Hi Abby,

You'll likely get a ton of responses that are patently "no pets/no exceptions." We have a no pets policy. However, we are  a large suburban library located in a community park with a lovely walking trail around a small man-made lake. We have hundreds of people walking their dogs around the lake and many will occasionally stop into the Library to refill their water bottle, use the public restrooms, pick up a book, etc. Some will take their dog to their car but some will scoop up their dog and run in and quickly do their library business and run out. We never say anything. If someone was lounging with a golden retriever in our computer lab, I'd ask if it were a service animal, but we can tell the difference between those folks and the few that run in with a Cockapoo under one arm and run out with their hold book a minute later. Truly, we are a community partner, and we can be flexible. I walk around the lake on my breaks and I have offered to sit with a large dog on the library's front porch while a harried mom goes in to use the changing table for her toddler. We try to be flexible and do not enforce our no pets policy strictly to the letter. 

Katie