Library Board approved July 16, 2002. Revised March 26, 2019. Rescinded January 25, 2022.
To protect the privacy and maintain an appropriate environment for library users, it is the policy of the Oak Park Public Library to prohibit active circulation and distribution of petitions, fliers, and similar materials in Oak Park Public Library buildings with the exception that relevant materials may be distributed as part of scheduled programs held in library meeting spaces.
It is also the policy of the Oak Park Public Library to prohibit active solicitations, whether financial or otherwise, in library buildings. Any solicitations on library property outside the buildings must conform to the code of the Village of Oak Park, Illinois.
The Executive Director or a designate will, if space is available, identify a suitable location in each library building where printed materials may be made available to be read by library patrons.
The Oak Park Public Library makes bulletin boards available to provide information about the library and library programs and about community events and issues. Space for posters and flyers announcing events will be made available to units of government and to nonprofit community groups on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of the individuals or groups requesting it. Events need not be in Oak Park nor be sponsored by an Oak Park organization. When space is limited, preference would be given to announcements for events sponsored by Oak Park organizations and announcements of events to be held in Oak Park. Commercial notices and posters with messages that align with the library’s mission may also be considered by the executive director or a designate. Collection receptacles or collections of signatures are not permitted inside library facilities and spaces. In providing bulletin board space, the library aspires to meet the standards of the Library Bill of Rights, A Library for Everyone policy, and the Urban Library Council’s Race and Equity Statement.
All posters and flyers submitted for placement on a bulletin board must be reviewed by the executive director or a designate to ensure compliance with the guidelines set forth in the preceding paragraphs.
