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Title: Meeting Room Procedure
Cancels: June 22, 2006
Approved: September 17, 2008
Review: September 17, 2010
I. PURPOSE AND SCOPE
To establish a procedure for use of meeting rooms/conference
rooms in Brevard County Libraries.
II. DEFINITIONS AND REFERENCES
A. Partisan Political Activities - Distribution
of campaign literature for any specific candidate
or political party; the specific solicitation of political
campaign contributions; or political meetings not
open to the public; or meetings at which speakers
are specifically limited to specified political candidates
or parties, while intentionally through action or
inaction, prohibiting opposing candidates or parties
to participate in said meetings.
B. Meeting Room Application - Form to be completed
by anyone wishing to reserve a meeting room.
C. Organization - A non-profit group formed for civic,
cultural, or educational purposes.
D. Friends of the Library - A non-profit organization
of volunteers interested in supporting a Brevard County
Library, but which does not serve as a policy maker.
E. Co-Sponsored - An educational, cultural program
in which library staff or "Friends" participate
in the planning and presenting.
F. Library Director - The Library Director responsible
for the operation of the individual library.
G. Library Services Director - The Director of the
Library Services Department of Brevard County.
III. CRITERIA FOR USE OF MEETING ROOMS
A. Groups/Programs
1. Library programs have priority over other activities
except when the library is used as a voting precinct.
2. Meeting rooms are available for use by non-profit
organizations with a civic, cultural, or educational
purpose. Rooms will not be available for purely social
gatherings, commercial ventures, or partisan political
activities. The organization must assume responsibility
for the conduct of the programs and the care of the
facilities. All meetings must be open to the public
within safety limitations as to the number of persons
in the room, as determined by the Fire Marshall. The
library may deny use of the meeting room to any organization
which has abused the privilege in the past.
3. Programs presented by profit making organizations
will be allowed when co-sponsored by the library for
educational purposes. Profit making organizations
may use library meeting room facilities for business
meetings, so long as no other section of this procedure
is violated.
B. Rules and Regulations for Use of Meeting Rooms
1. No admission charge, commercial solicitation,
direct sales, follow-up phone calls or correspondence
or requests for donations can be made for any function
except that of a library-sponsored program authorized
by the Library Director. Library facilities shall
not be used for personal or private profit, solicitation
of clients, advertising of services or products, or
for promotion of pecuniary or profit-making special
interests. No exchange of money can take place in
library meeting rooms, except library-sponsored activities
approved by the Library Director.
Charges for a library-sponsored program approved
by the Library Director may include charges for materials
and instructor fees. Instructor fees shall not exceed
$5 per student per program session. Library-sponsored
book programs may also include used book sales and
author signing at which sales are allowed.
2. An application for use of the meeting room must
be completed and submitted to the Library Director
prior to use of the library facility. (see attached).
3. Meetings must begin and end within the regularly
scheduled operating hours of the library. Meetings
must conclude 15 minutes prior to the library closing
time.
4. All fliers and other printed materials to be distributed
to meeting participants must be approved in advance
by the Library Director.
5. Accidents must be reported immediately to a member
of the staff. If staff is not available, a representative
must call the library in the morning when it opens
to report the incident.
6. Light refreshments, such as cookies and cakes,
may be served, but no cooking is allowed other than
for hot beverages. No alcoholic beverages are allowed
on the premises.
7. The room must be left in the same condition and
arrangement as prior to the use of the room.
8. Smoking is not permitted.
9. No lit candles or other open flame is allowed.
10. No weapons or firearms are allowed in the library.
11. The library is not responsible for equipment,
supplies, exhibits, or other materials owned by a
group and used in the library. The library does not
provide storage space.
12. The meeting rooms may be reserved for groups
of 15 or more. Conference rooms, where available,
may be reserved for groups of less than 15.
13. Any signs to be displayed at meetings held in
the meeting room shall be of a size that can easily
be held and controlled by one person. Signs cannot
be mounted on posts, poles or other devices or extensions,
for safety reasons.
14. Youth groups (through Grade 12) desiring to use
the meeting rooms must make arrangements through an
adult advisor who will be responsible for the group
and will be in attendance at the group's meeting for
its duration.
15. When the meeting room is used as a voting precinct,
election rules and regulations will be overseen and
enforced by the Supervisor of Elections' staff.
16. Use of library meeting rooms does not imply library
endorsement of the aims, policies, or activities of
any group.
17. No sound amplification beyond what is available
in the meeting room shall be used so as not to interfere
with the regular operations of the library unless
authorized by the Library Director.
18. According to requirements of the American Disability
Act (ADA), organizations using library meeting rooms
may be required to provide special accommodations
for those citizens requesting assistance within seven
days of the scheduled meeting time. To have hearing
devices provided or to make other special accommodations,
an organization must contact the Library Director
48 hours in advance of the meeting.
19. The organization and all attendees must save,
defend, and hold the County harmless from any claim
by or injury to themselves or others arising out of
use of the library meeting room, including loss, damage
or destruction of the user's property.
C. Cancellations and/or Denial of Use of Meeting
Rooms
1. If a library meeting room is designated as a voting
precinct, when an election is scheduled, it will pre-empt
all scheduled meetings. Groups meeting on an election
day will be informed of this in advance whenever possible.
2. The library retains the right to cancel a reservation
for the meeting room. If a program is canceled, the
library will make every effort to notify the group
who had reserved the room.
3. Groups holding reservations must notify the Library
Director of any cancellation at least one week in
advance of the scheduled meeting.
4. Use of the meeting/conference rooms is a privilege.
Any violation of these rules as determined by the
Library Director will result in cancellation of the
group's future meeting privilege as well as a financial
assessment for damages incurred. The financial assessment
for damages will be set by the Library Director. The
Director will provide written notice to the organization
of the assessment of damages and/or the decision to
deny meeting room usage due to prior abuse. If the
organization wishes to appeal the decision, they must
provide the Library Director with written notice of
their wish to appeal within 15 days of the date of
the letter of assessment or denial.
The appeal process which will be followed is the same
as outlined under BCC-73, Library Material Selection
Policy, with the exception of Form BCLS-23.
IV. AUTHORITY
The authority to issue or revise this procedure
is reserved to the Library Services Department Director.
Catherine J. Schweinsberg
Library Services Department Director
Meeting Room
Reservation Request Form
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