CALUMET CITY PUBLIC  LIBRARY
MEETING ROOM POLICY

I. PURPOSE

The Meeting Room of the Calumet City Public Library is designed primarily to meet the operational needs of the Library and to provide accommodations for educational, informational, cultural and civic functions of the community.

II. WHO MAY USE THE  ROOM

The meeting room of the Calumet City Public Library may be used for the following purposes in order of priority:

1.) Library sponsored programs and activities;

2.) Educational, informational,  cultural and civic programs sponsored or co-sponsored by the Library and related  to its collections and services;

3.) Meetings of the City of Calumet  City and other agencies or departments of local government;

4.) Meetings of community groups and organizatons whose aims are for educational, cultural or civic purposes and are not-for-profit;

5.) Other meetings which are appropriate to the missions and facilities of the library.

The meeting room shall not be available  for social gatherings, partisan political activities, other than general informational meetings held by duly elected officials representing the library's constituents, religious services or proselytizing functions, fund-raising  purposes, commercial ventures, or by private or profit-motivated individuals, companies or organizations. No person or group shall use the meeting room for any purpose associated with campaigning for election or influencing constituents regarding any candidate or legislative or regulatory activity.

The library reserves the right to  refuse use of the meeting room for any program deemed unsuitable for the library's facilties or incompatible with its purposes.

III. APPLICATION FOR USE OF THE  ROOM

(1) Written application for use of the meeting room shall be made on the Application Form of the Calumet City Public  Library by a qualified officer or designated representative of the group or organization, who shall be a resident of Calumet City. Applications should be  addressed to the Library Director, who shall determine if the request for use complies with the library's Policy, and shall approve or disapprove each request on this basis. Applications whose compliance with the Meeting Room Policy are  questionable, shall be referred to the Library Board for review at their next regular meeting. Requests should be submitted at least thirty (30) days in advance of the desired meeting room date.

Approval or denial of applications will  be made in writing, whenever time allows. For those submitted with deadlines less than thirty days, approval or denial will be conveyed verbally. Notice will be given to the person who signed the meeting room application.

(2) Groups planning a series of  meetings should present a schedule of the preferred meeting dates at the time of application. Reservations shall be accepted for no more than six (6) months in advance, for the period running January 1- June 30, and July 1 - December 31.  Groups that meet on a regular basis and wish to extend their reservations into  the next six-month period, must fill out a new application and resubmit it to the Library Director. Such renewals are subject to the approval process each  time submitted.

(3) Applications for use of the  library's meeting room shall be reviewed in order of their receipt. Until the  application has been received and approved, the reservation cannot be scheduled.  Priority in scheduling shall be given to:

(i) Library-sponsored programs,  activities or meetings;

(ii) Educational, cultural, civic and  public information events of organizations which are Calumet City based, or which have among its membership, residents of Calumet City.

A group or organization must designate one member who is a Calumet City resident, to assume legal responsibility for its activities in the library. This person should be the one to sign the meeting  room Application Form. This person is also responsible for arranging a meeting  with designated library personnel prior to the group's first meeting, to receive  instruction in the use of the library's equipment and facilities (when needed).  This individual shall also be responsible for assuring that the meeting room is  properly secured and the room is left in a neat and orderly condition upon completion of the meeting.

(4) The meeting room shall only be available on those days and during those hours that the library is open to the public.

(5) The library reserves the right to  request any group to change its approved meeting to another date, or to cancel any reservation for the meeting room, due to unforeseen  circumstances.

(6) If it is necessary for a group or  organization to cancel a reservation for the meeting room, the LIbrary should be  given notice as far in advance as possible. No refunds shall be made on cancellations with less than twenty-four (24) hours prior notice. Cancellations  shall be directed to the Business Office.

(7) No group shall reassign its  timeslot to another group or organization.

(8) If the meeting room is to be used  by a children's group, the application must be signed by an adult who shall  assume responsibility as outlined above. Children/youths under eighteen years of  age must be under adequate and proper adult supervision at all times.

IV. FEES

(1) There shall be a fee of $35.00 per meeting for use of the meeting room. This fee shall be paid one week at any time prior to the scheduled meeting, and shall be paid at the Business Office or, if after hours, at the Circulation Desk, when paid in person. The fee may also be mailed to the Calumet City Public Library, to the attention of the Business  Office. Checks should be made payable to: Calumet City Public  Library.

Cancellation of a scheduled meeting  with less than twenty-four (24) hours notice will result in retention of the $35.00 registration charge for room preparation.

(2) Fees shall not be charged for  Library sponsored meetings or programs;

(3) Fees shall not apply to official meetings of the Police and Fire Departments; other City departments may be exempt at the discretion of the Board.

V. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

All activities taking place in the Meeting Room must be open to all citizens, regardless of age, sex, race, religion, national origin or disabilities.

VI. COMPLIANCE WITH THE ADA  (AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT)

(1) The Calumet City Public Library  abides by the Americans With Disabilities Act, and all groups or organizations are responsible for the ADA compliance of their respective meeting or activity when using the library's Meeting Room.

The person signing the Application Form  assumes the responsibility for the organization for making any special accommodation(s) necessary for persons with disabilities, e.g., arranging for a  signer for the hearing impaired. The group or organization also assumes the responsibility for any additional costs incurred in making a special  accommodation.

(2) The library will set up the room in  such a manner that it will accommodate wheelchair participants. The Library is not responsible for a non-compliance condition created by the rearranging of any furniture once the room has been set up for a meeting.

(3) The person signing the Application Form will be responsible for insuring that any oral or written promotions of the  meeting will include a "special accommodation for the disabled" phrase, such as "Individuals with disabilities who plan to attend this program and who require special accommodations in order to observe and/or participate in the program are requested to contact (telephone number) at least five working days prior to the program so that reasonable accommodations can be made for them."

VI. GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

(1) The group or organization using the  meeting room agrees to abide by all rules and regulations, procedures and policies of the Calumet City Public Library.

(2) The meeting room can accommodate a maximum capacity of 150 persons.

(3) All meetings must be open to the public, except where governmental bodies using the facilities are allowed by law to conduct meetings which are closed to the public.

(4) Smoking is not permitted in the  meeting room, the kitchen or any other area in the library, nor is there to be smoking within twenty-five feet of the building.

(5) No admission charge, collections,  (other than regular club dues), or other money-raising activities may be  conducted in the meeting room, unless all proceeds are to go to the library.

(6) Meetings which would interfere with  the functions of the library and/or its users, because of noise or other factors, are not permitted.

(7) Classes involving the use of hazardous or potentially damaging materials or equipment are not permitted.

(8) The name, address and telephone  number of the Calumet City Public Library may not be used as the official  address or headquarters for any group using the library for meeting purposes.

(9) Alcoholic beverages will not be  permitted on the premises at any time.

(8) Use of the telephone shall be  restricted to the public telephone located in the vestibule.

(10) The Library cannot provide storage  space for equipment or supplies for groups using the meeting room.

(11) The meeting room must be left in a neat and orderly condition, and garbage must  be disposed of in the containers provided.

(12) Use of the Meeting Room does not  constitute Library endorsement of viewpoints expressed by participants in any program. No advertisement or announcement implying such endorsement will be  permitted.

VII. HOURS

The meeting room will be available for use by outside groups and organizations during regular library hours. All meetings must be adjourned and the meeting room vacated before the library closes.

VIII. KITCHEN  FACILITIES

Users of the library meeting room have access to a small kitchen with refrigerator, sink and electric range. Intention  to use the kitchen must be designated on the meeting room application. Anyone using the kitchen facilities shall be responsible for leaving the premises in a  neat and orderly condition.

The kitchen facilities shall be used to  prepare coffee and light refreshments only. Major food preparation is not permitted.

The group using the meeting room is  responsible for furnishing their own food preparation equipment, as well as  coffee, tea or other beverages, sugar, cream, paper products, serving utensils and other supplies.

IX. EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE FOR  USE

The following equipment is available for use in the meeting room. All equipment must be reserved in advance at the  time application is made for the room. In the case of equipment such as projectors, etc., the group or organization must designate a person to become  familiar with its operation ahead of the scheduled meeting date.

(1) 16 mm projector
(2) Electronic movie screen
(3) Slide projector
(4) Overhead projector
(5) Stack  chairs
(6) Rectangular folding tables (72 in. x 36 in.)
(7) Lectern
(8)  Microphone for sound system*
(9) VCR & Rear screen video projection unit*
(10) Cassette tape player*
(11) PockeTalker amplifier for the hearing impaired*

The library will be responsible for the  setting up of chairs, tables and other library equipment, provided their use and proper arrangement is specified on the Meeting Room Setup Form, which is to be completed at the time application is made.

The use of other specialized audio-visual equipment, (indicated by a * above), may be allowed provided such  arrangements are made well in advance and such use is specified on the Setup  Form. This equipment may only be run by personnel instructed in its  operation.

There shall be an additional charge of $25.00 for use of the rear screen video projection unit.

X. ACCIDENTS OR  DAMAGE

Any group or organization using the  meeting room must indemnify and hold harmless the Calumet City Public Library  and the City of Calumet City for any accidents which may be sustained on the  premises.

The library reserves the right to  request a certificate of insurance from the group or organization applying for use of the meeting room.

Organizations or individuals shall be  held responsible for any damage, willful or accidental, to the library building,  equipment or grounds.

XI. WITHDRAWAL OF  PRIVILEGES

If the foregoing rules and regulations are not adhered to by any group or organizaton, the Board or Trustees of the  Calumet City Public Library reserves the right to withdraw privileges for use of  the meeting room for any future meetings.

Copyright © 2002 by the Calumet City Public Library

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