Kingston Frontenac Public Library is dedicated to providing an accessible, inclusive, welcoming and safe space for the community, particularly its most vulnerable members including children, teenagers, seniors and members of our community who may be facing mental health, economic, or other challenges. It is essential that our staff have the tools to create that safe space, and this code along with extensive staff training will provide these.

Concerns expressed recently in social media posts and the local news by members of Libraries Are For Everyone are concerns that the Board of Directors shares: primarily, how do we make our services and resources available to serve the entire community? We believe that the new Code of Conduct passed at our last meeting (March 1, 2016) is part of the answer.

Kingston Frontenac Public Library is currently in the process of training our staff on the implementation of the new Code of Conduct and is actively reaching out to community partners to ensure that when what is needed by a patron is not a service KFPL offers that we are directing individuals to the resources best suited to their individual requirements. To date staff at KFPL have met with City representatives, shelters and other support organizations within the community including the Kingston Police Department and Addictions & Mental Health Services.

In Canada 1 in 5 adults will experience a mental illness in their lifetime. At KFPL, we recognize that people suffering from mental illness are much more likely to be the target of violence than to be violent themselves. The code of conduct, including strengthened language around our intolerance for violent, harassing, or abusive language is essential to our ability to create a safe space for patrons, particularly those who may be more vulnerable.

This policy is not aimed at any specific group but rather provides the tools and framework for staff to ensure that the library is a safe and welcoming environment for the community as a whole.

The Board of Directors at Kingston Frontenac Public Library always invites the community to share their ideas about how the Kingston Frontenac Public Library operates with the board. Board members can be reached via email at boardchair@kfpl.ca.

View the New Patron Code of Conduct