Appeals Process

Policies are living documents reviewed periodically by the Board of Library Trustees Policy Subcommittee and brought for review to Board of Library Trustees. Staff decisions and Library procedures are guided by Trustee approved policies. A patron who is dissatisfied with a staff member’s policy interpretation or the outcome of a policy may ask to speak with the manager on duty, who will make every attempt to offer reasonable accommodations that will balance the Library’s needs and the patron’s desires.

Should any patron be dissatisfied with the reasonable accommodations offered, they may follow the appeals process as outlined below:

The patron may request by phone or email to have an in-person or virtual meeting with the Library Director to discuss their appeal. The Director or their designee will respond within 5 business days.

Should the patron be dissatisfied with the Director’s interpretation of the policy; the patron may appeal in writing to the Director and Chair of the Policy Subcommittee and request to be added to the agenda of an upcoming meeting under Public Comment. The Policy Subcommittee Chair or their designee will respond within 30 days. Note the deadline for agenda items is 48 hours prior to the scheduled and posted public meeting.

Should the patron be dissatisfied with the Policy Subcommittee’s interpretation of the policy, the patron may appeal in writing to the Director and the Chair of the Board of Library Trustees, which meets monthly, and request to be added to the agenda of an upcoming meeting under Public Comment. The Board Chair or their designee will respond within 30 days. Note the deadline for adding agenda items is 48 hours prior to the scheduled and posted public meeting.

Contested policies may be brought back to the Town of Grafton and legal counsel for review before the Board of Library Trustee’s meeting.

The Board of Library Trustees has complete jurisdiction and final say on interpretation of all approved Library Policies which have been vetted by legal counsel.

The appeals process is posted on the Library’s website at https://graftonlibrary.org/home/policies/.

 Adopted, Board of Library Trustees, October 26, 2022