Policy Comes Before Board on May 21

The Salina Public Library Board of Trustees is scheduled to consider a new employee policy that would set formal procedures for how library staff respond when law enforcement enters the library or requests information, access or assistance.

The proposed law enforcement policy is listed as a discussion/action item for the board’s May 21 meeting, scheduled for 7 a.m. in the Campbell Room at the Salina Public Library. Other discussion/action items include Hoopla/Overdrive, the Friends of Salina Public Library memorandum of understanding, the 2027 budget discussion and the July board meeting date.

According to the board packet, the policy was created to give staff clear guidance when interacting with law enforcement. The stated goal is to make sure those situations are handled consistently, professionally and in accordance with library policies, applicable laws and patron confidentiality standards.

What the Proposed Policy Would Require

The draft policy states that the library recognizes and appreciates the work law enforcement does to help keep the community safe. It also says library staff are expected to treat law enforcement with respect and courtesy.

At the same time, the policy would direct regular staff not to answer questions or engage in discussions with law enforcement. Instead, staff would be required to refer law enforcement requests to designated library personnel.

Those designated individuals would include the Library Director, Assistant Director, Head of Security and Head of Business/HR. If none of those individuals are available on site, staff would be directed to contact security personnel, who would then speak with the officer regarding the situation.

The proposed policy also includes specific language staff would be directed to use when referring law enforcement to the appropriate person:

“The Library Director, Assistant Director, Security, or Head of HR will be able to assist you. Let me contact them for you.”

The policy does not say law enforcement would be denied access to the library. Instead, it creates a chain of communication so law enforcement requests are handled by administration or designated staff rather than by any employee who happens to be approached.

Limits on Information Staff Could Provide

The proposed policy includes specific limits on what staff should not disclose.

According to the draft, staff should not provide employee work hours or schedules, patron use of the library, library records, or confirmation of whether a staff member or patron is currently inside the building. The policy also says staff should not disclose personal identifying information, including names connected with records, dates of birth, addresses, contact information or other confidential employee or patron details.

That portion of the policy appears focused on privacy and consistency. Public libraries can hold sensitive information about patrons, including account records, material use, contact information and other activity connected to library services. The proposed policy would move decisions about those requests away from frontline staff and place them with designated personnel.

The board packet lists four possible options for the board. Trustees may approve the policy as presented, approve it with specific changes, postpone consideration to a future meeting or deny the action.

Security Incidents Add Context

The proposed policy comes as the library continues to report security-related incidents in its monthly statistics.

Through April, the library reported 65 security incidents in 2026. That includes 5 in January, 23 in February, 17 in March and 20 in April. The packet defines security incidents as police, EMS and other patron-related incidents that change the course of day-to-day library operations.

For comparison, the library reported 129 security incidents for all of 2025, 140 in 2024, 155 in 2023 and 113 in 2022. Based only on the first four months of 2026, the library is currently tracking at a higher pace than the prior full-year totals, though the packet does not explain whether the increase reflects more incidents, different types of incidents, or changes in reporting practices.

The board packet does not state whether the proposed law enforcement policy was prompted by a specific incident, a broader increase in security activity or a general need to formalize staff procedures. That question is likely to be central as the board considers the policy, because apparently even a public library now needs a chain-of-command plan for the moment someone with a badge asks a question.

Public comments at the May 21 meeting are limited to five minutes. Speakers must sign in before the meeting, and comments must relate to an agenda item or issue relevant to the board’s work. The packet states the public comment period is not a question-and-answer period and that the board is not obligated to respond to comments.