Library Code of Conduct

1.1       We welcome all community members and visitors to our library. Visitors under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult, while children between the ages of 5 and 12 must be supervised by a parent or guardian. We regret that children under 5 years of age are not permitted in the library building.

1.2       Access to the library is free of charge, but we do require that you present your Emirates ID card, passport, library membership card, or other personal identification document to be admitted to the building. Members should not share their membership card or account credentials with any other person.

1.3     All library visitors are required to abide by the Code of Conduct, and follow the instructions of the library staff.

1.4       Animals are not permitted in the library building.

1.5       Visitors should leave library rooms 10 minutes before the library closing time and must ensure that they leave the building by closing time.

1.6       Our library welcomes people of determination and has accessibility features including wheelchair access. See our Accessibility page for more.

1.7       The Special Collections Library can be accessed exclusively by pre-appointment. Library users can book appointments by phone, email, or through the library’s reception desk on the ground floor lobby.

1.8 All visitors are required to comply with all the library’s rules and instructions and not enter unauthorized places.

1.9 Visitors must wear appropriate and modest clothing when visiting the library, and in the event of a violation, the visitor will be prohibited from entering.

2.1       Any visitor to the library is welcome to browse our bookshelves and read or study books, or other content, within each of our libraries.

2.2       Membership is required to borrow books and to take books home.

2.3       Any visitor to the library can avail of our libraries' reading spaces, the Open Study Lounge on the Second Floor and group Study Rooms on the Second Floor by request.

2.4       Membership is required to reserve Study Rooms in advance.

See Book borrowing and Become a member for more details.

3.1       Visitors should treat other library users and our staff with respect and courtesy, respecting their privacy and personal space.

3.2       Visitors are required to switch to silent mode for their mobiles and electronic devices and limit their phone calls. Headphones are required for listening to audio.

3.3      Whilst we encourage discussion, debate and the exchange of ideas, users of the library should take care not to talk loudly. Visitors must accept the judgement of our library staff if they are deemed to be too loud and/or inconveniencing other library users.

3.4       All visitors should consider their safety and the safety of others at all times. Visitors should also follow emergency procedures, including evacuation from the building in the event of fire alarms or other emergencies, when requested to do so by our staff.

3.5 Visitors must not take any action that violates the general order of the library, or the library’s regulations and instructions.

4.1       Library users are responsible for the library's books, publications, content, materials and equipment when they are using them, whether this is in the library building or not.

4.2       Library users should take the upmost care of books, publications, content, materials and equipment, in particular taking care not to write on, mark or in any way damage library property.

4.3       Members must return borrowed materials in the same condition that they were issued. See Book borrowing for more information.

4.4       Library users must return books, equipment or other materials they are using when requested to do so by our library staff.

4.5       Most books, publications and multimedia content in our collections are protected by copyright laws both in the UAE and internationally. Library users are responsible for respecting copyrights and abiding by copyright laws. The library is not responsible for any violation of intellectual property legislation conducted by one of its visitors.

4.6 Library members are not allowed to lend books, publications, or other borrowed materials to any other person.

4.7 Users of the Library must not publish, record, republish, distribute or share e-books or other forms of digital content provided by the Library in accordance with copyright laws.

4.8 It is mandatory to abide by the agreed book loan period and maintain the physical condition of the document when it is returned.

5.1       Any and all social media posts, digital messages or digital content shared by visitors in the library are subject to UAE law. Social media and digital content are regulated by a number of laws, including the Cyber Crimes Law and the UAE Penal Code.

5.2       In particular, visitors should take care not to take photos of other library users without their permission, defame anyone or breach anyone's privacy using digital devices.

5.3       Library users should not download library content to their personal devices unless expressly permitted to do so by the library in writing.

5.4       No commercial photography or filming is allowed inside the library or its grounds without explicit permission in advance.

6.1       Eating and drinking are only permitted in the library café.

6.2       Food and drink purchased from the library café must be consumed inside the café.

6.3       Smoking and using other tobacco products, including vaping and electronic cigarettes is prohibited in the library by UAE law.

7.1       Library visitors are responsible for their own personal property at all times and the library accepts no liability for loss of property.

7.2       Visitors should not bring the following items inside the library:

- large bags or cases

- bicycles, scooters, skateboards or roller skates and related items

- strollers or prams

- Sharp objects

7.3       The library reserves the right to inspect bags or other personal possessions brought into the library if required.

7.4       Library users should not leave their personal property unattended. Items left unattended may be removed.

7.5       The library is not responsible for personal items that are lost, stolen, or damaged on Library premises.

7.6       Visitors may enquire at the Library Reception Desk regarding any lost and found items.

8.1       Groups of more than eight people must schedule their visit to the library in advance with library staff.

8.2       School and university groups are normally limited to 30 people and teachers should contact the library no less than a week in advance to arrange and schedule a group visit. See School & University Visits.

8.3       Guided tours for visiting groups are subject to scheduling and the availability of library staff. See Guided Tours & Itineraries.

9.1       The library and its staff may take immediate action in regarding violations of the Code of Conduct, including reporting the incident to the library security team or to the police, according to the circumstances.

9.2       All library visitors are subject to the laws of the UAE and the library reserves the right to report violators to the authorities.

9.3       The library reserves the right to temporarily or permanently suspend the membership of individuals breaching the library's Code of Conduct.

9.4       The library, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to ask members or non-members to leave the premises.

9.5       The library may impose fines on library users who have damaged library property inside the building or as a result of book borrowing.

9.6       The library reserves the right to resort to legal action to recover reasonable costs and expenses for the damage of library property.

10.1    Library users should raise any complaints regarding the conduct of other users with library staff in charge of the facility or room, or at the Library Reception Desk in the Ground Floor lobby area.

10.2    Library users can provide any general complaints, feedback or suggestions to our library staff.

10.3    Library users are welcome to submit complaints or suggestions via the Government of Dubai's unified complaints portal at e.complain or e.suggest.

11.1    Library users may not alter or attempt to alter the setup of library computers.

11.2    Library users may not save their data on the hard drives of library computers. Users must supply their own formatted data disks. See Computer and Internet Usage Policy.

11.3    Internet access may be used only for acceptable purposes. Examples of illegal and/or unacceptable use include, but are not limited to: threats of violence/endangerment of others, obscenity, pornography, child pornography, gambling, illegal activity, and harassing communications as defined by law, violation of copyright laws.