Patron Tripped Over Extension Cord, Sued Library: CGL Insurance Responded
The Power Cord and the Personal Injury Lawyer
Our public library hosted a community meeting where a presenter had to use an extension cord for their laptop. A patron, walking through the room, didn’t see the cord, tripped over it, and broke their wrist. The patron hired a personal injury lawyer and sued the library for creating a trip hazard. It was a simple, unfortunate accident. The library’s General Liability insurance policy handled the entire claim, from hiring a lawyer to paying the final settlement. It’s a classic example of the everyday premises risks a public library faces.
Shhh! Don’t Be Quiet About Library Insurance Needs! Protecting Books & People
A Quiet Place Full of Loud Risks
My aunt, a librarian, says people think her job is quiet and safe. She says, “It’s quiet, but it’s not safe from risk.” She explained that in one day, an elderly patron can slip on a wet floor, a child can pull a heavy book down on themselves, a computer user can access an illegal website, and a water pipe can burst, destroying an entire collection of rare books. A public library, she says, needs a loud, robust insurance program to protect it from the surprisingly diverse risks of being a free, open community hub.
Public Library Insurance: CGL, Property (Collections!), WC, Cyber (Public PCs!), D&O (Board)!
The “Card Catalog” of Essential Coverages
A library’s insurance program is like a card catalog, with a different card for every type of protection. The first card is General Liability, for patron slips and falls. The second is Property, with a special entry for the valuable book collection. The third is Workers’ Comp, for the librarians and staff. The fourth is Cyber Liability, for the public computers and patron data. And the fifth is Directors & Officers, for the library’s board of trustees. You need to check out every card to have a complete story of protection.
Premises Liability for Slips, Trips, Falls Among Shelves or in Common Areas!
The Spilled Coffee and the Lawsuit
A patron brought a cup of coffee into our library and spilled it, creating a small puddle in a carpeted aisle. Before a staff member could clean it up, another patron slipped on the wet spot and fell, injuring their back. They sued the library for failing to maintain a safe premise. This is the number one risk for any public library. The General Liability insurance policy is designed to respond to these frequent slip, trip, and fall claims that can happen anywhere, from the front steps to the quietest corners of the stacks.
Property Insurance Protecting Building AND Valuable Book/Media Collections! Inland Marine Rider?
When the “Contents” Are More Valuable Than the Building
A fire in our city’s main library was a tragedy. The building itself was damaged, but the bigger loss was the thousands of books destroyed by smoke and water. The library’s property insurance was specialized. It had a separate, high-value limit for the “library collection” itself. It didn’t just value the books as paper; it valued them at their full replacement cost. This “inland marine” type of coverage is essential for protecting the core asset of any library.
Workers’ Comp for Librarians, Staff, Maintenance (Lifting Books, Repetitive Motion)!
The Surprising Physical Demands of a “Quiet” Job
Being a librarian is a more physical job than people realize. Our librarians are constantly pushing heavy book carts, lifting boxes of new arrivals, and reaching up to high shelves. I’ve seen them suffer from back strains and get repetitive stress injuries from stamping books and using computers all day. The library’s Workers’ Compensation policy is the mandatory insurance that covers these unique, on-the-job injuries. It provides the medical care and lost wages for the dedicated staff who keep the library running.
Cyber Liability is CRITICAL: Protecting Patron Data & Managing Public Computer Access Risks!
The Public Computer and the Illicit Activity
A major risk for modern libraries is the bank of public access computers. A patron at our library used one of our computers for an illegal activity. Law enforcement got involved and subpoenaed our records. In another incident, our patron database was hacked. Our separate Cyber Liability insurance policy is critical. It provides legal defense for issues arising from patron computer use and covers the immense costs—like notification and credit monitoring—that come from a breach of our confidential patron data.
Directors & Officers Liability Protecting the Library Board/Trustees!
The Controversial Book and the Lawsuit Against the Board
The volunteer Board of Trustees for our public library voted to remove a series of controversial books from the children’s section. A civil liberties group filed a lawsuit against the board members personally, claiming they were violating the First Amendment. The library’s Directors & Officers (D&O) liability insurance is what defended them. It’s the essential protection that allows volunteer community leaders to make difficult, and often political, policy decisions for the library without risking their own personal finances.
Comparing Insurance Policies for Small Town Libraries vs. Large City Systems
A Single Room vs. a City-Wide Network
The small, one-room library in my hometown has a simple insurance policy, likely a package policy from a local agent. It covers their small building, their modest collection, and their two employees. By contrast, the New York Public Library system has a massive, multi-million-dollar insurance program. It covers dozens of historic buildings, priceless rare book collections, a huge staff, and the immense liability of serving millions of patrons a year. The scale and complexity of the operation dictate the scale of the insurance.
Does Your Policy Cover Damage to Rare Books or Archives? Need Specific Valuation/Coverage!
The Value of a Book is More Than Paper and Ink
Our library has a local history room with rare, irreplaceable books and manuscripts. Our standard property policy would only pay us the “replacement cost” of a normal book if they were destroyed. For these items, we have a separate “Fine Art and Valuable Articles” floater. We worked with an appraiser to set an “agreed value” for each rare item. If they are damaged, the insurer pays that full agreed value. It’s a crucial policy for protecting a collection’s historical worth, not just its material cost.
Filing Claims for Patron Injuries or Water Damage to Collections
Document, Mitigate, and Report
A water pipe burst in our library’s basement, damaging a section of our archives. The library director’s response was swift and professional. Her first step was to get staff to move the undamaged materials to a safe, dry location (mitigation). Her second was to take detailed photos of the damage. Her third was to immediately call our insurance agent to report the property claim. That calm, procedural approach is the key to ensuring a smooth claims process and maximizing the financial recovery for the library.
Using the Library Computers: Thinking About Their Cybersecurity Measures & Insurance!
The Free Wi-Fi and the Hidden Risks
I was using the free Wi-Fi at my local library, and I started thinking about the cybersecurity risks. The library is providing an open internet connection to hundreds of strangers every day. They are also storing my personal information in their lending database. The potential for a data breach or for someone to use their network for nefarious purposes is huge. I found myself hoping they have a robust Cyber Liability insurance policy to protect my data and to manage the inherent risks of being a public digital hub.
Protecting Against Vandalism or Damage to Library Property
The Broken Window and the Slashed Books
Our public library was vandalized one night. Someone broke a large window to get in and then used a knife to slash dozens of books. It was a senseless, heartbreaking act. The library’s Commercial Property insurance policy covered the financial loss. It paid to replace the expensive custom window, and it paid the full replacement cost for every single book that was destroyed. It’s the essential coverage that helps a public institution recover from malicious acts of damage.
Liability Related to Library Programs or Events (Story Time, Lectures)?
The Toddler Who Tripped During Story Time
During our library’s popular toddler story time, one of the excited children tripped over another child and hit his head, requiring stitches. The child’s parent filed a claim for the medical bills. Our General Liability policy is designed to cover these types of injuries that happen during library-sponsored programs. Whether it’s a children’s event, a computer class for seniors, or a public lecture, the policy extends to cover the unique liability risks of all the different programs we offer.
Finding Insurers Experienced with Public Entities & Libraries!
Our Agent Knows Our Biggest Risk Isn’t a Fire, It’s the First Amendment
When our library needs insurance, we work with a broker who specializes in public entities. He understands that a library isn’t just a building full of books. He knows our biggest risks can be a First Amendment lawsuit against our board or a data breach from our public computers. He works with the handful of insurance carriers who have dedicated programs for libraries and municipalities, ensuring that our policy is written by experts who understand our unique legal and community-facing risks.
Coverage for Bookmobile Operations? Commercial Auto.
The Library on Wheels Needs Its Own Insurance
My county library system has a bookmobile that brings books to rural areas. That bookmobile is a huge bus. It needs its own full Commercial Auto insurance policy. The policy has to have high liability limits to cover the risk of an accident while on the road. It also has property coverage for the vehicle itself and a separate “inland marine” coverage for the value of the books it’s carrying. It’s a complex policy for a complex mobile operation.
Crime Insurance Against Theft of Fines, Fees, or Equipment?
The Stolen Fines
The head librarian at a small town library noticed that the cash from late fees and photocopier use was consistently lower than it should be. An investigation revealed that a part-time staff member had been stealing small amounts of cash from the drawer every day. The total theft was over $5,000. The library’s separate Crime Insurance policy, with its “Employee Dishonesty” coverage, is what reimbursed the library for the stolen funds. It’s an important protection for any organization that handles cash.
What if a Patron Claims Injury from Falling Books?
The Avalanche in Aisle Four
A patron was in a narrow aisle of the library, reaching for a book on a top shelf. He accidentally dislodged several other heavy books, which fell and struck him on the head, causing a concussion. He sued the library for having “improperly stacked or secured” books. This is a classic premises liability claim. Our General Liability policy is designed to defend the library against these types of injury claims that can arise from interacting with the core asset of the library: the books themselves.
Ensuring ADA Compliance for Access and Services
The Wheelchair, the Aisle, and the Lawsuit
A person who uses a wheelchair filed a lawsuit against our library system. He claimed that the aisles in one of our older branch libraries were too narrow for his wheelchair to pass through, a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The lawsuit didn’t claim an injury, just a lack of access. Our insurance policy provided a lawyer to handle the legal aspects of the claim, but it was a powerful reminder that ADA compliance is a critical part of a public library’s risk management.
Public Library Insurance: Checking Out Your Coverage Needs
The Most Important Book in the Building
Think of a library’s insurance program as its most important book. The cover is the Property policy, protecting the building. The table of contents is the General Liability, outlining all the public risks. The chapter on governance is the D&O policy. And the chapter on technology is the Cyber Liability policy. A library’s leadership must read every page of this “book” carefully to ensure their community’s most beloved institution is fully protected from cover to cover.