Pierce County Library System
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Meeting Room Use Policy

Designated Library staff members have the authority to approve, renew, or reject requests for use of the meeting rooms and facilities.

Permission to use Pierce County Library meeting room facilities will be denied to any organization and/or meeting with one or more of the following issues:

• Whose purpose is illegal.
• Who charge a fee to attend the meeting or training.
• Who engage in commercial activities (buying or selling) as part of the meeting for commercial monetary gain.
• Whose activity does not have adult sponsorship.
• Whose conduct would interfere with the proper functioning of the Library. Examples of such conduct would include activities that produce excessive noise or that would require the use of a significant portion of available public parking.
• Who fail to notify the Library of cancellations of meetings on two (2) or more occasions.
• Who fail to follow these policies and procedures.

Permission will also be denied to individuals or groups wishing to book meeting facilities for parties and receptions.

The Library reserves the right to cancel meeting reservations when unforeseen circumstances such as power outages, weather conditions, elections, or conflicts with Library affiliated or sponsored events occur. The Pierce County Library System Board of Trustees holds ultimate authority.

Individuals and groups wishing to use a meeting room may make advance booking for a maximum of two (2) uses per month per facility. The meeting room may be booked three (3) months in advance following the current month. (For example, beginning on May 1st, a group could book the meeting room for any time in June, July, or August.) Exceptions may be made for classes offered for the public by government agencies.

PAC meeting rooms must be booked at least 24 hours in advance of the scheduled meeting and libraries 12 hours.

Persons wishing to reserve a meeting room should go to piercecountylibrary.org to register their group and make an online reservation or contact the specific branch or PAC by phone or in person where the room they wish to use is located. Each group must be approved before reservations can be made and the room occupied. Reservations for meeting rooms must include time for the group or individual to set up and take down tables, chairs, and other furniture, e.g, if your meeting is to occur from 7 - 9 p.m., allow time to set up and clean up, thus reserve the space for 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

A key must be picked up at least one-half hour before the library branch closes for those using the meeting room after hours. No key is required for use of the PAC meeting rooms.

If a scheduled meeting is canceled, the applicant must cancel the reservation online or call the Library at least one week before the meeting or event. The Library will need to be called if the cancellation is less than a week. Failure to notify the Library within the requested time on two (2) or more occasions may result in loss of future meeting room privileges. Notifying the Library of cancellations ensures that other groups or organizations have access to the meeting room.

• Pierce County Library meeting rooms may be used no later than 11 p.m. The Processing and Administrative Center must be vacated by 10 p.m.
• Costs for restoring condition of the room may be billed; for example, putting away chairs or cleaning coffee or food spills.
• Telephone messages for individuals or groups using the meeting room will not be taken by library staff.
• The capacity for the room(s), as determined by the Fire Marshall, will be observed at all times.
• No alcoholic beverages may be served or consumed on Library property.
• Smoking is not permitted in any Pierce County Library System facility.
• No open flames such as candles are permitted.
• The Library does not provide computer equipment or access to telephone lines. Wi-Fi access may be available in the meeting rooms
• Permission to use the room includes the ordinary use of furniture and fixtures, including chairs, tables, and sink area. Cooking and/or food preparation will not be allowed. The Library does not provide coffee pots.
• Arrangement of furniture and setting-up of furniture is to be done by the group or persons using the room. Each organization and persons using the room shall be responsible for cleaning up and placing all tables, chairs, and other furniture in storage room(s) before leaving.
• Groups or individuals must provide their own supplies such as paper, pencils, and markers.
• Nothing may be affixed or mounted in any way to the walls of the meeting room, except where tackable surfaces are provided. If you are planning to post materials, please do so with blue tape/painters tape.
• Distribution of pamphlets, leaflets, etc., and solicitation for the purchase of goods or services by persons or organizations using the meeting room will not be permitted outside of the room.
• Meeting rooms in the Processing and Administrative Center (PAC) have room dividers that permit the use of the rooms by more than one group at the same time. Dividers are to be moved by Library staff only. Groups sharing a meeting room in these facilities must not interfere with the other groups’ use by making excessive noise, blocking entrances, etc.
• The lobby area of the libraries and the PAC building are not a part of the meeting room. At the beginning of meetings, please announce that there is no cell phone usage in the lobby.

Use of Library meeting rooms does not constitute an endorsement by the Library of a program or point of view expressed.

No advertisement or announcement implying such endorsement is permitted. In order to establish the fact that the Library is not sponsoring the meeting, all publicity that uses the name of the Library must include the following statement:

“Sponsored by XYZ Neighborhood Guild” (name of the organization booking the room).

An organization may not use the name and address of the Library as its headquarters or as the official address of the organization. The organization may not use the Library’s address or telephone number for registration or for information regarding the meeting or the organization.

Publicity for events conducted in Pierce County Library System meeting rooms that are by organizations not connected with Pierce County Library System should in no way imply or suggest Library sponsorship of the event.

Board Policy 3.2
Adopted by the Pierce County Rural Library District Board of Trustees, December 11, 1991. Revised August 20, 1998.

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