Section C - Public Services
Policy Number C256
Meeting Room Policy
The purpose of this policy is to insure an orderly, peaceful and efficient use of
library meeting rooms and equipment so as to accommodate and provide equal access to as
many groups and organizations as is reasonably possible. Personal events, including
but not limited to birthday parties, wedding receptions, and reunions are generally not
considered appropriate use of District meeting rooms.
The Director or other designated library staff member shall schedule or reserve meeting
rooms is accordance with the following regulations. The Board of Trustees of the St.
Charles City-County Library District shall have the final authority in granting or
refusing permission for use of the rooms where conflicts arise between the proposed use of
the library meeting room and regulations outlined below.
- Meeting rooms are available free of charge to non-profit groups and organizations
whose membership is composed primarily of residents of the library district.
- Applications for the use of a meeting room must be made in writing to the Director of
the District or to members of the library staff who have been assigned responsibility for
scheduling such meetings. A form is provided by the library for this purpose.
- Library District sponsored programs shall receive priority in the event of a scheduling
conflict. Most District programs will be scheduled three months in advance. Not-for-profit
organizations may reserve meeting rooms for dates occurring during the month in which the
reservation is made, or during the month immediately following. Profit making
organizations may schedule the meeting room for dates occurring during the month in which
the reservation is made, or during the month immediately following, and will be expected
to pay, on booking, a cost-recovery fee to the Library District of $25.00 for each
two-hour block, or fraction thereof, reserved for use of the facilities. The District will
refund the cost-recovery fee if the meeting is cancelled at least five days before the
scheduled date. Individuals may arrange spot-use of meeting rooms as scheduling and
availability permit, provided all other provisions of this policy are met.
- Groups may not, in advance, excessively book a meeting room. The District shall
determine what is excessive based on time and day requested, and intervals between
meetings. Under normal circumstances, a group may not book a meeting more than one day a
month.
- Meetings shall be open to the public, except that a public governmental body may hold a
closed session pursuant to the provisions of RSMo 610. Normally fees or collections for
admission may not be charged. Programs conducted by educational institutions, including
the Library District, may pass charges for tuition, supplies, or refreshments on to the
registrant. Due to the public nature of meeting rooms, booking requests shall not be
protected as a library circulation transaction, but treated as public documents.
- Facilities may not be used for commercial purposes, (i.e., sale of goods or services,
executing fee-for-service agreements, or securing contracts of commitment to services
provided elsewhere). Commercial programs listed or presented as informational,
educational, or instructional must remain so, and presenters shall make no direct
solicitation of attendees to secure clients or customers for their commercial purpose.
- Purposes, objectives, or views of groups or organizations using library meeting rooms
shall in no way be announced, advertised, or displayed so as to suggest that the
organization, its mission, beliefs, or purposes are endorsed by the Library District.
- Meeting rooms will be reserved only during hours when the staff is regularly on duty,
and must be concluded in time to vacate the building at the regularly scheduled closing.
The use of meeting rooms as polling places during public elections shall be exempt from
this provision.
- Meetings must be conducted in a quiet, orderly manner.
- All District facilities are smoke-free and the use of tobacco products is prohibited.
Light, non-alcoholic refreshments may be served, so long as premises are left clean
and orderly. Users shall be assessed for damage to, and excessive cleaning of meeting
rooms. Kitchen and food preparation facilities are very limited, and may not be available
at all times. Specific requests should be made for use of kitchen facilities at the time
the reservations are made.
- No materials, equipment or furniture belonging to these groups may be stored on District
premises and the District will assume no responsibility if materials, etc. are left on the
premises.
- Access to District owned equipment may be limited by availability, staffing, or type of
equipment required. Organizations desiring to use District owned equipment in a meeting
room should request permission for its use when applying for the meeting room.
Organizations using such equipment assume full responsibility for any damage to equipment
while it is in their possession.
- In accordance with Policy #C260, parents may not leave children unattended while using
meeting room facilities.
(Revised 3/8/04; effective 5/1/04) |
