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Community Room Guidelines

Community Room Application

PURPOSE OF ROOM:

The Eric R. Smith Community Room is intended for use as an extension of the civic, cultural, and educational services provided by the Harrison Public Library.

SCHEDULING PRIORITY:

Priority for the Community Room’s use is given, in descending order of priority, to:

  1. the Library itself;
  2. the Library in association with other sponsors;
  3. the Friends of the Harrison Public Library and the Harrison Public Library Foundation;
  4. boards and commissions of the Town/Village of Harrison;
  5. not-for-profit civic, cultural, and educational entities based in the Town/Village of Harrison;
  6. not-for-profit civic, cultural, and educational entities based outside the Town/Village of Harrison;
  7. for-profit entities engaged in civic, cultural, or educational activities;
  8. individuals or groups wishing to hold private events.

Within each category, uses of the Room will be approved on a first-come, first-served basis.

A calendar of scheduled uses of the Room is displayed on the Library’s web site.

USAGE RULES:

  1. No individual or group may schedule the Room for more than three recurring (e.g. weekly or monthly) meetings or more than six meetings total in a year.
  2. No products or services may be sold on Library premises except that authors or artists may sell their books or other media as part of a Library program.
  3. The Room may not be used for fundraising activities except those that are sponsored by the Library or that otherwise directly benefit the Library.
  4. No individual or group using the room may charge admission fees, except that not-for-profit organizations may solicit voluntary donations to help pay for programs they sponsor.
  5. Religious groups may hold meetings but not worship or instructional services.
  6. If the Library closes in an emergency, such as a storm, all scheduled programs will be automatically canceled and the program sponsors will be offered the opportunity to reschedule or to have usage fees refunded.
  7. Refreshments may be served during scheduled events with the advance approval of the Library Director. Alcoholic beverages (limited to beer and white wine) may only be served with the specific advance approval of the Library Board.
  8. No food or beverages may be taken from the Community Room into the Library.
  9. Program publicity is the responsibility of the program sponsor, although the Library may list the program on its web site.
  10. Permission to use the Room does not constitute Library endorsement of the activities or beliefs of the program sponsor. A program sponsor may not imply in any advertising or publicity that the Library sponsors, co-sponsors, or endorses its program.
  11. The program sponsor must have an authorized representative at least 21 years old in attendance during the use of the Room. If minors are to be present, one authorized representative at least 21 years old must be in attendance for every fifteen minors. The person in charge of the event must complete an attendance report for Library use.
  12. If Library equipment is to be used, the person who will operate it must be instructed in its use before the program date. This instruction will take place by appointment with appropriate Library staff.
  13. The program sponsor will be liable for any theft of Library property from the Room and for any deliberate or accidental damage done to the Room, its adjacent facilities, its furnishings, or its equipment during a scheduled use of the Room. Before confirming a reservation, the Library Board may require a program sponsor to provide a security deposit, proof of financial responsibility, or insurance, or that the Library be named as an additional insured on the sponsor’s existing policy. Any damage, theft, or injury must be reported immediately to the Library staff.
  14. A Library staff member or an authorized Town employee must be on Library premises during a scheduled program to take responsibility for the building. During regular hours, Library staff will open and close the building and adjust lights and temperature as needed. After regular hours, an attendant or custodian is available for a fee by prearrangement to open and close the building, adjust lights and temperature, move furniture, and remove bagged trash.
  15. The program sponsor must restore the Room and adjacent kitchen to their original condition immediately after they have been used. This includes cleaning the kitchen, collecting and disposing of trash, and otherwise making the facility ready for the next user. Any program sponsor violating this rule may forfeit the right to future use of the Room and will be liable for any costs incurred by the Library in cleaning and restoring the facility.
  16. Community Room users may not disrupt Library services or the regular duties of the Library staff.
  17. Furnishings and decor in the Library proper may not be moved into the Community Room for temporary use.
  18. Artwork on exhibit in the Community Room may not be moved or disturbed in any way.
  19. No visitors to an exhibit in the Community Room will be permitted during a scheduled program.
  20. The Library Board reserves the right to suspend or cancel any scheduled program for any violation of these usage rules or for any other reason.
  21. The advance permission of the Library Board is required to modify or waive any of these usage rules.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

  1. Reservations are accepted up to six months in advance.
  2. Application to use the Room must be made in writing on a form obtained online, from the Library’s Information Desk, or from the Library’s Community Room Coordinator.
  3. The application must be signed by an authorized representative of the program sponsor who is at least 21 years old.
  4. The application must be filed with the Library Director.
  5. A copy of the application countersigned by the Library Director is valid confirmation of a reservation to use the Room.
  6. Questions regarding the application and these policies should be directed to the Community Room Coordinator.

FEES:

Not-For-Profit Individuals or Groups
Public Event:No fee
Private Event:$30/hour (two-hour minimum)
For-Profit Individuals or Groups
Public Event:$50/hour (two-hour minimum)
Private Event:$80/hour (two-hour minimum)

Any fees required for an after-hours attendant or custodian will be in addition to the above fees. The minimum attendant/custodian fee is for two hours service. Contact the Community Room Coordinator regarding attendant/custodian arrangements and fees.

All fees must be paid by check (made payable to “Harrison Public Library”) at least three business days in advance of the scheduled use of the Room. If the Library is not given at least three days notice of a cancellation, all fees will be forfeited.

FACILITIES INCLUDED:

Community Room facilities include:

  1. A meeting room. As specified by local fire regulations, maximum capacity with chairs is 100. With tables and chairs, the capacity is 50.
  2. A kitchen. Kitchen use is limited to serving catered meals or preparing simple refreshments. The program sponsor must supply any food, beverages, tablecloths, napkins, cups, utensils, etc., and is responsible for all clean-up as outlined above. The program sponsor should allow forty-five minutes to brew coffee or heat water and should bring their own appliances.
  3. Men’s and ladies’ restrooms.

These facilities will be provided in clean condition and set up per the requests made by the program sponsor at the time of application.

The Community Room and its facilities are barrier-free and accessible to the disabled.

EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE:

Equipment available for use in the Community Room includes:

This equipment will be provided per the requests made by the program sponsor at the time of application. Porter service and storage space for equipment or supplies will not be provided.

DISCLAIMER:

The Harrison Public Library, its employees and Trustees, assume no responsibility whatsoever for any personal injury or any loss of or damage to personal property in connection with a program held on the Library premises. The program sponsor agrees that the Library is expressly released and discharged from any and all liability for negligence or tort causing any loss, injury, or damage to persons or property which may be sustained during or by reason of a program held on the Library’s premises. The program sponsor also agrees to indemnify the Library and hold it harmless against all loss, including attorney’s fees.


Adopted: 01/06/86; Revised 02/10/86; Revised 12/07/87; Revised 01/31/93; Revised 12/01/08; Revised 4/2/2012;Revised 3/7/2016.

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