Riverside Regional Library

Meeting Room Policy
  

Within the Riverside Regional Library, meeting rooms are made available to the general public for non‑library sponsored events as a public service and as a mechanism for meeting our mission statement.  The library's facilities are open to organizations engaged in educational, cultural, intellectual, or charitable activities, including partisan political or religious groups.  The following guidelines govern the public use of library meeting rooms: 

1.   Application for use of a meeting room is made with the individual library or branch in advance of the meeting.  An “Application for Use of Meeting Room” form must be completed by a representative of the organization before first use of the meeting room. 

2.   Meetings may not be held in public service areas without specific approval of the library director.

3.   No fees, dues, or donations may be charged or solicited by the user for any program.  All programs must be free and open to the public and not for specific commercial purposes— including groups such as private business boards and sales organizations.  The only exception to the fee rule is in the case of paid registration necessary to cover formal institutes or a fee not to exceed the actual cost of the program and this must be specified in any publicity distributed. 

4.   Meeting rooms may not be used for private parties, wedding or baby showers, private receptions, or the like. 

5.    All library-sponsored programs will be given priority in room reservations. 

6.    Rooms will be assigned as requested on a space-available basis. 

7.   Notice of cancellation should be given the library twenty‑four hours in advance.  Failure to do so, may result in loss of meeting room privileges.

8.   Persons attending the meetings are subject to library rules and regulations regarding appropriate behavior.  Programs may not disrupt the use of the library by others.

9.   Library facilities must be left clean and in good order.  Users must pay the cost of repair for any damages to facilities.  The library assumes no responsibility for materials or equipment left in the building by users. 

10. The library reserves the right to revoke meeting room privileges at any time. 

11. Permission to use library facilities does not constitute an endorsement by the library staff or board of any users or their beliefs.

12. Generally, no group or organization may use the meeting room more than twice a week.  Exceptions may be granted.  No more than two exceptions will be granted in any one year for any group without board approval. 

13. Organizations will be responsible for scheduling library-owned electronic equipment.  Organizations using such equipment shall assume full responsibility for any damage to equipment while it is in their possession.

14. Loss of a key may necessitate replacement of lock and/or key at the expense of the responsible group or organization.

15. No materials, equipment, or furniture belonging to groups or organizations will be stored on the premises.  Appropriate displays will be considered, but the library board will not assume responsibility for such displays.

16. The director, or a designee, is authorized to terminate the meeting of any group that becomes disorderly or objectionable and to deny subsequent use of the meeting rooms to groups which violate these regulations.  Groups are not to congregate in corridors and cause excessive noise that interfere with regular library operations.

17. In case a question is raised as to the objectives and activities of any organization or group requesting use of the meeting rooms, the Board of Trustees of the Riverside Regional Library shall be the final authority in granting or refusing permission for use of the rooms. 

18. The Library shall post a permanent notice near the meeting room stating that the library does not advocate or endorse the viewpoints of meetings or meeting room users.

 


Application for Use of Meeting Room

 

  1. Library facilities must be left clean and in good order.  Users must pay the cost of repair for any damages to facilities.  Failure to comply will result in loss meeting room privileges.

  2. Meetings are limited to the meeting room only, unless permission has been obtained from library director or a designee to use other areas of the library building.

  3. No fees, dues, or donations may be charged or solicited by the user for any program.  All programs must be free and open to the public and not for specific commercial purposes including groups such as private business boards and sales organizations. 

  4. Checklist before leaving:

  • Are the floors clean?

  • Are the tables and chairs returned to their original locations?

  • Has the thermostat been left untouched?  (Please do not change the setting.)

  • Are the faucets turned off in the kitchen and restroom?

  • Is the restroom clean and the commode flushed?

  • Is the refrigerator door closed and food/drink that was carried in removed?

  • Is the stove/oven turned off?

  • Are the window blinds returned to original position?

  • Are the lights turned off (except those instructed by staff to be left on)?

    5.  Lock the outside door as you leave.  Place key in bookdrop.

 

    6. The library assumes no responsibility for materials or equipment left in the building by users.

 

    7. Notice of cancellation should be given the library 24 hours in advance.  Failure to do so may result in loss of meeting room privileges in the future.

   8. If the meeting room is to be used when the library is closed, a group representative must pick up a key to the library.  This should be done on day of the meeting, if possible.
 

    9. Tobacco products, alcohol, and weapons (concealed or otherwise) are prohibited in the meeting room.


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I have read the policies approved by the Riverside Regional Library Board regarding use of the meeting room and agree to abide by these policies.  Failure to do so will mean forfeiting future use of the room by my group/organization and, if necessary, making payment for damage due to negligence.

 

_____________________________________________________________________

Name of group or organization:

 

_____________________________________________________________________

Responsible Group/Organization Representative            ­            Date

 

____________________________________________________________________

Library Staff Member                                                                Date