Meeting Room Policy

COOK MEMORIAL PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT

MEETING ROOM POLICY

The Cook Memorial Public Library District meeting room, when not being used by the library or its affiliated organizations, is available for use by in-district groups engaged in educational, cultural, intellectual, civic, and other non-profit activities. Seating capacity for the meeting room is seventy-five (75) people. Organizations applying for meeting room use must adhere to the following guidelines and regulations:

Library activities and functions have priority.
Permission to use the meeting room does not constitute endorsement of the subject matter of the meeting or the group’s beliefs and policies. Publicity for non-Library sponsored meetings must in no way imply Library sponsorship.
As required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, special accommodations requested by a potential attendee will be provided by the sponsoring group/organization, including sign language interpreters. The meeting room is handicapped accessible.
The booking party must be a Cook Memorial Public Library District cardholder.
All reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis upon receipt of the completed application. The Library District must be notified forty-eight (48) hours in advance if a cancellation becomes necessary. Failure to do so may result in reservations being denied in the future.
6. The Library reserves the right to cancel any reservations due to unforeseen circumstances. The Library may also cancel a group’s reservations if the guidelines and regulations described in this document are violated.
The meeting room is not available for commercial, for-profit or fund raising activities; purely social functions (e.g.; receptions, birthday parties, showers, etc.); or activities that, by their nature, are disruptive to the library routine (e.g.; loud rallies or ceremonies). Noise resulting from public use of the meeting room must fall within levels that are acceptable and consistent with normal library operations.
All library policies apply to use of the meeting room. Library policy manuals are located at all public service desks and on the website.
The meeting room is available for use during the Library’s normal business hours. All meetings must be adjourned and the meeting room vacated before the Library closes.
The meeting room may be scheduled no more than three (3) months in advance. The Library will not accept reservations for a series of meetings which would designate the Library as a regular meeting place for any organization.
Meetings using Library facilities must be open to the public at large and not be restricted to the membership of the sponsoring organization.
Groups, organizations, or individuals using the meeting room may not charge or collect admission fees, with the exception of fees charged to cover the costs of program materials or supplies that participants may take home with them.
Sales are not permitted except for a library sponsored program or sales by organizations affiliated with the library.
Workshops, seminars or other such “educational” presentations including, but not exclusive of, financial, estate, and/or retirement planning or related topics will be considered “for-profit” activities and will not be permitted unless sponsored as an official library program.
Organizations meeting in the Library may not use the Library as a mailing address or telephone number. The telephone facilities of the Library shall not be available to the persons meeting in the building.
Groups of children through grades 12 may use the meeting room with adult supervision. The adult supervisor must sign the meeting room application, taking responsibility for the group and must be in attendance at all times. Children must remain in the meeting room during the entire meeting to avoid disruption to the normal functions of the Library.
Groups must provide their own childcare if members bring their children. Children under the age of 8 must remain with an adult at all times.
A group or organization must designate one person to assume legal responsibility for its activities in the Library and act as the liaison between the group and the Library. This representative must sign the application form and be present for the entire meeting. The representative of the group or organization shall be held responsible for willful or accidental damage to the Library building, grounds or equipment caused by the group, its members or those attending its program.
The Library is not responsible for equipment, supplies, materials or personal possessions owned or rented by those sponsoring or attending a meeting. Any individual, group or organization using the meeting room shall be held responsible for willful or accidental damage to the Library building, grounds, collections or equipment caused by the group or organization, its members or those attending its programs.
Beverages, if provided by the sponsoring group, are permitted in spill proof and/or covered containers only; the clean up of such refreshments by the group or organization is mandatory. Alcohol and food are not permitted.
Standard setup for the meeting room is one table and chairs in a classroom arrangement. Groups or organizations needing different setups will be responsible for arranging the meeting room furniture to suit their activities, but will be responsible for replacing furniture to its proper location and returning the room to its original condition.
Library personnel are not available to assist any group to rearrange the seating, to carry supplies to and from the meeting room, to run equipment, etc. The Library will be responsible for furnishing the necessary meeting space and seating only. The Library will not provide storage for the property of any organization which meets in the building.
Any group or organization using the meeting room will indemnify, protect, and hold harmless the Cook Memorial Public Library District, its Board of Trustees, and staff, for any and all accidents, including personal injury and property damage, and theft, which may be sustained on the premises.
Failure to abide by the requirements and regulations set forth in this policy, including vacating the room at the time designated on the application, will result in a minimum charge of $100.00.

RESTRICTIONS

Any other activity which would materially and substantially interfere with the proper functions of the Library, such as excessive noise, a significant safety hazard or security risk, is prohibited.
If, on the advice of law enforcement professionals, the library staff or board determines that a reasonable possibility of a threat to the safety of library staff, patrons or members of the public might occur, based on prior experience of the group or speaker at this library or at other occasions where the group has held meetings which have been disruptive or had a potential for violence, the following
shall be required: the individual or group reserving the meeting room shall be required to pay in advance by cashier’s check the reasonably estimated cost of any special security measures that need to be taken for the meeting; and the individual or group reserving the meeting room shall obtain a special event liability policy for $1,000,000.00 for injury or damage to property occurring at the meeting.
Attendance is limited according to posted occupancy limits. These limits are set and enforced by the Libertyville Fire Department and are based on the size of the room used and furniture set up. Emergency exits must be kept clear at all times.
Smoking, food and alcoholic beverages are not allowed.
Open fire is not permitted, including the use of candles.
Nothing may be hung on or attached to the walls or ceiling.

APPLICATION FOR USE

Applications must be made in person through the Library’s Administrative office. Applications must be completed, signed, and returned with a $5.00 room usage fee before meeting space can be reserved.
All groups are required to provide a $20.00 security deposit to confirm their reservation(s). The deposit will be returned to the organization after the scheduled meeting is complete and a library staff member has verified that there has been no damage to the room and that no additional or extensive clean up is required. In the case of multiple reservations, one security deposit will cover future reservations, provided the room is left in satisfactory condition after each use.
All applications are subject to library approval and must be made with a minimum of one week advance notice.
Applicant must be 18 years of age or older, reside in the Cook Memorial Public Library District and have a current valid library card in good standing.
Reservations will be accepted in the order in which completed application forms are received. Applications will be accepted up to 3 months in advance.
The Library reserves the right to change or cancel meeting room reservations due to unusual circumstances and will notify groups at least 48 hours before the scheduled meeting.
The Library requests that organizations or groups notify the library of a cancellation no less than 48 hours before the scheduled meeting.
The meeting room may be reserved for up to three (3) hours in a single day.
No group may transfer a room reservation to another group.

FEE-BASED EQUIPMENT

Requests for equipment must be made at the time of application. Library staff will set up equipment but will not be present to provide basic use instructions or operation of equipment.

Availability of fee-based equipment may vary.

Portable overhead projector for transparencies $20.00

Portable LCD projector with Renter’s PC $20.00

Television with built-in VHS player $20.00

Portable sound system (microphone) $20.00

Free-standing screen $20.00

Date

Secretary

Adopted: 12/18/07