact/permission form signed by the parent(s) and the other is a log of
their time served. This is filled in daily and signed by both the juvenile
and myself, the supervisor. At the end of their services, I sign off on
their paperwork again and they have to turn this in. If they do not or if
they lose it, and this has happened, they have to serve their time all over
again!

If their is any tardiness or absence, I report it to the probation officer.
We do have a great probation officer in that she also has the juvenile pay
any and all library fees or charges on their accounts before they are
released from probation.

Some of the tasks that I have them do is:

1. Wash all tables and chairs in the meeting room and computer area.

2. Dust all shelves which they dread.

3. Vacuum, sweep, and mop all areas as needed.

4. Empty all trash cans.

5. Read book sections.

6. Weed the grounds.”

Again, this information has been wonderfully helpful!  Thank you so much,
everyone!

Richelle

Richelle Klug, Library Director

St. Clairsville Public Library

108 West Main Street

St. Clairsville, OH 43950

P: (740) 695-2062

F: (740) 695-6420

 <http://www.stclibrary.org/> http://www.stclibrary.org

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