Meeting Room Policy

Authority and Responsibility

The Live Oak Public Libraries (LOPL) Board of Trustees has the responsibility for establishing policies governing library operations and services.

Purpose

LOPL recognizes its essential service role in offering free meeting space¹ for community use. LOPL meeting room space is for public gatherings of a civic, cultural, or educational character; including without limitation religious and political gatherings. LOPL does not advocate for or endorse the viewpoints expressed in meetings by meeting room users, just as it does not endorse the viewpoints of works in the LOPL collection.

Use

1. The availability of meeting space is on a first-come, first-served basis. Priority for meeting room space is given to LOPL-sponsored programs and partners.
2. Meeting rooms are not available for private meetings and events, social gatherings, or for entertainment, money-raising, or commercial purposes.
3. All activities in meeting room spaces must be free and open to the public.
4. To ensure all users have equal opportunity to book meeting rooms, organizations and groups can reserve meeting rooms a limited number of times as established in LOPL procedures.
5. Reservations for meeting rooms will only be accepted using the reservation process established in LOPL procedures.
6. Reservations for meeting rooms will only be accepted within a time period in advance of a meeting as established in LOPL procedures.
7. All persons using meeting rooms are subject to the rules set forth in LOPL’s Policy on Customer Behavior.
8. Organizations and groups using meeting rooms may not at any time use the name, address, or telephone number of LOPL as the official address or headquarters for any individual, organization, group, or business.
10. Due to space constraints, LOPL may not be able to post flyers or other material relating to meeting room use. No material of any kind can be posted directly on the walls of the meeting room space without the permission of the library manager.
11. Light refreshments² are allowed in meeting rooms. Users must ensure that the meeting room is clean and orderly upon completion of their event. All trash must be placed in the receptacles, and all refreshments must be removed. Any spills or other problems should be reported immediately to library staff.
12. Activities involving more than normal wear and tear on the room will not be permitted. Fees may be assessed to meeting room users for the repair of damages to facilities.

Responsibility

1. The person making the reservation for a meeting room and the president, chief officer, or chair of the organization or group using a meeting space accepts full responsibility for the proper conduct of attendees and for the expense of any damages to LOPL property.
2. All items brought in by meeting room users, including materials, equipment, and refreshments, must be removed at the end of the meeting. LOPL is not responsible for any item(s) left in the building.
3. LOPL accepts no responsibility or liability regarding the use or care of personally supplied equipment or other property.
4. The organization and/or person making the meeting space reservation must hold Live Oak Public Libraries harmless from and indemnify it against all liabilities, damages, claims, actions, costs, charges and expenses arising out of, or in connection with, any damage or injury occurring in or on LOPL premises, except to the extent by the gross negligence or willful misconduct of LOPL.

Furnishings and Equipment

1. Requests to use LOPL chairs, tables, and audiovisual equipment must be included in the reservation request.
2. Users may bring and use their own computers or other electronic devices. Wireless service is available, but LOPL cannot guarantee its availability or efficacy 100% of the time. LOPL provides no guarantees regarding the availability or compatibility of LOPL equipment with user’s software and/or hardware.

Notes

1. Meeting room space includes LOPL auditoriums, study rooms, and other spaces reserved for public meetings. ↩
2. For purposes of this policy, light refreshments include nonalcoholic beverages and edible items commonly served between meals, but not intended to substitute for meals, such as, coffee, soft drinks, fruit, bagels, doughnuts, and cheese. ↩