September 13, 2021

Representatives of news media outlets who contact the library or request staff interviews must be referred to the Public Relations Coordinator. In the absence of the Public Relations Coordinator, staff will contact the Director, Assistant Director, or Evening Weekend Supervisor in that order.

If the news media arrives to cover a library event, the staff member facilitating the event may do the interview promoting and answering questions about the event without contacting the Public Relations Coordinator, Director, Assistant Director or Director’s designee.

If the news media wishes to interview a library patron, he or she may do so as long as the interview does not disrupt or disturb other patrons, as outlined in the Library Behavior Policy. If an interview is deemed by library staff to be disruptive or to disturb other patrons, the news media representative will be directed to another location.

In regard to photographs, audio, and video recording, patrons generally do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy while in the library, due to the public nature of the building. Additionally, the news media is not required to ask permission from people who appear in news pictures or stories.

Previous revisions: August 12, 2019, October 12, 2015; December 8, 2014; December 2012; adopted December 13, 2006, RCPL Board of Trustees