School or Class Visits and Field Trips

LIBRARY ADVENTURES
SCHOOLS and ORGANIZATIONS bringing a group to the library
Tours, Class Visits and Field Trip Policy

Approved by advisory board 12/14/10

Before you schedule a Library Adventure for your group or organization, please read through the following important information.

Go to the Calendar Schedule to register online for a Library Adventure!

1. All schools and organizations bringing a group to the library, regardless of size, must register online. Limit one group per month, except for author visits or special events.
2. Farmington Public Library defines "a group" as any organized group of people less than 30. A group of 31 or more must register as more than one group. All groups must include a minimum of one adult for every eight students. (Library staff will not be included in this ratio.) The library staff may request additional adult supervision based upon the nature of the group or activity.
3. Adults accompanying the group should stay with their group, and will be responsible for the group's behavior as well as any articles of clothing or possessions brought into the library.
4. Additional training for teachers or parents prior to your visit is available upon request.
5. In order to ensure a high-quality library experience for everyone, the library reserves the right to limit the number of groups that can register for a given time slot. All groups must register before coming to the library.
6. Register online for Library Adventures up to two weeks in advance.
7. Library Adventures is subject to change.
8. Groups arriving early will have to wait until your scheduled time and leave no later than the scheduled time. Groups wishing to stay beyond their allotted time for research or other purposes, must seek prior approval from the Library Director.
9. All online registration closes one week prior to the Library Adventure posted on the calendar.
10. Participants of the tour or class visit should remain in the appropriate area. For example, it is not appropriate for elementary school children to be in the Southwest Room or the Teen Area.
11. Please contact youthtours@infoway.org or call (505) 566-2200 to cancel a Youth Services Library Adventure that has been scheduled online or afterschool.
12. Please call (505)-599-1272 to notify the library of any delays or cancellations for high school and adult tours.
13. Failure to cancel a scheduled adventure may result in losing privileges for future adventures.
14. When your group arrives at the library, please stay in the lobby until Youth Services and security staff meets you for the Library Adventure. Our goal is to provide the best possible library experience for every group.
15. All children or adults that attend programs at the Farmington Public Library are required to follow the Library's Acceptable Behavior
16. The Farmington Public Library does not accommodate groups that come to the library without prior registration.
17. If you cannot register online, please contact Library Adventures at (505)-566-2200 or Email Library Adventures at: youthtours@infoway.org

Proposed School Visits Policy Appeal Procedure

The Farmington Public Library staff and Board design library policies to ensure access to information and culture for all citizens, and to realize the right of all library patrons to equal access to library service.

Annual Planning Meeting

To fulfill that goal the library staff sets an annual planning meeting in early August to discuss the School or Class Visits and Field Trip Policy, the scheduled Library Adventures for the upcoming school year, any problems or difficulties with the previous year's Library Adventures, and to gather input on improving the Library Adventures experience.

All area teachers and educators are invited to attend. In addition to the invitations that are hand-delivered and mailed to previous Library Adventures attendees, the Farmington Public Library's Youth Services staff e-mails invitations, announces the meeting in the library's newsletter, and distributes invitations to all daycare providers.

During the planning meeting attendees are charged with assisting the library staff in improving library services, reviewing policies, to ensure that every organization has equal access to Library Adventures.

Appeal Process

If an organization wishes to challenge the School or Class Visits and Field Trip Policy or the scheduled Library Adventures for the current school year, the Farmington Public Library staff and Board support the following appeal procedure:

Written Request

A member of the library staff explains the School or Class Visits and Field Trip Policy to the patron, and offers a printed copy. If the patron wishes, s/he may then submit a written Request for Reconsideration of the School or Class Visits and Field Trip Policy to the Library Director.

Library Director’s Review

The completed request is reviewed by one or more members of the library staff who have responsibility for the School or Class Visits and Field Trip Policy, and by the Library Director. The library staff objectively review the request in question to ascertain that the principles of equal access to library services were applied and review the current year's planning notes and requests to ensure that suggestions by area teachers and educators were included in the current year's schedule.

The Library Director or a member of the library staff shall make a written response to the requester within 14 days of the date that the Request for Reconsideration was submitted. The Library Director shall also notify the Library Board of each Request for Reconsideration received.

Appeal to Reconsideration Committee

If the requester is not satisfied with the decision of the library staff, s/he may appeal in writing to the Library Director, who then convenes a Reconsideration Committee. This committee will consist of:

1. One member of the Library Board;
2. Members of the library staff with responsibility for School or Class Visits and Field Trip Policy;
3. Members of the community selected jointly by the Library Board and the Library Director.

In reviewing the appeal, the Reconsideration Committee relies on the policies and considers other appropriate information, including professional best practices and recommendations, comments from the library staff, and comments from the requester.

The Reconsideration Committee will recommend an action to the Library Director, who will reach a decision and inform the requester and the Committee in writing of that decision.

Library Board Review

Should the requester wish to appeal this decision, s/he may make a final appeal in writing directly to the Library Board, which will review and rule on the request within thirty days of the final written appeal.

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