An Occasional Problem At The Library

Occasionally we have a problem (or two) here at the library. Some of us wonder how to deal with it when it happens; others know exactly how they will handle it.
So, I decided to look online at the different behavior and conduct policies of other libraries. Of course, the policies always state: "The public is required to comply with the library system use and behavior guidelines." Some guidelines made sense to me, while others left me wondering how the staff would handle such a situation if it arose.
A few of the inappropriate behaviors or actions listed by other libraries were: (My comments are in parenthesis.)

• Any loud, unreasonable, and/or disruptive noises created by persons, cell phones, radios, tape players or other sound devices. (Our problem seems to be with the loud, clacking shoes that come down the long uncarpeted hallways. It would be our wish that all people wear tennis shoes or rubber-soled shoes, but that's impossible, we know.)
• Running in or around the library. (We occasionally have small children run, but when it's the teenagers...well, that's another story.)
• Display of obscene materials on computer equipment. (We've had to ask a few people to turn off their computers. Of course, they always say they didn't know they were causing a problem. But it was causing great strain on the eyeballs of the person sitting next to or behind them.)
• Failure to wear appropriate clothing or the failure to secure clothes with buttons, zippers or other devices (which often leads to indecent exposure, I think, and we have had some of that!)
• Sleeping or laying your head on a table; placing your feet or legs on furniture. (There's one young lady who really enjoys napping on our lovely couch in the reading area; we wake her quite often.)
• Distributing or posting printed material/literature that has not been approved by the library system. (If we see such material, we usually just pick it up or take it down; easy to do.)
• Cell phone use. (Now, this one we have had the most problems with. However, since we've posted several brightly colored "banned cell phone" signs, people have been better. And we have three benches in our genealogy foyer where they can use their phones.)
• Leaving children unattended who are under the age of twelve or who require supervision. (This doesn't happen every often. It's usually the children of patrons trying to check out books that decide to scamper away and sightsee or play ring-around-the-directional-sign.)
• Theft or damage to library property is punishable under Georgia Code 20-5-52. (Sometimes this is hard to detect if it's here in the library, but it eventually shows up. Usually, we don't know who does it.)
• Bringing food or beverages into the library. (People are pretty good about not bringing in food/drinks, unless it's to meetings held in the auditorium. That's all right as long as they clean up and remove the food/drinks when they leave.)

So, I would have to say we seem to be doing pretty good with our rules of behavior and conduct. We strive to provide an atmosphere that helps our patrons feel their library is a great place to be. They know we reserve the right to ask anyone violating our rules of conduct to leave the library. But it's very seldom we have to do this. And anyone who disregards a request by a staff member to leave the building is immediately reported to the local law enforcement officers.

All in all, I'd have to say that we have a great bunch of patrons and a great library for them to use. We work hard to keep it that way. I think they do too.