The Olney Public Library recognizes the ALA Library Bill of Rights and the right to read for all individuals.

Library Bill of Rights

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; inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23,
1996.
Approved 09/13/2016

Collection Development Policy

The Olney Public Library Staff selects, acquires, organizes, circulates, and promotes the use of a broad
range of materials in a variety of formats that meet the information needs of patrons and the community. They strive to keep the collection current, relevant, and representative of all areas of knowledge, including multiple viewpoints as well as topics of interest to the local community.
The selection process will conform to policies adopted by the Board of Trustees and be reviewed by the Library Director and the Board’s Policy Committee biennially. 

Selection Criteria

Materials are selected which support the Olney Public Library Mission and which meet the following guidelines:

• suitability, durability and appropriate physical format
• literary and artistic merit
• award winning or “classic” titles
• contemporary or historic significance
• current interest
• favorable reviews from professional and reputable review resources
• intended age and reading/listening/viewing levels
• patron requests
• relationship to currently owned materials in the collection
• relation to other materials in order to maintain impartial but comprehensive collection
• scarcity of materials on a subject/author/performer
• potential and current relevance to identified community needs as stated in the Library’s long range plan
• value as a source/reference material
• price
• local author, producer, illustrator or subject availability from other libraries
• purchase subject obligations as member of the Heartland Library System

Collection Update & Maintenance
The library’s collection is one that is intended to be active, useful, and circulating. The criteria for weeding (i.e., the periodic discarding of library materials) are:

• accuracy
• frequency of use
• physical condition
• relevance

Replacements and updated editions are purchased when warranted.

Requests for Reconsideration of Library Materials

The library will review the selection of a specific item upon request of a member of the community. The Olney Public Library Staff and Board of Trustees support intellectual freedom and subscribe to the principles of the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and its statements on Freedom to Read and Freedom to View. These statements guide the library staff in the selection of materials that reflect the diversity of viewpoints in the community and our nation.

The library will consider patron objections to materials in its collections. Whenever possible, complaints should be handled by the staff person to whom they are made, but if the patron is not satisfied with that person’s explanation, they may file a written request for reconsideration of a specific selection in writing by using the form “Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials.” The Library Director will send a written response to the petitioner within a reasonable amount of time and such a request will be reported to the Board of Trustees at its next regular meeting.

Approved 11/08/2016

Download a Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form

ALA Freedom to Read Statement

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 deserve 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 

Code of Conduct Policy

Patron Conduct Policy

The Library Board of Trustees has established standards of acceptable behavior to ensure that library patrons’ rights to using the resources and services of the library and that promote the safety of the general public, library staff, equipment, materials, and facilities without being disturbed or impeded by other library users.

Patrons whose behavior interferes or disturbs others present in the library will be required to leave the premises and may lose their library privileges.

Rules of Conduct

Any behavior that is disruptive or hinders the use of the library or endangers public safety is prohibited such as, but not limited to, these examples.

1. Cell phones must be set to silent mode or to vibrate upon entering the library and may be answered or used to call someone in the foyer at the front entrance or outside the building.
2. Use of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs is not permitted inside the building or on library grounds.
   A. “Smoking” Shall mean inhaling of, exhaling of, burning of, or carrying of any lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe, e-cigarette, marijuana, or other plant in any manner or in any form.
   B. In accordance with the Smoke Free Illinois Act [410 ILCS 82/1 et seq.], smoking is prohibited within a minimum distance of 15 feet from entrances, exits, window that open, and ventilation intakes that serve an enclosed area where smoking is prohibited.This Act ensures that smoke does not enter the library through entrances, exits, open windows, or other means.
   C. Use of chewing tobacco and the possession of spittoons are prohibited in the library.
   D. Any patron found smoking, chewing tobacco or possessing a spittoon must immediately leave the library and dispose of prohibited materials. Upon the commission of a second offense, said patron must leave the library for the rest of the day.
3. Eating or drinking except at designated times and in designated areas is not allowed.
4. Sleeping is not permitted anywhere on the library property.
5. Shirts and shoes must be worn in the library.
6. Misusing the restrooms, such as using them as a washroom or laundry, is not permitted.
7. Creating a disturbance by making loud noise, use of profanity, verbal or physical harassment, running, fighting, or congregating in large groups unless at a library event is not tolerated.
8. Bicycles, roller blades, scooters and skateboards are not allowed in the library.
9. Parents or legal guardians are responsible for the behavior of their children while they are on library property. Children under the age of ten must be attended by a parent or other responsible caregiver in seventh grade or higher at all times while on library property. When the safety of an unattended child is in doubt, or the parent or responsible caregiver cannot be located, or if the Library is closing, Library staff is authorized to call the police and stay with the child until the police arrive.
10. Interfering with the library staff’s performance of their duties is not permitted.
11. Threatening behavior such as violence, threats of violence, possession of weapons is not acceptable behavior.
12. Animals shall not be left unattended on library property and are not permitted on the premises of any facility except for those used to aid persons with disabilities. (See p. 4 in Olney Public Library Policy Manual for details about Service animals.)
13. Selling products or services and/or soliciting donations are not permitted on library property.
14. The violation of federal, state, local laws or ordinances is not permitted on library property.
15. Theft, vandalism, or mutilation of library property or materials or belongings are criminal offenses that shall be prosecuted. In this regard, the library reserves the right to inspect any and all library users’ personal belongings, including but not limited to, bags, purses, briefcases, and backpacks.
16. Bags or other personal belongings must be no larger than what fits underneath one library chair.
17. Patrons may be required to leave athletic equipment, large parcels or other belongings deemed inappropriate with the library staff until ready to leave the building.
18. The library is not responsible for personal belongings.

Approved 11/14/17

Interfering with the library staff’s performance of their duties is not permitted.
Threatening behavior such as violence, threats of violence, possession of weapons is not acceptable behavior.
Animals shall not be left unattended on library property and are not permitted on the premises of any facility except for those used to aid persons with disabilities. (See p. 4 in Olney Public Library Policy Manual for details about Service animals.)
Selling products or services and/or soliciting donations are not permitted on library property.
The violation of federal, state, local laws or ordinances is not permitted on library property.
Theft, vandalism, or mutilation of library property or materials or belongings are criminal offenses that shall be prosecuted. In this regard, the library reserves the right to inspect any and all library users’ personal belongings, including but not limited to, bags, purses, briefcases, and backpacks.
Bags or other personal belongings must be no larger than what fits underneath one library chair.
Patrons may be required to leave athletic equipment, large parcels or other belongings deemed inappropriate with the library staff until ready to leave the building.
The library is not responsible for personal belongings.

Approved 11/14/17

Website Privacy Policy

Olney Public Library Website (olneypubliclibrary.org)
Effective Date: 5/11/2026

1. Introduction

Olney Public Library (“the Library,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you may provide while using our website, olneypubliclibrary.org. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have regarding your data.

By using our website, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

a. Information You Voluntarily Provide

We may collect personal information when you:

• Fill out contact forms
• Sign up for newsletters or events
• Request library services or assistance

This information may include:

• Name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Any message or content you submit

b. Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

• IP address
• Browser type
• Device information
• Pages visited and time spent
• Referring website

This data is collected using standard web analytics tools.

3. How We Use Information

We use collected information to:

• Respond to inquiries and requests
• Improve website performance and user experience
• Share library updates, events, and announcements (if you opt in)
• Maintain website security and prevent misuse

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information.

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website may use cookies or similar technologies to:

• Improve website functionality
• Analyze site traffic and usage patterns
• Enhance user experience

You may disable cookies in your browser settings, but some features of the website may not function properly.

5. Third-Party Services

We may use trusted third-party services (such as analytics tools or embedded content) to support website functionality. These services may collect limited data in accordance with their own privacy policies.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites linked from our site.

6. Children’s Privacy

As a public library, we recognize the importance of protecting children’s privacy. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without parental or guardian consent. If such information is discovered, it will be promptly deleted.

7. Data Security

We take reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect your information. However, no method of online transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Your Rights and Choices

You may:

• Request access to your personal information
• Request correction or deletion of your data
• Opt out of communications at any time

To make such requests, please contact us using the information below.

9. External Links

Our website may contain links to external sites. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of those websites.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date.

11. Contact Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please contact:

Olney Public Library
Website: olneypubliclibrary.org
Email: Director@olneypubliclibrary.org
Phone: 618-392-3711
Address:400 W Main St. Olney, IL 62450

Website Terms of Use

Olney Public Library Website (olneypubliclibrary.org)
Effective Date: [Insert Date]

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Olney Public Library website (“Website”), you agree to comply with and be bound by these Terms of Use. If you do not agree with these terms, please do not use this Website.

2. Purpose of Website

This Website is provided for informational, educational, and community service purposes. Olney Public Library strives to provide accurate and current information but does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of all content.

3. Website Content

All content on this Website, including text, graphics, logos, documents, and images, is provided for general informational use unless otherwise noted.

Users may:

• View and print materials for personal, educational, or non-commercial use
• Share links to publicly available pages

Users may not:

• Modify or reproduce website content for commercial purposes without permission
• Use website content in a misleading or unlawful manner
• Attempt to disrupt or damage website functionality

4. External Links

This Website may contain links to third-party websites for additional information or services. Olney Public Library does not control or endorse external websites and is not responsible for their content, privacy practices, or availability.

Accessing third-party websites is done at your own risk.

5. User Conduct

Users agree not to:

• Use the Website for unlawful purposes
• Attempt unauthorized access to website systems
• Upload or transmit malicious software or harmful code
• Interfere with website operations or security

The Library reserves the right to restrict access to users who violate these terms.

6. Disclaimer of Warranties

This Website and its content are provided “as is” without warranties of any kind, either express or implied.

Olney Public Library does not guarantee:

• Continuous or error-free website operation
• Accuracy or reliability of information
• Freedom from viruses or harmful components

7. Limitation of Liability

Olney Public Library shall not be liable for any damages arising from the use or inability to use this Website, including direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages.

8. Accessibility

Olney Public Library is committed to making its Website accessible to all users, including individuals with disabilities. If you experience difficulty accessing any content, please contact the Library for assistance.

9. Privacy

Use of this Website is also governed by the Library’s Privacy Policy. Please review the Privacy Policy for information about how personal data may be collected and used.

10. Changes to Terms

Olney Public Library reserves the right to update or modify these Terms of Use at any time without prior notice. Changes will become effective upon posting to this page.

11. Governing Law

These Terms of Use shall be governed by the laws of the State of Washington and applicable federal laws.

12. Contact Information

If you have questions regarding these Terms of Use, please contact:

Olney Public Library
Current contact information and hours are located in our website footer at the bottom of each page.