The Smelly Ban
Public libraries: Poor hygiene might get you tossed
Schaumburg Township District Library adds ‘offensive bodily odors’ to its prohibitions
By John Keilman | Tribune reporter
April 13, 2009
Patrons of the Schaumburg Township District Library have never been allowed to bring in the noise. Now they can’t bring in the funk.
The library recently added “offensive bodily odors” to its list of prohibitions, joining more traditional no-nos such as running, rowdiness or toting an uncovered beverage.
Director Stephanie Sarnoff said the aroma would have to be so overpowering that it interfered with others’ use of the facility. And while the policy stemmed from complaints about an apparently homeless person, Sarnoff said it would apply just as much to an overuse of perfume as an underuse of soap.
“People who use libraries are usually very understanding about the foibles of others,” she said. “So when one or more library users complain that another person’s hygiene is of such poor quality that it is prohibiting them from pursuing what they want to do, their problem becomes our problem.”
Read the rest of the story here.
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