CROTON FREE LIBRARY

LIBRARY ROOM USE POLICY

Approved February 13, 2023

GENERAL POLICY

The program and/or meeting rooms at the Croton Free Library are primarily for Library and Library-sponsored event use and such events take precedence in room scheduling. As a service to the community, program and/or meeting rooms are also available to registered local non-profit community, educational, cultural, and civic organizations by advance reservation.  This policy applies to use of the Library’s program and/or meeting rooms by such groups.  Room use is free of charge. The Library does not rent program and/or meeting rooms for a fee. All room use is at the discretion of the Library Director and/or the Library Board of Trustees. The Library may not be able to accommodate all requests.

APPLICATION FOR USE

A qualified organization wishing to use a Library program and/or meeting room must submit to the Library Director an Application For Library Room Use, along with proof of liability insurance, for approval by the Library Director and/or the Board of Trustees. Applications for room use must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the proposed scheduled use date and not more than one year in advance. No organization may use a program and/or meeting room more than once per month except at the discretion of the Library Director and/or the Board of Trustees. The Library Director and/or the Board of Trustees may deny, rescind or cancel any application when it is deemed to be in the interest of the Library to do so. Failure to observe the Rules and Regulations for Use below governing the use of the program and/or meeting room may result in denial of use in the future. Permission to use the room does not constitute Library sponsorship or endorsement of the purposes, policies, beliefs or goals of the outside organization.  The Library Director and/or the Board of Trustees reserves the right to approve or disapprove each application for use of the program and/or meeting rooms and may impose additional restrictions as they in their sole discretion deem appropriate for a particular event or use. The Library reserves the right to reject any application for use of its facilities. The Library may refuse to grant permission for or to rescind permission for any program and/or meeting room use if the Library has reason to believe that such use will subject the Library to undue costs or subject Library operations to undue disruption.

An organization applying for use of the program and/or meeting rooms must provide proof of liability insurance demonstrating coverage for liability at the time of submitting the application for room use.  The organization shall maintain at all times during the use of Library property, at its sole cost  and expense, at least the following insurance: Commercial General Liability insurance with a  minimum limit of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate, which  insurance shall cover the following: premises and operations liability, products/completed  operations, broad form property damage, broad form contractual liability, personal and  advertising injury and medical payments. The insurance certificate shall name the Croton Free Library and its respective officers, employees, volunteers, committees and boards as additional insured. Coverage afforded to the additional insureds shall be primary and noncontributory with other valid or collectible insurance available to the additional insureds.  Certificates of insurance and applicable additional insured endorsement acceptable to Croton Free Library shall be filed with Library prior to commencement of any event. These certificates and the insurance policies required by these rules and regulations shall contain a provision that coverages afforded under the policies will not be canceled or allowed to expire until at least 30 days’ prior written notice has been given to the Library. 

RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR USE

1. All meetings must be open to the public. All room use is free of charge. The program and/or meeting rooms are not for personal or private use by any individual.

2. The program and/or meeting rooms may not be used for profit-making events, sales promotion or marketing, personal social gatherings, recruitment, religious services, fundraising, politicking, electioneering, protesting, solicitations, proselytizing or any other purpose deemed inappropriate or inadvisable by the Library Director and/or the Board of Trustees in its sole discretion.  No fees, dues, contributions, or endorsements may be solicited at events. Those who are invited or permitted to appear or speak in program and/or meeting rooms and wish to sell books or other materials may do so at the sole discretion and subject to prior arrangement with and permission of the Library Director and/or the Board of Trustees.

3. Use of the name of the Library is restricted to designation of location and acknowledgement of use of the program and/or meeting rooms as a free service of the Library. Event publicity is the organization’s responsibility.

4. Rooms may only be used during the Library’s regular hours unless prior arrangements have been made with the Library Director and/or the Board of Trustees.

5. Meetings must not disturb regular Library operations.  Individuals or groups presenting and attending programs, meetings and events are subject to all Library policies, rules and regulations.

6. No alcoholic beverages may be served without prior approval of the Library Director and/or the Board of Trustees.  Smoking is prohibited.  Room occupancy capacities are specified by the local fire department and must be strictly enforced. Fire exits must be announced prior to the event.

7. Library personnel must have access to the program and/or meeting rooms at all times. Library staff retains the right to monitor all activities conducted on the premises to ensure compliance with all Library rules and regulations. Failure to obey any of the rules and regulations here stated shall be grounds for denial of future use of the meeting spaces. 

8. In some program and/or meeting rooms, the Library may supply chairs, tables, a lectern, and certain audio-visual equipment (laptop, projector, sound equipment, and projector). The organization may use the audio-visual equipment if the Library staff can be reasonably assured that there is a representative of the organization who is capable of operating the equipment properly. Library staff is available to assist with audio-visual equipment but cannot assume sole responsibility for it. A separate advance request for use of the piano must be made to the Library Director.

9. Ongoing art exhibition objects on display may not be moved or disturbed during the event.

10. The set-up, clean up and re-storage of chairs and equipment in the program and/or meeting room are the responsibility of the organization. No material may be attached to the walls for display purposes. Damage must be reported to Library staff immediately. The Library will not store equipment belonging to the organization and is not responsible for the organization’s personal items in these rooms.  Any furniture, equipment, or materials brought into the building for the organization’s event is the responsibility of the organization and must have prior approval of the Library Director and/or the Board of Trustees. The Library assumes no responsibility whatsoever for any property placed in the Library in connection with the organization’s event. The organization agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Library, the Board of Trustees, employees and volunteers from any and all liability for any loss, injury or damage to persons or property which may be sustained during or by reason of an event held on the Library's premises.

11. Use of the kitchen facilities is limited to the preparation of light refreshments. At the end of the event, the kitchen must be left clean and trash bagged for removal. 

12. Organization shall make good any damage arising from occupancy of the meeting room. The Library shall not be held responsible for loss or damage to any property owned by users of any of the Library’s program and/or meeting room.

13. If the Library closes in an emergency or for inclement weather, all scheduled programs will be automatically canceled. Programs may be rescheduled, if possible. Cancellation policy: Cancellation of room use by the organization must be given at the earliest possible moment. Failure to give 24 hours' notice of room cancellation may result in loss of and possible curtailment of future room reservation privileges.