Meeting Room Policy

Meeting Room Calendar for

 Richmond County

GENERAL GUIDELINES

1. Certain specified meeting rooms of the East Central Georgia Regional Library are available for library-sponsored programs, and for legitimate public meetings, to include those of an educational, cultural, religious, political or civic nature.  The Library does not discriminate against persons or groups on the basis of race, sex, color, creed, age, religion or national origin.
2. All functions held in the Library’s meeting rooms must be freely open to the general public.  No rental fees may be charged, but registration fees or materials charges (such as may be required for craft workshops) are permitted with the advance approval of the Director of the East Central Georgia Regional Library System.
3. Meetings must be on a non-profit basis.  No solicitations are to be made, and no activities are to be made for commercial purposes.  Private parties such as showers, birthday parties, sorority and fraternity parties are not permitted.
4. Any group’s use of the meeting rooms does not constitute the Library’s endorsement of that group’s policies or beliefs.
5. The Director of the East Central Georgia Regional Library reserves the right to review any and all requests for use of library meeting rooms and may reject any which the Director deems unsuitable.
6. Meetings, events, programs or activities that might disturb regular Library operations are not permitted.  If a meeting or event in progress does disturb regular library operations, the Library reserves the right to immediately terminate the meeting or event.  The group, upon notification of a disturbance, will immediately discontinue the disturbance or vacate the premises.
7. The Library in no way serves as the sponsor of public groups which use its facilities, with the exception of the Friends of the Library.  The Library’s address may not be given out as the address for the group, nor should the Library’s telephone number be provided as a source to contact about the group or its meetings, other than to verify a meeting place or time.
8. Library staff will not page persons who are attending a function in its public meeting rooms, nor may the public use the Library’s business telephones.  Pay telephones are available in or near most library buildings.
9. Meetings should be scheduled to end 15 minutes before the Library’s closing time.  Some libraries allow groups to use their rooms when the library itself is closed.  Groups should call the branch manager of the facility where the meeting is to be booked to determine if that library allows after-hours room use.
10. Due to limited parking space at many facilities, groups using the meeting room should park away from the building if possible to provide space for regular library patrons.
11. The Library Board and staff do not assume any liability for groups or individuals attending a meeting at the Library.
12. The Library reserves the right to deny future access to Library facilities if a group fails to comply with all policies.

 RESERVATIONS & FEES

13. Meeting rooms must be booked in advance and can be reserved up to 60 days in advance.  Requests are taken on a first-come, first-served basis.  No group may use a room more than two times per month.  Groups desiring to use the room on a regular basis must request the room for each individual meeting or event, but the Library cannot guarantee that a room will be available on a long-term basis.
14. A maintenance fee, to recover cleaning and other associated costs, is charged for the use of some of the libraries' rooms. These fees are set by the Library Board of each respective county.
15. Reservations for meeting rooms may be made to the branch manager of the library where the room is located.  Reservations for the auditorium at the Headquarters Library should be made during regular business hours (M-F, 9:00 am-5:00 pm) through the Community Services Librarian.
16. Room bookings may be made by telephone, but the group’s leader or an individual representing the group must come to the library at least one day before the scheduled meeting to sign an agreement indicating that he/she has read and understood this policy.  Contact information about the organization is also requested at this time.  This signed form must be on file at every location in which a room has been booked for a particular group.  A new form should be signed whenever the group leadership changes.
17. Library-sponsored activities receive priority over all other groups.  In any conflict over scheduling, the Library’s needs will prevail.
18. At several library locations, the meeting room is only available during the library’s regular hours of operation.  Groups wishing to use rooms in these libraries are not allowed access to it either before the library opens or after it closes.  No non-Library sponsored meetings will be scheduled at the Headquarters Library on Sundays.
19. The individual booking the room must be at least 18 years of age.  A person who is at least 18 years of age must be present while any room is in use.  Adults must supervise children at all times.
20. The leader of the organization or a designated member should fill in the Meeting Room Attendance slip, and leave it on a table in the reserved room.
21. If a meeting is cancelled, the branch manager or Community Services Librarian should be notified as soon as possible, so the facility may be made available to other groups.

 SET-UP, MAINTENANCE AND EQUIPMENT 

21. The number of persons using a meeting room may not exceed the seating capacity approved for that facility.  A list of available rooms and their seating capacities is attached.
22. Library staff is not available to assist in any way during set up or use of meeting rooms. 

23. The Library is not responsible for providing any special equipment for a group’s use.  Groups are welcome to bring their own audio-visual equipment. If a group wishes to use Library-owned audio-visual equipment, it must make arrangements at least one week in advance, and must pay for a Library staff member to operate the equipment at the rate of $10.00 per hour or fraction thereof.  The Library cannot guarantee that an operator will be available.  If one is not, the group must provide their own equipment.
24. No smoking or alcoholic beverages are allowed at any library in the East Central Georgia Regional Library system.  Some county libraries, such as Richmond County, do not allow food or beverages in their meeting rooms.  It is the group’s responsibility to check with the library branch manager prior to the meeting to determine if refreshments are allowed.
25. The group using the facilities must accept full responsibility for leaving the room in the same condition as it was found.  Groups are responsible for removing all trash and materials brought into the room by their group.  The Library does not store materials for groups.
26. The room will be inspected by a Library staff member before and after use by a group, and any damage will be reported.  Any damage to Library property or the cost of any necessary cleaning, if needed, will be the responsibility of the group or of the person who signed the application for use of the meeting room.

 10/29/01/ updated 9/12/05

MEETING ROOM CAPACITIES

The number of persons present in a Library meeting room may not exceed the capacity for that room as listed below:

AGREEMENT

 I have read and understand the Meeting Room Policy for the East Central Georgia Regional Library System.  I will make this information available to other members of my group who may be in charge of future meetings.  At such a time as another individual is in charge of the meeting room or in the event this policy statement is mislaid, I hereby assume the responsibility of requesting that the library supply a new policy statement and authorization form to the appropriate member.  I understand that I will be held financially responsible for any damage incurred or excessive clean-up required as the result of my organization’s use of the meeting room.

 Address: ________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

 Phone Number: _________________________ 

E-Mail: __________________________

                                    _____________________________________________________

                                    Signature of Responsible Party

                                    _____________________________________________________

                                    Date