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MEETING ROOM POLICY

Library Bill of Rights:

            As an institution of education for democratic living, the library welcomes the use of its meeting rooms for socially useful and cultural activities and the discussion of current public questions. Such meeting places are available on equal terms to all groups in the community regardless of the beliefs and affiliations of their members provided that the meetings be open to the public. Any group wishing to make use of the facilities of the J. V. Fletcher Library must receive the approval of the Board of Trustees through their designee, the Library Director. The use of the Library meeting room facilities will be limited to non-profit organizations, Town Boards, and Town Committees under the guidelines of the Library Bill of Rights. Meeting Rooms will be booked with preference given to Library and Friends of the Library programs.  

            It is the basic policy of the Board of Library Trustees that a scheduled employee of the Library will be in the building when the public is in attendance and will be responsible for securing the facility when the public has left. Meeting Rooms will not be scheduled for use on Sundays, or on other days when the library has announced closings. 

The Library provides the Following Meeting Spaces and Times: (effective July 1, 2003)

1.      A Ground Level Meeting Room, seating up to 65 people, available Monday through Thursday 10:00AM until 10:30PM; Fridays 1:00PM - 5:00PM and Saturdays 10:00AM - 5:00PM. (The Board of Selectmen will be accommodated beyond 11:00PM on Tuesday evenings upon request).

2.      The Mary Atwood Lecture Hall, seating up to 60 people, available Monday through Thursday10:00AM until 10:30PM; Fridays 1:00PM - 5:00PM and Saturdays 10:00AM - 5:00PM.  (The Board of Selectmen will be accommodated beyond 11:00PM on Tuesday evenings upon request). 

Booking Meeting Spaces at the Library:

1. Room reservation assumes the availability of a scheduled library employee to monitor use and remain present in the building.  Meeting Room reservations for recurring meetings may be booked for the months of September through June beginning on July 1^st , with July and August bookings available on a call-in basis. Beginning December 1^st, groups may schedule alternate times/dates for the period of January through June. Individual room reservations may be made up to 3 months in advance during the calendar year.
    

2.  No Room Reservations will be scheduled prior to the library's opening hour of service, except with the permission of the Director; buffer time between meetings will be scheduled to allow room set-up and breakdown and a smooth transition between groups.

3.      Rooms will be assigned by Staff on an "As Available Basis"; groups may be relocated to the room most suitable for the group's size and function.

4.      After the second failure to comply with Meeting Room Policy, the group will no longer be permitted to use the Fletcher Library meeting rooms.

Audio-Visual Equipment and Kitchen Facilities:

1.      Library-owned audio-visual (AV) equipment is available for use; check with Library Personnel in advance for availability.

2. The Library will not store or be responsible for AV or other equipment belonging to groups using the facility, except with permission of the Director or the Assistant Director.
3. The Library will provide a coffeepot, but cups, utensils, cream, sugar, or other equipment and supplies will be the responsibility of the group.
4. There will be no cooking or food preparation on site; dishwashing facilities are not available.
5. Serving of refreshments in the Mary Atwood Hall will be allowed only with the express permission of the Director or Assistant Director, and will oblige the group to collect, bag and remove trash and to vacuum the space, so as to prevent damage to the historical and archival holdings in this area.

It will be the responsibility of the Group engaging the Meeting Space to:

1.      Set up chairs, tables and equipment that may be needed and put away same at the conclusion of the meeting, leaving rooms as found.

2.      Clean the kitchen facilities thoroughly if used; bag all trash .

3.      Uphold the Library policy of ABSOLUTELY NO SMOKING WITHIN THE BUILDING.

4.      Abide by the hours established by the Trustees and abide by the instructions of library personnel on site. 

VOTED AND APPROVED 8/2/88; REVISED AND VOTED 9/4/90; 7/12/99, 4/2/01, 9/9/02, 6/2/03, 6/30/03, 1/3/05. 

J. V. FLETCHER LIBRARY MEETING ROOM

RESERVATION REQUEST FORM

Organization:                                                                        

Representative/Contact:                                                     

Mailing Address:                                           

 Telephone:                            

Date(s) of Room Reservations:___________

Time:   From        :     AM/PM     to         :     AM/PM                      

(Group representative should arrive early to set up the area)

Meeting Space: (Circle One)

Rooms will be assigned by Staff on an “As Available Basis”; groups may be relocated to the room most suitable for the group’s size and function.

AV or other equipment needed:

Please: NO SMOKING. Also please dismantle the room and clean the kitchen area after use.

Thank you.

Date:__________

Staff:__________

GROUPS USING THE MEETING ROOM ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR: 

- Set up chairs, tables and equipment that may be needed and put away same
 at the conclusion of the meeting, leaving rooms as found.
- Clean the kitchen facilities thoroughly if used; bag all trash.
- Uphold the Library policy of ABSOLUTELY NO SMOKING WITHIN THE BUILDING.
- Abide by the hours established by the Trustees and abide by the instructions of 
  library personnel on site. 

THE LIBRARY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE SPACE WITHIN THE FACILITY

TWO INFRACTIONS WILL RESULT IN LOSS OF ROOM USE PRIVILEGES