The District maintains a facility equipped for videoconferencing and wishes to accommodate and provide equal access to as many groups and organizations seeking to use videoconferencing as is reasonably possible. Due to the highly technical nature of its operation, only qualified District staff shall set-up, connect, facilitate, trouble-shoot, or operate videoconferencing technology.

1. Nonprofit organizations may schedule use of videoconferencing equipment based on availability of the meeting room in which it is located, access to bandwidth through the MOREnet backbone, availability of qualified District staff to operate the equipment, and subject to commitments specified in the District’s agreement with the Missouri State Library as noted in Section 2 of this policy.

2. Library District sponsored programs shall take precedence in the event of a scheduling conflict. However, so as to afford reasonable priority to programs centrally featuring or dependent upon videoconferencing technology, the District will make every effort to relocate any meeting previously scheduled in the videoconferencing room that does not require using that equipment. The Missouri State Library maintains the right to specify a number of dates annually which must be reserved for State presented videoconferencing, and which take precedence over any other use of the technology, regardless of purpose, intent, or advance scheduling.

3. Scheduling the use of videoconferencing technology and equipment must be coordinated through the District’s Information Technology Department. Groups wishing to use the technology must complete the designated application form, and provide at least 30 days advance notice before the desired date.

4. MOREnet policies do not permit the use of its technology or backbone for commercial purposes. Therefore it is unlikely that videoconferencing will be accessible to for-profit enterprise or commercial use. The Director, to the extent permitted under State regulation, may approve limited use by private companies in exceptional circumstances. For-profit, commercial enterprises shall pay to the District a cost recovery fee of $50.00 per hour, for each hour or fraction thereof during which videoconferencing technology is in use, including time for set-up, operation, and termination of access.

(Approved 3/8/04)