The Central Mississippi Regional Library System, as a public institution, welcomes the use of its multipurpose meeting room facilities for educational, cultural, and public information meetings, which are of local interest. Policies governing the use of the library meeting rooms are made in accordance with Article 6 of the Library Bill of Rights:
Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve, should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of groups requesting their use.
Library sponsored programs and library staff meetings or training programs will be given first priority in the use of the meeting rooms. Use of the meeting rooms is made available to all groups on a first come, first-serve basis subject to the requirements which follow.
ROOM SET- UP
- The number in attendance at a meeting must not exceed the seating capacity of the meeting room.
- Set-up for the meeting rooms (tables, chairs, etc.) is the responsibility of the group reserving the rooms. The users will be responsible for arranging the room for their meeting, and for leaving the room in the same condition in which they found it.
GROUP- OWNED EQUIPMENT
- Groups providing their own equipment or display materials are responsible for transportation of the equipment to and from the meeting room.
- The library is not responsible for equipment, supplies, or other materials owned by a guest group which were used in the library. The library cannot supply storage for equipment and/or materials and supplies belonging to guest groups.
- Requests for the use of library-owned equipment must be made at the time of application. Changes in requirements can be requested no later than 48 hours prior to the meeting and are subject to availability of the equipment.
REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES
- All meetings must be open to the public.
- Smoking is prohibited inside the library, restrooms, and immediately outside of the entrance to the library.
- The length of time that a meeting room is reserved must include time for setting up and for returning the room to good order.
- Publicity must neither state or imply that the library is either sponsoring or endorsing a program; neither shall publicity stat nor imply that attendance is limited to group members.
- Admission fees are prohibited. Exceptions to this may be fees charged to recover costs of materials used in library sponsored programs or fees collected as tuition for educational courses taught by established institutions. No selling of services or materials is permitted during meetings.
- Application to use the meeting room must be made in person and must be submitted in writing on the form provided in this document for every meeting date requested. The person responsible for completing a meeting room application will be considered the official contact person for the group.
- A completed Application for Use of the Meeting Room form must be received by the Branch Manager at least one week prior to the meeting date. Rooms may be scheduled up to three months in advance. Applications will be accepted and scheduled in the order received. In order to encourage the most equitable use of meeting rooms, only one meeting at a time may be scheduled (no consecutive meetings). Following a meeting, a group may schedule another meeting, if the room is available at the desired time.
- The person reserving the meeting room will be responsible for maintenance of order. This person must:
- Be responsible for the group’s compliance with library rules and protection of library property.
- Inform participants attending the meeting that minor children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult at all times while they are in the confines of the library. Children cannot be left alone in the library proper while the parent/guardian is attending a meeting in the meeting room.
- Notify the Branch Manager or Supervisor on duty when the meeting room has been cleared.
- Assure that the room is left in good order.
- Failure of the official contact person to enforce library policies will result in a written warning to the group. A second violation of library policies will be submitted to the Library System Director for resolution and may result in the group being barred from using the library meeting room.
- Service of food will be dependent upon physical facilities of the meeting room. (Kitchen facilities are available in most locations.) Food is to be served only in the meeting room, and group members must not carry food or drink throughout the building. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
- After-hours meetings are not permitted unless the meeting room has outside access, and the user must make prior arrangements to pick up and return a key to the meeting room. In libraries where there is no outside access, meetings must be concluded 30 minutes prior to regular library closing time, and rooms must be vacated at closing time.
- The users will be financially responsible for any damages to the room and/or its contents. Any charges incurred will be billed to the contact person.
- Individuals or small study groups may be permitted to use the meeting room for quiet study space, but community groups will be given priority when requests for use are considered by the librarian.
- Programs held in the meeting rooms should not disturb other library patrons.
- Groups consisting mainly of persons under 18 years of age must have adult supervision at all times during use of the meeting rooms.
- The library reserves the right to relocate a group within the library if circumstances warrant.
- The fact that a group is permitted to meet in the public library in no way constitutes an endorsement of that group’s objectives or beliefs. When use of the meeting room is questionable, the final authority on use will be the Central Mississippi Regional Library System Board of Trustees.
- The library may deny use of the meeting room facilities to any group that does not comply with the afore-mentioned regulations.
MEETING ROOM POLICY APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI REGIONAL LIBRARY SYSTEM BOARD OF TRUSTEES *
DATE: MARCH 24, 1998
REVISED: SEPTEMBER 23, 2008
REVISED: May 2023
* This policy applies to all CMRLS meeting rooms except the following which are governed by individual city policies: Brandon Public Library; Richland Public Library; Northwest Point Reservoir Library; G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial Library, Flowood; Lake Public Library; Magee Public Library; Mendenhall Public Library; Floyd J. Robinson Memorial Library, Raleigh.