Decision details

The local public library byelaws had not been formally updated since 1977 and, following a new national template provided by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (and following their due process), the decision ratifies an up-to-date set of byelaws for the county. The byelaws are made under Section 19 of the Public Libraries & Museum Act (1964) and the decision relates to their revision and subsequent operational implementation.

Following public inspection and discussion with senior leaders and Libraries’ Portfolio Holder, a new set of public library byelaws have been agreed for Oxfordshire, in line with national government guidance.

Libraries need to have byelaws in place to help manage unreasonable customer behaviour, and it is important that these byelaws follow current national guidance. The byelaws provide the formal legal foundation for any sanctions that the service/council wish to apply.

There are two main options:

1. Update the byelaws as per the national guidance and as part of a wider, aligned ‘Management of Unreasonable Customer Behaviours’ Framework. OR

2. Not to update the byelaws or current procedures – this would leave staff vulnerable and the service without due legal backing for applying any sanctions (for example, warning or barring notices). 

Therefore, the decision was made to go with option 1 and approved the updated Byelaws.