#23: Consider your language rules carefully

Many libraries have sections in their codes of conduct that prohibit the use of profanity or ‘offensive language.’ If your library is one of them, think carefully about which terms you prioritize when you enforce it. “Gay” and “retarded” aren’t often considered curse words, but when used as insults, they are just as likely to make patrons who overhear them feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. On the flip side, if your library is located in a community where certain curse words are a common feature of speech for most people (or even a certain demographic), you might want to reconsider the wisdom of kicking people out for talking the way they normally talk.