Meeting Room Policy

In keeping with the Library's mission and core values, meeting rooms are available for use by the public when not needed for Library purposes. The Library does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, or physical limitation in making its premises available for use. Use of the Library meeting rooms in no way constitutes endorsement by the Library staff or Board of Trustees of the viewpoints presented or of the policies, practices, or beliefs of those using the meeting rooms.

Meeting rooms are available to commercial, non-commercial, and non-profit groups and organizations at no charge. Units of government and appointed or elected officials also may use library meeting rooms.

Political candidates, political action committees, and other political advocacy groups, either issue-related or candidate, are allowed to use branch library meeting rooms under the following conditions:

• Only one meeting per month at each location
• Solicitation or receipt of campaign contributions are prohibited

Non-commercial and non-profit groups may reserve meeting rooms 90 days in advance. Commercial groups may reserve meeting rooms 60 days in advance.

The Library reserves the right to limit groups to one meeting per month at each location.

The Library reserves the right to have staff attend meetings and other events in meeting room facilities.

Responsibilities

All meetings and events held in the Library must be conducted in an orderly manner and in full compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and Library rules. Meetings must be conducted so as not to disturb others. Children's and teen groups must have adult supervision at all times. Young children accompanying adult users of the meeting room shall not be left unattended in the Library. Failure to comply with these responsibilities may result in the meeting or event participants being asked to leave the Library immediately and in the group being prohibited from using Library facilities in the future. Library staff and security personnel reserve the right to remove any person or group from Library property for failing to follow our Customer Behavior Policy or other Library policies and procedures.

• Meeting room use may be denied to anyone giving false information or failing to comply with this policy. Repeated cancellations may result in future room requests being denied.
• Any group using Library meeting room space must pay for any and all damage to Library property resulting from the group's use. This includes, but is not limited to: walls, floors, grounds, equipment, and furniture. Damage to Library property may result in the group being prohibited from using Library facilities in the future.
• The Library is not responsible for loss of or damage to non-Library property before, during, or after the meeting or event. The Library cannot supervise exhibits or group displays. If the organization engages a speaker, the organization is responsible for all arrangements regarding the speaker.
• Except for Friends of the Library events, events that have as their primary purpose the sale or marketing of goods or services are prohibited. Ancillary selling or marketing - such as selling recordings at the end of a concert - is permitted. The Library reserves the right to limit selling or marketing activities.
• Gambling, bingo, casinos, or wagering of any kind is prohibited.
• Social gatherings such as showers, birthday parties, family reunions, etc. are not permitted. Helium balloons and open flames are not permitted.
• Activities and materials must remain in the meeting room, with no activity in the adjacent parts of the library building or on library grounds.
• Storage of equipment and/or supplies is not permitted.

Meeting/Event Hours

Meeting or event participants using Library meeting rooms must vacate them promptly at the end of the reserved time. Library facilities are not available on days when the Library is closed. Rooms must be vacated 15 minutes prior to the scheduled time of closing.

Publicity

All publicity about the meeting or event must clearly state that the Library is merely the site of the meeting or event, and not its sponsor.

Reservations

Reservations for meeting rooms involving Library-sponsored activities receive the first priority. These activities include but are not limited to story hours; lecture, craft and film programs; book review and discussion groups; Library trustee meetings; staff meetings; and other events sponsored by the Library that encourage use of library materials and services. Reservations for meeting rooms made by Friends of the Library groups and other groups closely associated with the Library receive second priority. All others have third priority on all dates.

In reserving a Library meeting room, a group assumes the risk that the Library may need to preempt the space for its own purposes. On the rare occasion that the Library must use its space unexpectedly for its own purposes, the Library will try to provide the group with alternative meeting space in the Library. The Library will notify a group as soon as possible if its meeting room reservation must be canceled. Specific procedures and rules related to the use of meeting rooms vary from location to location. These include, but are not limited to, the nature of refreshments allowed.

All groups using a meeting room will be required to read and agree to meeting room booking terms and conditions. The individual must be an adult and will be responsible for the orderly conduct of the group. In the event of any damage to library property and/or equipment, that individual will be liable. Permission to use a meeting room is not transferable.

Branch Library Meeting Rooms Use

• No entrance fee may be charged, no donations or dues may be solicited, and no purchase may be required of those attending the meeting.
• Meeting rooms may not be reserved in advance for tutoring, but tutors may use a branch community or conference room if it is available when needed for a tutoring session.
• Availability of Library audio/visual equipment, such as monitors, televisions, DVD players, and speaker systems, varies among the branches and should be confirmed in advance.
• Room set-up and clean-up is each group’s responsibility. The room must be left in the condition in which it was found unless other instructions are given.
• Food and non-alcoholic beverages are permitted in Branch Library meeting rooms. Alcohol is not permitted in any Branch Library. Some Branch Libraries limit the types of food and non-alcoholic beverages permitted.

Main Library Meeting Room Use

Main Library offers Meeting Rooms and an Auditorium that may be used by commercial, non-commercial, and non-profit groups.  All groups charging entrance fees, soliciting donations or dues, or requiring purchases may use Main Library meeting rooms, but must pay the fees specified below. Groups not charging entrance fees, soliciting donations or dues, or requiring purchases may use Main Library Meeting Rooms for no charge. The Auditorium fee schedule for all groups is specified below. In cases where a group's eligibility for tax-exempt, non-profit status under section 501(c)(3)-(11) is not readily apparent, proof of tax-exempt status may be required to establish eligibility for fee waiver. In that case, the group must submit a copy of a current letter of exemption to the Events staff at the Main Library.

Limits On Use

• Meeting rooms may not be reserved in advance for tutoring but tutors may use a Main Library Quiet Study room if it is available when needed for a tutoring session.
• Except for Friends of the Library events, events that have as their primary purpose the sale or marketing of goods or services are prohibited. Ancillary selling or marketing - such as selling recordings at the end of a concert - is permitted. The Library reserves the right to limit selling or marketing activities.
• Reservations for the Auditorium are limited to events with anticipated attendance of 100 or more.

Food And Beverages

Food and non-alcoholic beverages are permitted in Main Library meeting rooms 1, 2AB, and 3. Only drinks with lids are permitted in the Auditorium and the First Floor Meeting Room. The Library will consider requests to allow alcohol only at Main Library meetings and events that occur when the Library is closed to the general public. Cash bars, the sale of drink tickets, and self-service bars are strictly prohibited. The Library does not permit "BYOB" (bring your own alcoholic beverage) functions. An organization that wants to provide alcoholic beverages at an event must select from a list of bartender service providers approved by the Library. According to the Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Liquor Control (DOLC), "no liquor permit is required if an organization intends to provide beer, wine, or spirituous liquor at a private function where access is restricted to invited guests only, such as a reception, for which no admission fee is charged or any alcoholic beverages sold."

Non-profit organizations requesting to serve alcoholic beverages at an event other than the above, such as a fund-raising event, must apply for a Temporary Permit from the DOLC at least 45 days prior to the date of the event. The original Temporary Permit must be supplied to the Library at least 14 days in advance of the event. The DOLC only provides temporary permits to non-profit organizations and verification of that status is required as part of the application process. The DOLC provides several types of temporary permits. A list of those permits available for events to be held in the Library, and the associated fees, is available from the Library's Events staff. Organizations requesting to hold such an event are responsible for obtaining and paying for the proper permit from the DOLC prior to the event. More information and application forms can be found at the DOLC's website at https://com.ohio.gov/divisions-and-programs/liquor-control/liquor-control.

Any organization approved by the Library to serve alcohol at an event is required to have an off-duty Akron police officer present during the hours alcohol is being served. The Library will make arrangements for this security, and the additional cost must be paid by the organization.

Parking

Approval to use meeting room space at Main Library, whether free or for a fee, does not include free parking for guests or attendees. One (1) free hour of parking in the High and Market Street Deck is available through validation at the Welcome Desk. Parking in the High and Market Street deck is free on weekends and after 6 pm on weekdays.

Fees For Main Library Meeting Rooms And Auditorium Use

The Library Board of Trustees approves the fees charged to use Main Library meeting rooms and other facilities. Fees allow the Library to recover the costs associated with use of the various meeting room facilities. The fees listed below are per hour, or part of an hour.

When the Library is closed, a three-hour minimum usage fee will be charged.

Appropriate security, as defined by the Library, is required for all after-hours events and will be provided by the Library at the group's expense.

The following audio/visual equipment is provided at no cost to groups reserving the Auditorium: one podium microphone, one wireless handheld microphone, and one LCD projector, DVD/CD player(s), and laptop hookup to LCD projector (laptop not provided by Library). To cover the cost of repairing and replacing audio/visual equipment, a service fee of $50 will be assessed to non-rental paying groups that request additional audio/visual equipment. All requests for audio/visual equipment must be made 14 days prior to the event. We are unable to accommodate last-minute equipment requests.

All fees are due fourteen (14) days prior to the meeting or event. All monies paid are refunded if the event is cancelled by the applicant ten (10) or more calendar days prior to the day of the event. If the event is cancelled fewer than ten calendar days prior to the day of the event, the Library will refund fifty percent of monies paid.

Adopted by the Board of Trustees on October 26, 2023.