The Florence County Library System welcomes public use of meeting rooms by community groups and organizations whose aims are educational, civic, charitable, or cultural. Library-related programs have priority over other meetings held in the library facilities. Neither the Library nor the user/borrower may charge rentals or fees for use of library facilities. Charges such as registration or materials fees for a workshop or membership dues to an organization using the library facilities are not considered rental fees.

Who May Use Library Meeting Rooms:

1. A. Library staff for sponsored programs and activities
2. Friends of the Library
3. Civic groups and organizations
4. Educational and cultural groups

Library Meeting Rooms Guidelines

To be eligible to use a meeting room, any group or organization should include at least ten (10) or more individuals.

Meeting rooms are intended for use by nonprofit, service, and community groups and organizations. They are not to be used as the primary site of a profit, nonprofit, church, or corporate enterprise.

No products or services may be advertised, solicited, or sold. However, at the discretion of the Library Director, the following are permissible:

1. Fund-raisers to benefit the Library and sponsored by the Friends of the Library or other library-related groups
2. The sale of books, cassettes, and other items by authors or artists as part of a library program.

Library meeting rooms may not be used for the following:

1. Religious worship or denominational religious meetings.
2. Political rallies or campaigns for specific candidates or for specific partisan political issues.
3. Showers, wedding receptions, birthday parties, sorority and fraternty parties, and similar social events.

Neither the name nor the address of the Library may be used as the official address or headquarters of an organization. Publicity may not include the Library’s phone number.

All meetings and programs will be open to the public. Reservations are public information and meetings may be publicly posted at the Library.

Generally, meetings should coincide with the normal open hours of the Library. Meetings that run beyond the normal operating hours must request permission. Meetings must end 15 minutes before Library closing, unless prior arrangements have been made for security.

Activities should not infringe upon patron use and staff operations within the Library. Meeting attendees must conform to the Library's Code of Conduct.

The users of the meeting rooms are responsible for their meeting materials including flip charts, paper, etc.,as well as kitchen supplies. No material of any kind items may be attached to the walls or in the halls.

The Library reserves the right to have a representative attend any meeting held in its facilities to ensure no unlawful activities or activities contrary to this policy are occurring.

Compliance with all applicable state and local laws must be met, including fire codes, occupancy limitations, and noise ordinances.

Upon adequate notice, the library reserves the right to withdraw permission for the use of any meeting room.

At the discretion of the Library, a meeting room reservation may be canceled due to unanticipated building or weather conditions.

Meeting room users are responsible for arranging tables and chairs for their particular meeting.

Meeting room users are responsible for restoring the rooms to their original arrangement at the end of their meetings. Meeting room users must take with them everything they bring to the meeting, including food, supplies, materials, etc. Meeting rooms must be left in a clean and orderly condition. Failure to do so may result in denial of future requests.

No sign, decoration, nor any other object may be affixed to any wall, window, column, door, screen, window shade, ceiling, cabinet or any other surface in the room or anywhere else in the building unless expressly approved by the Library Director.

No candles or other incendiary materials may be used.

No electrical appliances except coffee pots may be used in the meeting rooms and/or kitchen facilities.

Food and/or beverages may not be taken from meeting rooms to other parts of the Library.

Only light refreshments may be served in the meeting rooms. This may include coffee, tea, punch, cold drinks, and finger foods such as sandwiches, cookies and nuts.

No alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs are permitted on the Library grounds or in Library facilities; neither is smoking permitted.

Showers, wedding receptions, birthday parties, sorority and fraternity parties, and similar social events are not permitted.

Permission to use Library meeting rooms may be denied to any individual, group, or organization that fails to comply with the Meeting Room Policy and that damages the room, carpet, equipment, furniture, or causes a disturbance.

The applicant and sponsoring group/organization are responsible for safety and order. The individual signing the application form must be present at the meeting unless prior arrangements have been approved. The group members will not be allowed into the Meeting Room until the applicant is present. The Library is not responsible for damage, loss, or theft of personal property, nor is it responsible for items left in its facilities. Storage space is not available.

A deposit of $100.00 will be required upon arrival for groups using a meeting room. This deposit will be refunded if the meeting room is left in a clean and orderly condition. Groups/organizations must assume all responsibility for damage to library facilities and equipment, and the Library is not responsible for supplies, equipment, or other items owned and used by individuals and groups/organizations in the Library.

The use of meeting rooms of the Florence County Library System does not imply endorsement of the purpose or activities of a group or organization.

Reservation Procedures

1. Applicants must submit a completed Meeting Room Application Form. Individuals making the application must be at least eighteen years old and county residents. Exceptions to the residency requirement may be granted if the following condition is met: The event provides a public benefit for Florence County and/or its residents
2. The application form and all applicable fees must be received, and approved by the Library Director. Checks are the preferred method of payment and should be made payable to the Florence County Library. The Library cannot accept credit or debit cards.
3. An organization or group can only make one reservation at a time. A date for the next meeting may be reserved only after the first meeting has been held.
4. Meeting Room reservations must be made one month in advance. Reservations are made by calling (843) 662-8424, and should be made from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
5. Library-related programs are exempt from limits on frequency of use and advance times for reservations.
6. Notice of cancellation should be made as soon as possible. Failure to provide notice of cancellation on two (2) occasions may result in loss of meeting room use.
7. Groups/organizations may not assign their reservations to others.

Technical Assistance

1. Persons signing the Meeting Room Application are legally responsible for the proper use of Library equipment.
2. The Library does not provide technical assistance, except as an optional, fee-based service. Technical assistance is staff assistance with a presentation or the operation of equipment.
1. Assistance with basic set-up (i.e. connecting equipment for a Power Point presentation)..........NO FEE
2. Additional technical assistance (i.e. reconfiguring data, multiple forms of equipment needing to be set up, etc.)..........$20.00
3. Prolonged assistance throughout the meeting/presentation..........$30.00 per half-hour
3. The associated fee must accompany the Meeting Room Application. Requests for staff assistance must also accompany the application form.
4. The Library may assess charges for damages to Library equipment. Library staff is only allowed to operate certain equipment.

Denial of Meeting Room Use

1. An individual, group, or organization may appeal the denial of a meeting room reservation request.
2. A completed Meeting Room Usage Reconsideration Request Form must be submitted to the Library Director within ten days of notification of the denial.
3. The Library Director's decision will be submitted in writing within 10 days of notification of the decision to the Chair of the Library Board of Trustees. The appeal will be considered at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. The decision of the Board of Trustees will be the final decision.

Computer Classroom Policy Corollary

Policies applicable to the meeting rooms also apply to the Computer Classroom, with the following exceptions and additions:

1. Food or drink of any kind in the Computer Classroom is prohibited prohibited.
2. The Library does not provide kitchen facilities to groups using the Computer Classroom.
3. Persons using the Computer Classroom may not change the furniture arrangement, modify the software on the PCs, or make any other equipment or facilities alterations without prior permission of the Library technology staff or the Director.
4. Persons using the classroom must enter and exit through the rear of the classroom adjacent to the Computer Services Desk. The front exit door of the classroom is for staff use only and is to be used by classroom users only in an emergency.

Study Room Policy Corollary

1. Study Rooms are available to individuals or small groups of people on a walk-in basis; neither applications nor reservations are required.
2. Reservations may be made for use of a Study Room by contacting the Reference Desk.
3. Multiple reservations for use of a Study Room may be allowed. If multiple dates are requested, an application must be completed and the room use must be approved by the Library Director.
4. Food and beverages are prohibited in the Study Rooms.

Adopted by the Florence County Library Board of Trustees

December 4, 2006