About Us: Our Story

It all began in 1873 when members of the Society of Friends – for $5 per share of stock – formed the Malvern Library Company. In 1894, the “Public Library and Reading Association” was established by a citizens’ group, and in 1899, the Malvern Public Library was chartered. Since 1912 when the Library moved into the Borough Building, it has been associated with the Borough. It has been in its present location since 1985. In 2003, the Borough Building underwent a major renovation and expansion which added a reading room and children’s porch to the Library’s space.

Currently, the library houses over 28,000 physical items, 4 public computers, a children’s play area, an adult reading room, and a program room. The library has a staff of two full time librarians and ten part time library assistants. The Malvern Public Library is a member of the Chester County Library System.

Policy Statement

The Malvern Public Library (the Library) welcomes and encourages the use of its facilities and resources by the public. Library customers are encouraged to assist staff in maintaining a safe environment with equal access to all.

Library Guidelines for Public Behavior

All library customers and staff must be considerate of each other and use quiet voices whenever possible. However, as a public library, where customers of all ages are welcome, certain volume tolerances are allowed and can only be deemed unacceptable by the Library Director or Library Director Designee.

Customers shall not interfere with the use of the Library by other customers, and/or interfere with Library employees’, volunteers, and/or contractors performance of their duties. Such interference can include noisy, rowdy, boisterous, aggressive or disruptive behavior, and/or inappropriate language and/or gestures, or harassment of customers by proxy.

Children under the age of ten must be accompanied by a parent or responsible caregiver (at least 14 years of age or older) at all times.

Cell phone use prohibited and customers should use the main lobby for phone calls. Exceptions are listed in the Computer Lab Polices and are at the discretion of the Library Director or Library Director Designee.

Sleeping in the Library is considered interference with others’ use of the Library only if the sleeping individual is snoring, reclining, or using seating intended for more than one person.

Any materials removed from the Library must be checked out with a valid Library card. This does not pertain to free handouts.

Tobacco products, alcoholic beverages and most foods are prohibited in the Library. Covered beverages and packaged snack foods are permitted if handled neatly and trash is properly discarded by the customer.

Eating or drinking is prohibited in the computer lab area.

Animals other than guide animals and guide animals in training or animals for programs are not permitted in the Library. Guide animals in training which are not under control must be removed from the Library. The owner of a guide animal in training may be asked to show documentation if needed.

Customers must wear shoes and shirts in the Library.

Loitering of adults in the children’s area without a child is not allowed.

No running or use of roller skates/blades, skateboards, bikes, or other wheeled forms of transportation excluding medical devices and strollers.

Customers are not permitted in staff areas.

Customers are responsible to discard their own trash.

The Children’s Library’s toys must be put away when customers are finished playing with them.

Profanity is prohibited.

Throwing objects is prohibited.

Verbal or physically threatening behavior towards other customers and/or staff is prohibited.

Any person whose bodily hygiene is offensive so as to constitute a nuisance shall be asked to leave.

Distribution of political campaign literature is strictly prohibited.

Solicitation is strictly prohibited.

The Library assumes no responsibility for the personal belongings of customers while using the library.

The Library Director or Library Director Designee will be the final authority to determine if policies are being violated.

Failure to follow these guidelines may result in expulsion from the Library by staff and/or denial of privileges by the Library Director. Any customer whose privileges have been denied may have the decision reviewed by the Board of Trustees. Repeat and/or extreme offensives can be grounds for a lifetime ban from the Library pending the decision of the Library Board of Trustees which is final and binding.

Computer Lab Policies

1. Computers are controlled by Envisionware PC software. They are available during regular library hours and shut down automatically 5 minutes before closing.
2. A customer must use their valid Chester County Library System card barcode number to log onto a workstation. Customers with library cards must use their library cards to log in and are not eligible for a guest pass.
3. Customers with fines of $10 or more on their library account are blocked from using a computer and are not eligible to use a guest pass until their fines are paid in full.
4. Computers are available on a first come first serve basis.
5. Customer using their Chester County Library System card barcode are entitled to one 60 minute computer session per a day, and up to 60 additional minutes pending computer availability. After the initial allotted time has been exceeded, it is at the discretion of the library staff to grant more time to the customer.
6. If customers are waiting for a computer, the customer/s who has already exceeded their first 60 minutes session and who has been on the longest, will be the first customer required to relinquish their computer station in five minutes to the waiting customer, regardless of the remaining extra time that may have been granted.
7. Customers may use the scanner computer, even when other computers are available, so long as there are no customers who need to use the scanner. In the event the scanner is in use for non-scanning purposes and another customer requires the scanner, the non-scanning customer must relinquish the use of the scanner computer immediately.
8. Audio can only be played on the computer with the use of headphones so as not to disturb other customers.
9. Customers may not eat or drink in the computer lab.
10. Guest passes may only be issued for customers who do not have a library card barcode number and/or not able to obtain a library card.
11. Guest passes have a limit of 1 computer session of 60 minutes per a day. Time may be extended at the discretion of the library staff.
12. No more than two customers may be at one public computer at a time.
13. Customers cannot use more than one public computer at a time.
14. Customers must be respectful of other customers using the computers and speak in quiet tones.
15. Cell phone use in the computer lab is strictly prohibited. Exceptions are made in the case of the customer receiving technical assistance that can only be rendered from a third party.
16. Customers may not change the operational settings on the computers.
17. Exceptions to these rules my only be granted by the Library Director or the Library Director Designee.
18. Customers who do not adhere to these rules may lose their computer privileges for the day and/or face expulsion from the library premises for a set amount of time determined by the library staff.