Meeting Room &
Conference Room Policy
The Trustees of the Billerica Public Library have set forth the following policy in an attempt to ensure fair access to those who wish to use the meeting room facilities of the Library. There is a large Meeting Room on the lower level. It seats 70-75 people. This room is also divisible into two smaller rooms seating 20 on one side and 50 on the other. The Conference Room, located on the second floor, has seating for 12 people.
Use of Library Meeting Rooms by any group signifies acceptance of the terms of this policy.
General Guidelines
- Library meeting areas are used primarily for library-sponsored activities and therefore, the library retains the right to give priority to library-sponsored meetings, events, and programs in scheduling meeting room use.
- Meeting rooms at the Billerica Public Library are designed for groups that engage in educational, cultural, intellectual or charitable activities. All meetings must be free and open to the public. Groups which are affiliated with a business or commercial organization, enterprise or any other type of entity which exists primarily for profit may not use the meeting facilities.
- Smoking and alcoholic beverages are not allowed in the meeting rooms.
- Meeting rooms may not be used for social gatherings such as showers, birthday parties, dances, or any other closed meeting.
- Meeting Rooms are available for use during regular service hours on days the Library is open. NO ONE may enter the Library prior to 9a.m. No meeting may extend beyond 8:45p.m.
- Room set up is not provided by the Library. Time for setting up and cleaning up afterwards should be included in the meeting time requested.
- The Library assumes no responsibility for private property brought into the building.
- Library staff will not take or deliver messages for meeting participants except in an emergency.
- Groups are responsible for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and for providing qualified interpreters or auxiliary aids, upon request, for their programs.
- Study groups are permitted to use the meeting rooms upon availability but must fill out an application and follow all rules and regulations. There is a five (5) person minimum for each room.
- Non-profit organizations may collect donations to cover incidental expenses only, but may not solicit donations for fund-raising purposes or make sales, except for the sole benefit of the Library.
- Use of the Library's meeting rooms does not constitute or imply an endorsement of viewpoints by participants in the program in the program by any library staff or by the board of Trustees.
Reservations
- Requests for use of a meeting room may be made in person or by telephone.
- Reservations from organizations for use of the meeting space must be made on the Library's application form submitted to the Assistant Director. Reservations for meeting space is not guaranteed unless an application form is signed and submitted 72 hours in advance. It is your responsibility to return the signed application 72 hours in advance. no one from the Library will contact you. if a signed application is not received, your reservation may be canceled.
- Applications for use of the meeting space may be obtained at the reference desk or online. Completed applications must be returned or mailed to the Billerica Public Library -- Attention Meeting Room Reservations.
- Requests will be honored on a first-com, first served basis.
- Rooms may be booked no more than 60 days in advance.
- Notice of cancellation should be made as soon as possible. After 30 minutes, a group may forfeit its reservation if it fails to appear as scheduled.
- If a group fails to show for two meetings in a row and does not call to cancel, all future reservations are forfeited until the group calls to reschedule.
Care and Use of Facilities
- Please leave meeting rooms as they are found. If the furniture is rearranged, it should be returned to the original arrangement at the end of the meeting.
- Furniture and/or equipment from the main area of the Library may not be brought into meeting rooms.
- Equipment, supplies, or personal effects cannot be stored or left in Library meeting rooms before or after use.
- Attendance at meetings will be limited to the capacity of the individual meeting rooms. Seating and/or supplementary furniture are not allowed in corridors outside the meeting rooms.
- Simple refreshments may be served. Only clear liquids (e.g. apple juice) may be served -- no fruit punches or grape juice. The Library will provide a coffeepot, but cups, utensils cream, sugar, or other equipment, and supplies will be the responsibility of the group.
- There will be no cooking or food preparation on site.
- Please clean the kitchen facilities thoroughly if used; trash must be bagged.
- 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.
- The contact person for each user is responsible for ensuring that each member of his or her group is aware of and abides by these regulations.
- Users of the meeting space may be asked to leave if use is deemed disruptive or in anyway contrary to library policy.
- Groups failing to comply with any part of this policy or the established procedures will be denied further use of the meeting room.
- Any question of interpretation of this policy will be referred to the Director. Final determination rests with the Board of Trustees.
Use of Library meeting rooms by any group signifies acceptance of the terms of this policy.
Revised April 29, 2002
Effective July 1, 2002
Meeting Room Application Agreement
