Food & Beverage Policy

The Avondale Public Library strives to create welcoming, clean, and comfortable environments for the public. To ensure this, it requires that we exercise care in allowing food and drink in library buildings. Food and drink are easily spilled on books, furniture, and equipment, causing damage. Particles of food left behind on books, furniture, or floors attract rodents, cockroaches, silverfish and other unwanted pests. Our aim is to minimize the risk of damage and, at the same time, meets the needs of patrons who are frequently in the library for extended periods. To meet this goal, the Library has adopted the following policy for the consumption of food and beverages in public areas of Library facilities:

• Snacks are permitted only in designated areas such as the lobby in the Civic Center Library and the forward lobby area at the Sam Garcia Western Avenue Library, if unsure, please ask at the service desk
• Drinks are allowed with spill-proof or twist top lids only
• No food or drinks allowed in any unauthorized areas
• Unattended food and/or beverages will be disposed of by staff
• Clean up any spills right away—if additional assistance is needed, contact library staff at the desk
• Properly dispose of all food, drink containers and trash in the appropriate containers

The Library reserves the right to ask any patron to remove their food and/or beverage from the library if in the judgment of the staff it constitutes a violation of this policy. Allowing food and drink in the library during special events will be at the discretion of the Library Manager.