Conduct Policies

The UC Davis Library strives to provide all users with a welcoming, comfortable and safe environment, and seamless access to library resources and collections. Maintaining a pleasant and productive environment for study and research requires that all users follow library policies and guidelines and adhere to the UC Davis Principles of Community. UC Davis students are also expected to comply with university student responsibilities and conduct standards.

These policies and principles are enforceable by all library staff. Anyone who does not follow library policies may be asked to leave the building, refused future access, or be denied library borrowing privileges.

Behavior and Use of Library Spaces

These policies apply to all indoor and outdoor spaces at Shields Library and Blaisdell Medical Library, including the Shields Library Courtyard and outdoor areas adjacent to entrances of both buildings.

Behavior: Users may not engage in activity or behavior that disrupts other library users, interferes with library operations, or impedes any library employee’s performance of their duties. Such behavior includes, but is not limited to:

• Verbal abuse
• Intimidation
• Sexual harassment
• Other types of harassment, including those based on race, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristics or categories.

Bicycling, rollerblading and skating, riding scooters, and skateboarding are not permitted on or in library spaces. Section 6.07 of the UC Davis Traffic and Parking Code prohibits riding, parking, and storing wheeled vehicles inside of campus buildings. Wheeled devices other than strollers and those used by persons with disabilities are not permitted in the libraries unless they can be carried as personal property. Bicycles, motorized scooter and carts, and other large wheeled vehicles must be parked outside at designated bicycle racks or corrals, not at library entrances.

Selling, marketing and/or solicitation of goods, money, or petition signatures; distribution of pamphlets or other materials; and/or conducting unauthorized surveys are prohibited within library building public areas.

Tabling and other outreach activities outside library entrances must not hinder the convenient entry and exit of users or employees, consistent with campus policy. Per University of California policy (Section 100004), only registered student organizations and campus departments may set up a table or booth. To request permission to table outside of Shields Library, please contact shieldscirc@ucdavis.edu to make arrangements at least one week in advance. If you plan to distribute food, please review the relevant campus food safety and permit requirements.

No smoking, vaping or tobacco use: Consistent with University of California policy, smoking, vaping, and the use of smokeless tobacco products and e-cigarettes are prohibited both indoors and outdoors.

No marijuana: Marijuana possession or use, in any form, is also prohibited both indoors and outdoors in accordance with University of California policy.

Mobile devices: If you need to have a phone conversation, please use Collaboration Zones or outdoor areas and be respectful of those around you. In Silent Study Zones, phones must be switched to silent, and phone conversations are not permitted.

• Please do not have phone conversations in Shields Library stairwells as sound carries to other areas.
• At Blaisdell Medical Library, phone conversations are only permitted in the lobby near the information desk or in the breezeway in front of the library.

Bulletin board use: Glassed-in bulletin boards are for UC Davis events and information only. Material must be approved and posted by authorized library staff. To request consideration of your announcement for this space, please email your poster design and dimensions to library@ucdavis.edu or bring a copy to the Shields Library Circulation Desk.

• The bulletin boards located in the east wing of Shields Library are designated for announcements from registered student organizations and campus departments. Posting campus notices or campus promotional flyers to these boards does not require prior library staff authorization; however, the library reserves the right to remove postings from these boards at any time.
• Posting in other areas of the library (e.g., walls, bathroom stalls) is prohibited, and flyers will be removed.

Event and space use requests: The library is not an official campus event venue. Because our capacity to support events is limited, library buildings are generally used only for events and activities hosted by or in partnership with the library. To request permission to hold an event or academic support activity at the library, including the Shields Library Courtyard, campus departments should contact library@ucdavis.edu as early as possible.

Photography and videography: Use of the libraries as a filming location must be approved in advance. See the library’s photography and videography guidelines for more details.

Safety and Security

Users are responsible for their personal property at all times, and should never leave personal belongings unattended. The library is not liable for loss or damage to personal property.

Users may not vandalize, deface, damage, or destroy library property, including but not limited to buildings, furniture, equipment, book returns, artwork or exhibits.

Firearms or other weapons, fireworks, explosives, or other dangerous devices or substances are prohibited in the libraries. This restriction does not apply to on-duty law enforcement.

Animals are not permitted in library buildings, with the exception of service and assistive animals as permitted under campus policy.

Users may not enter unauthorized areas of the libraries at any time, including library staff entrances and the Shields Library loading dock. Users may not enter or remain in any library space during times when that area is closed.

Users are required to leave the libraries at closing, during emergency situations and evacuations, and whenever requested to leave by library staff or public safety personnel.

Protection and Use of Library Collections

Library materials, equipment or property may not be taken from the libraries without proper checkout or authorization. Materials stored in faculty research rooms and graduate study nooks must be checked out to the user.

Library materials must be returned on or before the due date or upon request by the library.

Library materials may not be concealed in the libraries for the exclusive use of individuals or groups.

Library materials must not be defaced or damaged in any way. This includes but is not limited to:

• Marking, underlining, or writing on pages
• Folding or removing pages or portions of pages
• Removing or damaging binding
• Removing electronic theft devices or labels
• Applying sticky notes, paper clips, or other damaging materials.