Meeting Room Policy and Application
Click for Meeting Room Application
The meeting rooms may be used for meetings, public gatherings or exhibits of a civic, cultural, or educational character. Library programs, however, receive first consideration and have priority over community-sponsored activities.
The meeting rooms are not available for profitable, political, or religious purposes. Candidates for public office and incumbents may not use the meeting room for 90 days preceding an election. Use of the Library’s meeting rooms does not mean endorsement by the Library of the group using it or the program presented.
All meetings must be open to the general public. No admittance fee may be charged or contributions solicited nor may collections be made, Nor may there be selling or taking of orders of any kind.
The Library’s address may not be used by any non-Library related group to retrieve mail, etc. The Library’s telephone numbers may not be used by any non-Library related group for any purpose. No incoming telephone calls for members of any non-Library related organization will be handled by the Library staff. Outgoing calls may not be made for any non-Library related organization. A pay telephone is available on Library property for public use. Final interpretation of these policies rests with the Board of Trustees and is to be implemented by the Library Director. The Library reserves the right to revoke meeting room privileges at any time.
PROCEDURES FOR APPLICANTS:
1. Library hours are 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday - Friday; 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Meeting participants must leave the
building at 9 p.m. on weekdays and at 5:30 p.m.on Saturdays.
2. There is no fee for meeting room use by in-district groups. A $10 fee per meeting is charged for use by out-of-district groups.
3. All bookings for a meeting room must be made weekdays between 9:30 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. at least two weeks before the scheduled meeting. Applications must be made by adults 18 or over. Bookings may be made in person, by telephone or by mail but they are not considered approved until the application form has been signed by the Library Director and returned to the applicant and the appropriate fees have been paid.
4. Applicants must notify the Library of cancellations in advance (at least 48 hours for large groups). Failure to do so may result in loss of meeting room privileges.
5. The Library reserves the right to assign rooms according to space requirements of the organization. The Library further reserves the right to cancel any meetings because of adverse weather conditions or for reasons of an emergency nature.
6. Organizations meeting regularly in the Library building (monthly, weekly, etc.) must renew their reservations every six months.
Because the Library encourages use of the rooms by many groups, meeting rooms may be booked no more than 6 months in advance and may be used no more than once a week on a continuing basis.
REGULATIONS:
1. Organizations composed of minors must have at least one adult supervisor for each ten minors, and one adult must be designatedas the person in charge.
2. Smoking and consumption of alcoholic beverages are not permitted. Consumption of food is limited to the kitchen and lobby. The Library will provide coffee urns upon advance request. Applicants must provide their own coffee, tea, cups, cream, sugar, etc. and are responsible for clean-up.
3. Attendance must be limited to the stated capacity of the room; Meeting Rooms A&B: 150; Meeting Room A: 75; Meeting Room B: 75; Group Study Room: 10. 4. All state and local regulations affecting the use of public buildings must be observed at all times.
LIABILITY:
1. The applicant or organization using the Library’s facilities assumes full responsibility for the preservation of order and safety in the building and the liability for damage to or loss of Library property as a result of the meeting. The room must be left in a neat and orderly condition. Failure to fulfill these conditions will result in denial of requests for further use of the meeting rooms and/or
cancellation of regularly scheduled meetings.
2. The Library Board assumes no responsibility for personal property left on the premises or for personal injury.
3. Each organization should protect itself from legal action because of injury by having a temporary insurance policy. The applicant agrees to hold the Patchogue-Medford Library, its representatives, agents, servants and employees harmless and indemnify the Library for any and all claims, lawsuits, fees or costs that may arise from the applicant’s use of Library facilities.
Adopted by the Board of Trustees 1981 - Revised August 19, 1997, Last Revised August 17, 2004
