POLICIES OF THE HORICON FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
ARTICLE I: HOURS OF OPERATION
The Library shall be open 20 hours a week, with the exception of legal
holidays, as per New York State Department of Education Law.
ARTICLE II
The policies of the Board may be amended, or added to,
by majority vote of the Board at a regular meeting.
ARTICLE III: GIFTS
Gifts and donations will be gratefully accepted.
Letters of acknowledgement shall be sent by the Board’s Secretary.
ARTICLE IV: FRIENDS’ GROUP
The Board recognizes the Friends of the Horicon Library Group. We will
work with them for public support and awareness of the Library. The Board
will meet with a representative of the Friends’ group annually to review the
library’s needs and the role of the Friends’ in assisting meeting those needs.
ARTICLE V: OPEN MEETING LAW
The Horicon Free Public Library does hereby adopt and adhere to the Open
Meeting Law outlined in Resolution #26 of the Town Board meeting of
January 13th, 1977.
ARTICLE VI: RECORD RETENTION AND DISPOSAL
Resolved by the Horicon Free Public Library Board that Records &
Disposition Schedule M I-1, issued pursuant to Article 57A of the Arts &
Cultural Affairs law, and containing legal minimum retention periods for
local government records, is hereby adopted for use by the Board.
Further resolved that in accordance with Article 57-A, only those records
will be disposed of that do not have sufficient administrative, fiscal, legal or
historical value to merit retention beyond established legal minimum
periods.
ARTICLE VII: DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN
Horicon library’s holdings are contained on SALS’ central computer system
located at 22 Whitney Ave, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.
Annually, the library’s minutes, reports and pertinent business records are to
be stored in the Town’s vault for safekeeping:
6604 State Route 8
Brant Lake, NY 12815
Contact person – current Board President or Library Director
The Town of Horicon is insured against loss through:
Carpenter & Associates Insuring Agency (2019)
State Route 9
Chestertown, NY 12817
ARTICLE VIII: FISCAL
The library’s deposit accounts are to be held in the Town’s designated bank:
a. Petty Cash The Library Director is issued $75 maximum at any time
for petty cash purchases. The Director will document all petty cash
purchases and report to the Board monthly. Annually, in December, the
Director and one Board member will audit petty cash funds and receipts and
report to the Board.
b. Use of Debit Card The library’s debit card is to be used for
purchases which have received prior Board approval, with the exception of
the Director’s use to purchase materials for the library which shall be
presented to the Board in voucher form at the following month’s Board meeting.
*** Vouchers for debit card purchases must be prepared prior to
purchase. Proof or purchases must be attached to vouchers for all
debit card purchases. Debit purchases are to be complete by the third
week of the month and an itemized list of purchases given to the
Treasurer by the end of the 3rd week of the month. ***Adopted 10/7/2019
c. Purchasing Procedures Purchases are in accordance with the
Library’s budget. Purchases are completed by the library director or one (1)
Trustee who has access to the library’s Visa debit card. Each purchase will
be documented by voucher, approved by the trustees and paid by the
Treasurer. Vouchers must include price, date ordered, supplier and type of
material purchased.
ARTICLE IX: INTERNET USE
1. Identification is required prior to library computer use
2. All computer users must sign in at the circulation desk
3. Children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by a parent or
responsible adult
4. Use is limited to ½ hour unless there is no one waiting to use a computer
5. There is no downloading or materials or receiving of emails allowed
6. No chat room usage or personal software is allowed on the library’s
computers
7. If improper usage is observed by the library staff, at his/her discretion,
future use of library computers will be prohibited and may result in being
banned from all library use. Pages printed in black ink .25 per page,
colored ink .50 per page
ARTICLE X: PATRON BEHAVIOR
Patron’s rights to privacy are respected within the library. Civility is to be
maintained at all times. Arguing or promoting one’s personal opinion,
whether it be motivated by politics, personal bias or other issues, is not to be
engaged in while in the library.
If a patron’s behavior becomes uncomfortable for another person in the
library, that person may be asked to leave the library and be banned from
any future use of the library. If necessary, authorities may be called to assist
in removal of the offending party.
ARTICLE XI: CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The Board defines a conflict of interest for the Board, the Director and other
employees to be:
Involvement in any activity which would benefit said party financially,
personally, or in any way judged not to be in the best interest of the library.
If any Board member or Library staff personnel feels a conflict is at issue, it
must be reported to the full Board promptly.
The Board will request the person with the conflict not be present at, or
participate in, the Board’s deliberation, and/or vote, on the matter giving rise
to the conflict.
It is prohibited that the person with the conflict try to improperly influence
the deliberation process or the voting on the matter giving rise to the
conflict.
The existence and resolution of the conflict will be documented in the
minutes at which the conflict was discussed and voted on.
ARTICLE XII: SOCIAL MEDIA
The purpose of the Library’s face book page is to promote knowledge of
library services, programs and additions to the library’s collections.
We neither invite, nor engage in conversation.
ARTICLE XIII: SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Attached is SALS’ policy on sexual harassment adopted by their Board on
1/20/2015 and again on 10/16/2018.
Horicon Free Public Library does hereby adopt and adhere to the same
Adopted: 11/6/2018
ARTICLE XIV: NO SMOKING POLICY
To protect and enhance our air quality and to contribute to the health and
well-being of all employees and patrons, the Horicon Free Public Library
shall be entirely smoke free.
Additionally, the use of all tobacco products, including chewing tobacco and
electronic cigarettes, is prohibited in the library.
This policy applies to all visitors, community groups and employees.
No additional breaks will be allowed for employees who smoke.
Employees who fail to comply with this policy will be subject to disciplinary
action that may lead to termination.
Persons who fail to comply with this policy may be subject to the suspension
of their library privileges and/or prohibited from visiting the library.
ARTICLE XV: DESIGNATION OF OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER
The Trustees shall designate an official newspaper each year at their
December meeting.
ARTICLE XVI: PUBLIC COMMENT
Public comments at library board meetings will be limited to 3 minutes.
All policies updated and approved 12/13/2021
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ANTI-HARASSMENT POLICY
All Unlawful Harassment Prohibited
Southern Adirondack Library Systems (hereinafter referred to as “SALS”) strictly prohibits and does not tolerate unlawful harassment against employees or any other covered persons [including interns] because of race, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), gender (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender or transsexual individual), age (18 and over), physical or mental disability, citizenship, genetic information, past, current or prospective service in the uniformed services, marital status or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law.
Sexual Harassment
All SALS employees, other workers and representatives (including customers and visitors) are prohibited from harassing employees and other covered persons based on that individual’s sex or gender (including pregnancy and status as a transgender or transsexual individual) and regardless of the harasser’s sex or gender.
Sexual harassment means any harassment based on someone’s sex or gender. It includes harassment that is not sexual in nature (for example, offensive remarks about an individual’s sex or gender), as well as any unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors or any other conduct of a sexual nature, when any of the following is true:
· Submission to the advance, request or conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment.
· Submission to or rejection of the advance, request or conduct is used as a basis for employment decisions.
· Such advances, requests or conduct have the purpose or effect of substantially or unreasonably interfering with an employee’s work performance by creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.
SALS will not tolerate any form of sexual harassment, regardless of whether it is:
· Verbal (for example, epithets, derogatory statements, slurs, sexually-related comments or jokes, unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors).
· Physical (for example, assault or inappropriate physical contact).
· Visual (for example, displaying sexually suggestive posters cartoons or drawings, sending inappropriate adult-themed gifts, leering or making sexual gestures).
This list is illustrative only, and not exhaustive. No form of sexual harassment will be tolerated.
Harassment is prohibited both at the workplace and at employer-sponsored events.
Other Types of Harassment
SALS’s anti-harassment policy applies equally to harassment based on an employee’s race, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, age (40 and over), physical or mental disability, citizenship, genetic information, past, present or prospective service in the uniformed services, marital status or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law.
Such harassment often takes a similar form to sexual harassment and includes harassment that is:
· Verbal (for example, epithets, derogatory statements, slurs, derogatory comments or jokes).
· Physical (for example, assault or inappropriate physical contact).
· Visual (for example, displaying derogatory posters, cartoons, drawings or making derogatory gestures).
This list is illustrative only, and not exhaustive. No form of harassment will be tolerated.
Harassment is prohibited both at the workplace and at employer-sponsored events.
When to Report a Violation
Preventing sexual harassment is everyone’s responsibility. SALS cannot prevent or remedy sexual harassment unless it knows about it.
If you are subjected to any conduct that you believe violates this policy, you are encouraged to report any harassment or behaviors to your direct supervisor or, if the conduct involves your direct supervisor, the next level above your direct supervisor, ideally within ten (10) days of the offending conduct. Reporting the violation constitutes filing a complaint under this policy, which complaint will be handled pursuant to the following section titled “Complaint Procedure”.
Additionally, any manager or supervisor who observes conduct in violation of this policy must report the conduct to the Director so that an investigation can be made and corrective action taken, if appropriate.
Complaint Procedure
Please see the preceding section title “When to Report a Violation” to determine when a violation should be reported.
Reports of sexual harassment may be made verbally or in writing. A form for submission of a written complaint is attached to this policy, and all employees are encouraged to use this complaint form. Employees who are reporting sexual harassment on behalf of other employees should use the complaint form and note that it is on another employee’s behalf.
Your complaint should be as detailed as possible, including the names of all individuals involved and any witnesses. SALS will directly and thoroughly investigate complaints of harassment and will take prompt corrective action, including verbal and written warnings, reprimand, suspension or possible termination of employment. SALS reserves the right to contact law enforcement, if appropriate.
The alleged harassment investigation will be handled by the SALS Director or SALS Board of Trustees in a confidential manner, to protect the privacy of the individuals involved.
While the process may vary from case to case, investigations should be done in accordance with the following steps:
· Upon receipt of complaint, the Director or Board of Trustees will conduct an immediate review of the allegations, and take any interim actions (e.g., instructing the respondent to refrain from communications with the complainant), as appropriate. If complaint is verbal, encourage the individual to complete the “Complaint Form” in writing. If he or she refuses, prepare a Complaint Form based on the verbal reporting.
· If documents, emails or phone records are relevant to the investigation, take steps to obtain and preserve them.
· Request and review all relevant documents, including all electronic communications.
· Interview all parties involved, including any relevant witnesses;
· Create a written documentation of the investigation (such as a letter, memo or email), which contains the following:
o A list of all documents reviewed, along with a detailed summary of relevant documents;
o A list of names of those interviewed, along with a detailed summary of their statements;
o A timeline of events;
o A summary of prior relevant incidents, reported or unreported; and
o The basis for the decision and final resolution of the complaint, together with any corrective action(s).
· Keep the written documentation and associated documents in a secure and confidential location.
· Promptly notify the individual who reported and the individual(s) about whom the complaint was made of the final determination and implement any corrective actions identified in the written document.
· Inform the individual who reported of the right to file a complaint or charge externally as outlined in the next section.
If you have not received a satisfactory response to your complaint within five (5) days after reporting any incident of what you perceive to be a violation of this policy, please immediately contact the Director.
No Retaliation
No one will be subject to, and SALS prohibits, any form of discipline, reprisal, intimidation or retaliation for good faith reporting of incidents of harassment of any kind, pursuing any harassment claim or cooperating in related investigations.
SALS is committed to enforcing this policy against all forms of harassment. However, the effectiveness of our efforts depends largely on employees telling us about inappropriate workplace conduct. If employees feel that they or someone else may have been subjected to conduct that violates this policy, they should report it immediately. If employees do not report harassing conduct, SALS may not become aware of a possible violation of this policy and may not be able to take appropriate corrective action.
Violations of this Policy
Any employee, regardless of position or title, whom the Director or the Board of Trustees determines has subjected an individual to harassment or retaliation in violation of this policy, will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination of employment.
If upon completion of the investigation it is determined that there was no harassment or violation of this policy, then the employee making the claim will be informed. If the individual who asserted the claim of harassment is found to have falsely accused another individual, then that person will be subject to appropriate sanctions, including termination.
Legal Protections and External Remedies
Sexual harassment is not only prohibited by SALS but is also prohibited by state, federal, and, where applicable, local law.
Aside from the internal process at SALS, employees may also choose to pursue legal remedies with the following governmental entities. While a private attorney is not required to file a complaint with a governmental agency, you may seek the legal advice of an attorney.
In addition to those outlined below, employees in certain industries may have additional legal protections.
State Human Rights Law (HRL)
The Human Rights Law (HRL), codified as N.Y. Executive Law, art. 15, § 290 et seq., applies to all employers in New York State with regard to sexual harassment, and protects employees, paid or unpaid interns and non-employees, regardless of immigration status. A complaint alleging violation of the Human Rights Law may be filed either with the Division of Human Rights (DHR) or in New York State Supreme Court.
Complaints with DHR may be filed any time within one year of the harassment. If an individual did not file at DHR, they can sue directly in state court under the HRL, within three years of the alleged sexual harassment. An individual may not file with DHR if they have already filed a HRL complaint in state court.
Complaining internally to SALS does not extend your time to file with DHR or in court. The one year or three years is counted from date of the most recent incident of harassment.
You do not need an attorney to file a complaint with DHR, and there is no cost to file with DHR.
DHR will investigate your complaint and determine whether there is probable cause to believe that sexual harassment has occurred. Probable cause cases are forwarded to a public hearing before an administrative law judge. If sexual harassment is found after a hearing, DHR has the power to award relief, which varies but may include requiring your employer to take action to stop the harassment, or redress the damage caused, including paying of monetary damages, attorney’s fees and civil fines.
DHR’s main office contact information is: NYS Division of Human Rights, One Fordham Plaza, Fourth Floor, Bronx, New York 10458. You may call (718) 741-8400 or visit: www.dhr.ny.gov.
Contact DHR at (888) 392-3644 or visit dhr.ny.gov/complaint for more information about filing a complaint. The website has a complaint form that can be downloaded, filled out, notarized and mailed to DHR. The website also contains contact information for DHR’s regional offices across New York State.
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces federal antidiscrimination laws, including Title VII of the 1964 federal Civil Rights Act (codified as 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq.). An individual can file a complaint with the EEOC anytime within 300 days from the harassment. There is no cost to file a complaint with the EEOC. The EEOC will investigate the complaint, and determine whether
there is reasonable cause to believe that discrimination has occurred, at which point the EEOC will issue a Right to Sue letter permitting the individual to file a complaint in federal court.
The EEOC does not hold hearings or award relief, but may take other action including pursuing cases in federal court on behalf of complaining parties. Federal courts may award remedies if discrimination is found to have occurred. In general, private employers must have at least 15 employees to come within the jurisdiction of the EEOC.
An employee alleging discrimination at work can file a “Charge of Discrimination.” The EEOC has district, area, and field offices where complaints can be filed. Contact the EEOC by calling 1-800-669- 4000 (TTY: 1-800-669-6820), visiting their website at www.eeoc.gov or via email at info@eeoc.gov.
If an individual filed an administrative complaint with DHR, DHR will file the complaint with the EEOC to preserve the right to proceed in federal court.
Local Protections
Many localities enforce laws protecting individuals from sexual harassment and discrimination. An individual should contact the county, city or town in which they live to find out if such a law exists. For example, employees who work in New York City may file complaints of sexual harassment with the New York City Commission on Human Rights. Contact their main office at Law Enforcement Bureau of the NYC Commission on Human Rights, 40 Rector Street, 10th Floor, New York, New York; call 311 or (212) 306-7450; or visit www.nyc.gov/html/cchr/html/home/home.shtml.
Contact the Local Police Department
If the harassment involves unwanted physical touching, coerced physical confinement or coerced sex acts, the conduct may constitute a crime. Contact the local police department.
Approved by SALS Board of Trustees 1/20/2015
Approved by SALS Board of Trustees 10/16/2018