"Code Adam" Library Procedures

A. Procedures: This checklist applies to all personnel, including managers/ supervisors during an announced "Code Adam Alert". These procedures should be rehearsed as often as necessary until the department managers feel confident their team can implement these procedures quickly and follow instructions.

Before an Alert is sounded: Be organized and practice:
1. Ensure your personnel have viewed the "Code Adam Alert" DVD. (Required)
2. Research your area and identify possible locations a small child could hide. Know to check all rooms, behind doors, under items, on top items, behind items, inside cabinets, inside any small spaced area that a child could squeeze behind, and let your imagination run with it as if you where a child.
3. If you have emergency exits in your department area, pre-designate personnel to immediately go to each exit within your area. Make sure these designated personnel know where to respond when "Code Adam Alert" is initiated. If you have staff personnel working in the administrative area, you may want to assign the exit control duties to responding administrative staff or shelvers working within your area. Follow these simple prodecures below

a. Designate personnel to go quickly to each exit within your area.
b. DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO EXIT though any door except the main entrance doors.
c. Anyone trying to exit through your area doors must be sent directly to the main entrance to see security.
d. Should anyone exit through any other door and the alarm sounds, announce it over the radio and follow them at safe distance.
e. If a missing child is reported to you, complete the top part of the form below and then announce "Code Adam" over the radio. Be sure to give all information over the radio that you have gathered. Do this quickly!

B. What to do when the "Code Adam Alert" has been initiated? Keep in mind, if someone reports a missing child to you, you are the one to take the initial information and announce "Code Adam". DO NOT WAIT FOR SECURITY!!!!!!

Step 1: Gather the following information to complete step 1: Do not exceed more then 10 minutes searching for the child. If the child is not found in 10 minutes call 911 and report the missing child.


Name of Missing Child:____________________________


Time Reported to library employees:________Time 911 Called:_______


Age: ______ Hair Color: _________ Eye Color: _____________


Clothing Type: although the clothes may be changed, an abductor does not usually remove or change shoes).


Shoe Color: ______________ Style: __________________


Top: ___________________________ Color: _______


Bottom:___________________________ Color: ________


Name of Person Reporting Missing Child: ___________________________________

Relationship to Child: ___________________________


Step 2: Announce over radio and verbally “Code Adam Alert” “Code Adam Alert”.
a. Give the description of the child over the radio after announcing the alert.
b. Designated employees who have been assigned to exits should respond immediately when the alert is sounded.
c. Do not allow anyone to exit any door except the main entrance.
d. Send any patron attempting to exit to the main entrance.
e. Security will respond to the main entrance immediately.
f. Ask patrons with children who resemble the description of the lost child to move to the main entrance and see security.
g. Security will wait until management arrives, then ask the child his/her name and if the adult is their parent.
h. If you took the report,and announced "Code Adam" escort the parent or guardian of the missing child to the main entrance to assist security with identification of the child.
i. After hearing “Code Adam Alert” and writing the description of the child, all library employees begin looking for the child, immediately.
j. All departments search your area in all places a child could possibly hide like restrooms, small cubby holes, locked and unlocked rooms, storage areas, cafe behind the soda machines, or any where you feel a child could hide within your area. Leave no stones unturned. There is no such thing as a place a child would not hide. Remember, When in doubt, Check it out.

Step 3: If the child is not found in 10 minutes call 911 and report the child missing.
a. The person who gathered the information must give a complete description using Step 1, information above.
b. Do not wait for security to complete this requirement, because security will be monitoring patrons leaving and also checking outside areas.
c. Give as much information as you can to the 911 operator.

Step 4: If the child is found and appears to have been lost and unharmed, reunite the child with parent or guardian.
a. If the child was reported missing to 911: but has been found unharmed and appeared to only be lost, contact the police and advise them the child has been reunited with their family.

Step 5: If the child is found accompanied by someone other than the parent or legal guardian:
a. Ask the adult to see security at the main entrance because they must gather some information from them for an Incident report.
b. If they refuse, contact security over the radio once they walk away from you and tell them about the adult who found the child.
c. Remember, use reasonable efforts to delay the departure of the adult accompanying the child, but do not put yourself, the staff or people around you at risk.
d. If they don't walk away from you, send them to the main entrance to see security.
e. If they insist on leaving once you have the child, follow them at a distance and complete the information below:
f. Gather the below information when an adult who is not a parent or guardian brings the missing child to you.
g. Security will call the police and identify the person accompanying the child. Give a complete description of the person using the following guide:


Name: (If Known)_________________________________



Approximate Age: __ Hair Color: _________ Eye Color: _____________


Complete Description of Clothing: (Shirt, pants, dress, colors and shoe type, etc.)






Type of Vehicle they left in:

License Number: _____________ _State: _______


Make: _________________ Model: __________________


Color: _________ Identifiable Damage: __________________

Step 6: Conclude the incident by saying “Code Adam Cancelled” on the radio and verbally.
a. Once the child is found: The Code Adam Alert must be cancelled.
b. The person who initiates the "Code Adam Alert" must coordinate with security and the police to cancel the "Code Adam Alert".
c. The person who initiates the "Code Adam Alert" must report to the police to assist in all required reports.
d. The person who initiated the "Code Adam Alert" will be required to assist security in preparing an Incident Report.