RAPIDES PARISH LIBRARY
MEETING ROOM POLICY

Purpose

The Rapides Parish Library meeting rooms are used for Library (or Library sponsored) activities (programs, conferences, seminars, and exhibits.) Meeting rooms are also available to other groups of a civic, cultural, charitable, fraternal, social or educational nature. Religious, business and political groups may use the meeting rooms.

The meeting rooms are not available for commercial purposes (sales presentations, billable services, club bake sales, etc.)

Restricted hours of use for meeting rooms can be found on individual reservation forms.

Authority

Regional and branch managers will interpret the policy to the public.

The Director of the Rapides Parish Library is the final authority in approving meeting room requests in accordance with this policy. At the Director’s discretion, authors may sell their books in connection with book signings or speeches.

Rapides Parish Library reserves the right to determine whether a request constitutes acceptable use of its public facilities.

Fees

No admission charge, collections (except for regular club dues) or other money-raising activities may be attached to any meeting room usage, unless all proceeds benefit the library.

No charges are assessed for the use of a meeting room during a library’s regular business hours. Hours vary according to location. After hours charges may be waived at the discretion of the Director. No meeting room may be reserved on regularly-scheduled Library holidays.

Responsible Parties

For groups whose representative resides in the parish, a valid Rapides Parish Library card is required to reserve a meeting room. Groups requesting the use of a meeting room must designate a member to represent them. This member (18 years of age or older) monitors the event, accepts responsibility for the group and its use of the rooms, and signs the reservation form in that capacity. A library employee who participates with a group in the use of a meeting room may serve as the responsible party.

Reservations

Reservations may be made directly through Library personnel, or by accessing meeting room reservations information on the Rapides Parish Library website – www.rpl.org. Regular recurring meetings may be scheduled up to one year in advance. All reservation requests must receive confirmation from Library personnel.

Furniture and Equipment

Groups will arrange tables and/or chairs for their needs. No other physical changes, such as tape or tacks on walls, artwork or other surfaces are allowed in a meeting room. Available audio-visual equipment is listed on reservation forms. Trash cans are on site; all trash related to meeting room use must be properly disposed of.

Permission to use a library meeting room will be withheld from groups which damage rooms, carpet, equipment, or furniture; or cause disturbances that interfere with Library use; or for any other failure to comply with rules and regulations. Permission to use the room may be denied to groups which made reservations, and failed to show up or cancel.

Restrictions

Smoking is not permitted.
Alcoholic beverages are not permitted.
Firearms, weapons, illegal substances/paraphernalia are not allowed.
No open flames are allowed; standard fire code practices are applicable.
The Library is not responsible for loss, damage, or injury sustained by any individual(s) using its facilities.

Authorized use of a meeting room does not constitute endorsement or sponsorship of an organization, or the views expressed by the group. Meetings will not be allowed or disallowed solely on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion or age.

This policy shall apply to the following meeting rooms: