Meeting Rooms

Meeting Room Policy

As a public institution, the East Brunswick Public Library is dedicated to free expression and free access to information and ideas on all points of view concerning the problems and issues of interest to the residents of East Brunswick. To this end, The Library maintains meeting rooms for library and community use. The meeting rooms are available for meetings and programs open to the public that are sponsored by non-profit organizations and community interest groups and boards and agencies of the Library, Township government and schools. Preference is given to East Brunswick organizations, but regional and statewide groups are accommodated when there are no schedule conflicts. Permission to use the meeting rooms does not imply Library endorsement of the aims, policies, programs or public statements of any group or organization. Such permission is revocable and does not constitute a lease.

The use of a meeting room must be consistent with the provisions of this policy and may be denied:

(a) where use is inconsistent with policy and/or regulation,
(b) where there is a likelihood of physical hazard to participants or audience,
(c) when there has been misuse of premises or equipment or violation of this policy by the organization in the past.

Application forms must be submitted for use of the meeting rooms. Applications falling within provisions of this policy and regulations are approved by the Library Director. The Library Board of Trustees reserves the right to review all applications, and shall review applications not approved by the Director if requested by the applicant.

REGULATIONS

A. Prohibited Uses

The meeting room may not be used:

1. for any meeting closed to the general public, with the exception of:

• courses of academic instruction approved by the East Brunswick Board of Education or the New Jersey Department of Education or the institutions under its jurisdiction;
• executive sessions of otherwise qualified organizations, when those executive sessions are carried out under the provisions of applicable state laws.

2. for any meeting sponsored by or for a commercial organization or purpose; or at which goods or services are advertised or sold whether for profit or to raise funds for non-profit organizations.

3. for any meeting which has noise or physical activities which are disturbing to other people in the Library.

4. for any meeting which is attended by fewer than fifteen (15) people (this necessitated by the scarcity of meeting rooms in the Township of East Brunswick).

5. for any use by private teachers who wish to have their students demonstrate or exhibit their abilities or talents.

6. for the conduct of any unlawful activity.

7. for any meeting for which admission is charged.

B. Conditions on Use

1. Application forms for use of a meeting room must be filled out completely, signed by the applicant, and submitted to the Library Administrative Office at least two weeks in advance of the requested meeting.

2. Applicant is responsible for its own set-up of chairs, etc., and must clean up the room, returning it to the condition in which it was found, after completion of the meeting. Set up and clean up must occur within the reserved time for the meeting.

3. No materials may be affixed to the walls or ceiling by any means whatsoever.

4. The applicant assumes full financial responsibility for misuse of or damage to the premises and equipment.

5. Applications for meetings of young people, through senior high school, must be sponsored and signed by an adult who will assume responsibility. At least one adult must be in attendance when the meeting room is being used by such a group or organization.

6. The Library is a smoke-free building. Smoking is not permitted in any area of The Library, including the meeting rooms.

7. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

8. Refreshments may be served at program meetings at the discretion of the Library Director. Kitchen facilities may be used for light refreshments only; no utensils or appliances are provided by The Library. The applicant must leave the meeting room and kitchenette, if used, in the same condition in which it was found.

9. After Library closing hours, meeting groups are restricted to the general area of the meeting rooms and corridor, rest rooms, and kitchen at the southwest corner of the building.

10. The applicant may be granted permission for use of specified library equipment, if available, provided that the group or organization has an operator skilled in the use of the equipment requested. If a skilled operator is not available, the group or organization will be required to hire a qualified East Brunswick Library staff member, if available, at his/her regular hourly wage plus one dollar per hour. If the group or organization furnishes the skilled operator, the applicant assumes full financial responsibility for misuse, damage or loss of the library equipment.

11. Neither the name nor the address of the East Brunswick Public Library may be used as the address for groups or organizations using meeting rooms.

12. Organizations utilizing the meeting rooms are considered a public accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and are therefore responsible for providing auxiliary aids and services in compliance with the ADA.

13. Organizations are subject to copyright law in their use of film, video, music, and other media and are also responsible for observing the admission policies associated with Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) guidelines when showing rated films in the meeting rooms.

C. Schedules

1. The Library reserves the right to cancel a meeting with two weeks advance notice for the purpose of a library program.

2. The Library receives more applications for use than its facilities can accommodate. It is the responsibility of the group or organization to inform the Library Administrative Office if a meeting is cancelled. The Library reserves the right to deny meeting rooms to organizations that fail to notify The Library of cancellations or frequently cancel meetings.

3. Meetings must be scheduled during hours when The Library is open to the public. Evening meetings, Monday through Thursday, must conclude by 10:30 P.M.

4. Reservations must be made for specific hours, and applicant must leave promptly at the conclusion of the specified time.

5. The Library will accept applications for series of regular meetings to be scheduled on an annual basis, with a frequency of such meetings to be no greater than once a month.

D. Fees

1. $50.00 per room, per session (a session shall be not longer than 3 hours) shall be charged for education programs as specified in section A.1. where a fee is charged by the academic institution.

Waiver of Regulations

Exceptions from specific regulations of this policy may be authorized in writing for the Friends of the East Brunswick Library, all Boards and Agencies of the Township of East Brunswick and on behalf of the Township of East Brunswick, East Brunswick Board of Education and the East Brunswick Library staff Association.