Meeting Room Policy

LEWISTON PUBLIC LIBRARY POLICY

Adopted: March 3, 2022

I. Purpose

The Lewiston Public Library welcomes public use of its meeting facilities. This Meeting Room Policy establishes guidelines and procedures for their use.

The Library has five meeting rooms available for library and public use according to the guidelines outlined in this Policy. Use of the public meeting room by any group signifies acceptance of the terms of this policy in addition to the full terms set forth in the City of Lewiston Facility Use Policy.

Use of the Library’s meeting rooms does not constitute Library or City of Lewiston endorsement of viewpoints expressed by participants or presenters in the program. Advertisements or announcements implying such endorsements are not permitted.

II. General Guidelines

A. Scheduling

• City or Library needs may pre-empt any other scheduled event.
• Reservations for the study rooms, Jeanne Couture Room, or Conference Room are made through the Adult & Teen Services Department.
• Reservations for Callahan Hall are made through the Library Director’s Office.
• In order to ensure availability, individuals or groups are limited to no more than three
  advance reservations at any one time.
• Room use must occur during regular Library operating hours. Uses outside of Library hours are allowed if approved by the Library Director at the time of application and as staffing levels permit. In these cases, organizations or individuals will be assessed an after-hours staffing fee in addition to other rental fees for any increment of time outside of normal hours. After-hours use is not guaranteed.
• If the Library closes due to unforeseen circumstances such as inclement weather, scheduled room uses are automatically cancelled. Library staff will notify affected individuals and/or groups with as much notice as possible.

B. Care and Use of Facilities

• The individual making the reservation, as well as the membership of the group as a whole, will be held responsible for any and all damages that may occur as a result of the use of the facilities.
• Permission to use the meeting room may be withheld from groups failing to comply with the Meeting Room Policy and from any group that damages the room, carpet, equipment or furniture, or causes a disturbance.
• Any function which creates disruption to normal library operations will not be tolerated.
  Smoking is not permitted in the Library.

Furniture

Please leave all rooms as found. If the furniture is rearranged, it should be returned to the original arrangement at the end of the meeting, with the exception of Callahan Hall, where setup/takedown is covered under the facility rental fees.

Furniture and/or equipment from the main area of the library may not be brought into the meeting rooms.

Personal furniture or equipment may be provided by a group with prior approval. Arrangements for the use of any personal furniture or equipment should be made at scheduling time. In order to ensure easy removal of equipment after the meeting, the Library Director should be notified when the equipment is brought into the building.

Safety

Keep all exits unlocked at all times. Open aisles must be maintained within the seating arrangement to provide clear access to exits.

Public entrances are to be used for entering and exiting the building and for all deliveries. Use of staff entrances and the Library loading dock is only allowed if approved by the Library Director at least 7 days prior to the event.

Attendance at meetings will be limited to the seating capacity of the meeting room. Seating and/or supplementary furniture are not allowed in corridors outside the meeting room.

The City of Lewiston or the Library may impose the following conditions should there be concerns about the safety of an event:

• A requirement that the applicant provide adequate security for the event (depending on type of event, number of people expected, etc.)
• A requirement that the applicant post a security deposit in case of damage to City property or costs that may be incurred by the City as a result of breach of the agreement
• A requirement that the applicant post a fee to defray additional public costs which include, but are not limited to:
  1. Police – traffic direction or protection;
  2. Municipal inspection of special electrical equipment needed for events;
  3. Cleaning – events which result in excessive debris from event or attendees;
  4. Electrical – events which result in excessive use of electrical power.
• A requirement that the applicant provide insurance pursuant to Section 9 of the City of Lewiston Facility Use Policy.

C. Library Co-Sponsorship

Use of meeting rooms that normally require a rental fee may, on occasion, be allowed free of charge subject to approval from the Library Director. Approval may be granted only when all of the following conditions are met:

1. For Callahan Hall: the use falls under the primary purposes of Callahan Hall as set forth in section IIIC of this Policy. For all other rooms, the use must be compatible with the Library’s Mission Statement as indicated in the Lewiston Public Library Program Policy.
2. The applying organization agrees to name the Lewiston Public Library as a co-sponsor, including in all publicity.
3. The organization conducting the program is not doing so for the immediate or ultimate gain of a for-profit business or agency.
4. The meeting or program is non-partisan in nature, and does not endorse a specific political candidate or ballot measure.
5. The meeting takes place during regular library hours. Exceptions to this may be made by the Library Director on a case by case basis as staffing levels permit.
6. The meeting will not disrupt the ability of the library to conduct its business in a normal and orderly manner.
7. The meeting is open to the public and free of charge.
8. The organization agrees to the guidelines set forth in the Lewiston Public Library Program Policy.

Co-sponsorship approval is not guaranteed. The Library reserves the right to approve or deny such requests based on availability of staff, space, and other resources in addition to the above parameters.

Library co-sponsorship of a program does not constitute Library or City of Lewiston endorsement of viewpoints expressed by participants or presenters in the program.

III. Room Use Guidelines

A. Study Rooms

The Lewiston Public Library has two study rooms (Study Room A – the Business Information Center and Study Room B) located on the second floor. Each room seats up to five people around a table and includes a desktop computer.

The primary purpose of these rooms is to provide a quiet space for individuals or small groups with priority given to library programs and local cardholders and agencies.

Study Room Policies

• Use of the Study Rooms is restricted to Lewiston and Auburn Public Library cardholders in good standing, those working for Lewiston-based schools or nonprofits, or government agencies.
• Study Room A may be reserved by those aged 18 and older. Study Room B may be reserved by those aged 13 and older. Users 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
• Study Rooms may be reserved once per day for up to two hours. An additional hour can be requested at the end of this time if the space is available.
• Study Rooms are located within a designated Quiet Area. Excessive noise will result in a warning and potential suspension of meeting room privileges.

B. Conference Rooms: Jeanne Couture Room / Conference Room

The Jeanne Couture Room is located on the Library’s first floor and seats up to 20 people at tables. The Conference Room is located on the Library’s third floor and seats up to 15 people at tables. The primary purpose of these rooms is support for library functions, meetings, and programs. These conference rooms may also be rented by members of the public as gathering and meeting spaces.

Conference Room Policies

• These rooms may be reserved by those aged 18 and older.
• To reserve a Meeting Room, an individual or group must complete, in full, a Facility Use Application along with a $50 non-refundable application processing fee payable to the City of Lewiston. This application and fee are valid from date of approval through the end of the fiscal year (June 30). Applications must be on file with the Library at least seven days prior to use of the requested space.
• Once a Facility Use fee is on file, Meeting Room use is free of charge to Lewiston and Auburn Public Library cardholders in good standing, those working for Lewiston-based schools or nonprofits, or government agencies. Other individuals and organizations will need to pay applicable rental fees as set forth in the City of Lewiston Rental Rate Schedule.
• All fees must be paid in full before access to the space will be granted.
• No refund will be made upon cancellation of any booking unless such cancellation is made at least thirty days prior to the scheduled event.

C. Callahan Hall

Callahan Hall is located on the Library’s third floor and has a seating capacity of 130 when set up auditorium-style and 104 when set up with banquet tables and chairs.

The primary use of Callahan Hall at the Lewiston Public Library is for City and Library sponsored programs that fit the following purposes:

1. Cultural and arts events.
2. Programs which celebrate ethnic diversity and promote inter-cultural communication.
3. Educational programs, lectures, workshops and seminars.

All applications for the use of Callahan Hall must fit under one of the three purposes above. In order to ensure the availability of Callahan Hall for its primary uses, no application may be made more than 60 days in advance.

Callahan Hall Policies

• Callahan Hall may be reserved by those aged 18 and older.
• Individuals and organizations should contact the Library Director’s office to discuss the proposed event and requested date. The Library Director will provide a non-binding rental quote based on the proposed details.
• To reserve Callahan Hall, an individual or group must complete, in full, a Facility Use Application along with a $50 non-refundable application processing fee payable to the City of Lewiston. This application and fee are valid from date of approval through the end of the fiscal year (June 30). Applications must be on file with the Library at least thirty days prior to use of the requested space.
• Once a Facility Use fee is on file, applicants will need to pay applicable rental fees as set forth in the City of Lewiston Rental Rate Schedule.
• All fees must be paid in full before access to the space will be granted. The applicant may later be assessed additional fees if services or equipment are required beyond those initially agreed upon.
• No refund will be made upon cancellation of any booking unless such cancellation is made at least thirty days prior to the scheduled event.
• A small kitchen facility is available in Callahan Hall. All serving utensils, including cups, plates, napkins, etc. must be provided by the group or organization. Trash and recycling pickup is included in the janitorial fees.

Questions not covered in this policy should be referred to the Adult and Teen Services Department.