#2: Dogs are sometimes allowed →

From Emma:

It's nice to check out a tip and discover your library is already doing a fine job! I was happy to find that my library had no misleading signs on the front doors and a code of conduct that permitted service animals. That said, that doesn't mean I didn't learn anything from trying out this tip, because I definitely did. Here are the details.

I checked the Dallas Public Library's Code of Conduct for any mention of service animals, dogs, or just plain animals, and found this:

"Introducing any animals, insects or other living organisms into City buildings without express permission of the City staff, with the exception of service animals, such as seeing-eye dogs or other guide-trained animals."

Interestingly, this is in a list of behaviors that "are prohibited if in the clear judgment of city staff, on a case-by-case basis, they disrupt the environment for other users of the facilities" which seems to imply that if staff judges that bringing a non-service animal into the library is not disruptive to other patrons, we can allow it. This is pretty cool, because that means we can allow emotional support animals in the library if they don't cause problems for other users.

As you might know if you're the kind of person who reads this blog, there is a difference between service dogs and emotional support animals. Only the former are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act and, at least in the U.S., there are generally no laws against banning emotional support animals from either private or public buildings (here's a Department of Justice FAQ with more info).

While there are plenty of horror stories out there about library patrons slapping a vest they ordered on the internet on their poorly-behaved pet and bringing her into the library where she jumps on other patrons and pees in the stacks, there are also probably situations where having a well-behaved emotional support animal could help a patron make better use of the library without causing any trouble. The waiting list for a trained service dog can be long, the dogs can be expensive, and not everyone who could benefit from an emotional support animal needs a service dog--for example, a dog whose mere presence calms someone during an anxiety attack is an emotional support animal, not a service animal, since it is not trained to take a specific action when the attack occurs.

I'm adding this to my list of things to talk to my colleagues about, because I certainly had no idea that we could allow emotional support dogs in the library, and I bet they didn't either. That way, we can be on the same page about what our options are and do our best to be consistent about what we do and don't allow in our library.