The Meeting Room Policy Establishes guidelines and a procedure for the use of the Library's meeting Facilities.

Signing a contract and/or use of the Library meeting rooms by any group signifies acceptance of the terms of this policy.

Dobbs Ferry Public Library has two meeting rooms on the first floor of the Library that are available to individuals and organizations at modest cost: The Library also offers gallery space for exhibits.

Please read the following policy to see if you/your organization qualifies to use these facilities. Then, print a copy of the attached application form and mail/fax it to the Library (Att: Director) at 55 Main Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 (Fax: 914 693-4671). The booking calendar fills up quickly, so you may wish to call ahead (914 693-6614) to check availability before submitting your application.

Telephone reservations are not binding until the completed application is approved in writing by the Library Director or designee.

Applications are accepted up to 6 months in advance.

WHO QUALIFIES?:

Public, non-profit civic, cultural, educational, political, religious and charitable groups and organizations, village or other governmental agency. Private, for-profit businesses may be permitted to use the Library meeting room, but shall not be permitted to charge entry fees, or collect fees, nor sell items during such meetings. Private parties are not permitted.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Applications must be signed by the President or authorized officer of the organization requesting use of the facility. If the organization is a youth group or organization, a responsible adult over the age of 18 years must co-sign the application.
• Application must be made on the form provided by the Library and cover the following information:
• the purpose of the event
• the expected number of attendees, which must be consistent with the Fire Department's limits for that space
• total estimated time on premises, including time of first arrival for advance preparation and time of departure including mandatory clean up by applicant
• Organization must, verify local and/or non-profit tax status, and provide an insurance certificate upon Library request.
• Individual applicants must produce a Dobbs Ferry Library card or proof of a Dobbs Ferry residence or business address upon Library request.

Following the use of the facility, the applicant is required to provide to the Library Director the number of people who attended the event.

Facilities are available at the sole discretion of the Library Director or Board of Trustees of the Dobbs Ferry Public Library.

FEES AND EXPENSES FOR FACILITIES:

There is no charge for library facilities used at events sponsored by local non-profit, local community service, and local charitable or Village Government groups sponsoring a program open to the public free of charge.

The following fees apply to any event not open to the general public free of charge, and to any event sponsored by commercial and for profit organizations, and to any event sponsored by non-local groups or organizations.

Fees are subject to periodic review by the Library Board of Trustees. If application is being made for more than one event, fees and deposits are required for each individual use of the facility. Applicants are charged for entire time at facility, including set up and clean up times. REMEMBER: ALL FEES ARE DUE AT LEAST ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE EVENT!!

COMMUNITY ROOM:

Facilities:

• Seating for 75
• 10 square foot movie screen with VCR/DVD
• Digital Film Projector
• Slide Projector
• Cassette Player
• Microphones: Hand held and Lapel
• Surround Sound Speakers
• Hearing enhancement system
• Kitchen with coffeepot
• Refrigerator
• Microwave
• Piano: Estonia Baby Grand

FEES:

During Library Hours:

• 0-3 hours $ 75
• each additional hour or part thereof $ 20

After Library Hours:

• 0-3 hours $100
• each additional hour or part thereof $ 20

Piano rental fee: $ 20

Additional fees for piano tuning, if desired, are payable directly to a piano tuner approved by the Library Director in advance.

Use of AV Equipment:

Use of AV equipment is limited to trained AV specialists approved by the Library Director in advance. Additional fees for an AV specialist, if desired, are to be paid to the Library by the organization one week in advance at the rate of $ 20.00 per hour. Fees, due one week in advance of the event, include use of room and kitchen only. No food, serving utensils or paper products are provided.

CONFERENCE ROOM:

Facilities:

• Seating for 12
• Blackboard

CONFERENCE ROOM FEES:

• During Library Hours only
• 0-2 hours $25
• Does not include use of any other amenity. NO food, drinks or use of kitchen allowed.

Fees due one week in advance of the event.

SECURITY DEPOSITS:

The Security Deposit Fees are deposits against late cancellations, damages and losses. Any organization requesting the use of the library facilities must pay the following refundable security deposits at least one week prior to the scheduled event:

For each individual use of:

• Conference Room 50.00
• Community Room $ 50.00
• Piano $100.00
• AV equipment $100.00

Failure to provide any deposit will result in the cancellation of approval for the use of the facility. REMEMBER:All security deposits are due a least one week prior to the event!

Deductions for Cancellations:

The security deposit is not refundable if the event is cancelled at request of applicant on less than 24 hours notice. The Library Director or the Board of Trustees of the Library reserve the right to cancel an event without notice, in their sole discretion, in the event of a building emergency or other emergency, or due to inclement weather. In the event of such cancellation, security deposits will be returned. Applicant agrees to waive any claim for damages due to such cancellation.

Deductions for Damages:

Costs incurred by the Library due to unsatisfactory clean up, lost or damaged equipment, etc. will be deducted directly from any and all security deposits, before applicant is billed for excess costs. Security deposits will not be refunded unless the facilities, kitchen, chairs, piano and equipment are left in a clean, orderly and undamaged state with all items stored in their proper places. After assessment by the Library staff of the facilities following any event, the security deposit or any balance due will be refunded to the applicant within 14 days of the event date.

AGREED DAMAGES:

The requesting individual and organization agrees to pay the following costs for any lost or damaged items listed below:

1. $350 cost of microphone
2. $300 cost of hearing enhancement system
3. $350 for estimate of cost of repairs to Piano.
4. $350 for estimate for repairs to AV System.

By signing the application, the applicant and the organization further agree that such additional costs of repair and/or replacement of the Piano and/or the AV System shall be paid by applicant and the organization in addition to the $350 paid as Liquidated Damages toward the cost of repair estimate(s) for the damages item.

The foregoing costs are agreed to be reasonable liquidated damages for these items, and not a penalty or fine.

THE LIBRARY DOES NOT HAVE CUSTODIAL SERVICES:

Applicants are responsible for set up and clean up of facility used, and for restoring the facility to its original condition after completion of the scheduled activity. If clean up is unsatisfactory ,in the sole discretion of the Library Director or designee, the applicant will be billed for the costs of cleaning to the extent that it exceeds the $50.00 security deposit for clean up. However, the Library reserves the right to deduct the excess cost of clean up from any other security deposit submitted by applicant, before billing applicant directly.

WAIVER OF FEES:

The Library reserves the right to waive fees or deposits for groups or individuals whose activities provide direct financial benefit to the Library. No charges will be made to Village Departments. Any appeal for waiver of fees or deposits may be made to the Library Board at their regularly scheduled meeting.

SCHEDULING:

The use of the Library meeting rooms and facilities will be granted on a "first come, first served" basis no more than 6 months in advance. In the event of a conflict in scheduling, the Library will permit access in the following order of priority:

Events sponsored by the Library. Events co-sponsored by the Library with other community organizations or individuals, such as the Friends of the Dobbs Ferry Public Library. Events sponsored by governmental and quasi-governmental organizations that involve the public health, safety and/or welfare. Events sponsored by community organizations or individuals which are in keeping with the Libraries goals and are in the educational, social and/or cultural interest of the general public. Local, nonprofit groups (defined as organizations granted 501-C (3) tax status), local for-profit organizations, local commercial businesses, local government agencies, and local individual residents receive preference in scheduling and may operate from a lower fee schedule. Membership meetings of local educational, cultural and social organizations. Events sponsored by commercial or for profit organizations, or sponsored solely by non-local organization(s) or individuals.

LIMITATIONS:

• The total number of events scheduled by any single applicant in categories 4-6 stated above is limited to 6 per year and no more than 2 times per month.
• Library facilities may not be used for either partisan political purposes or for sectarian religious purposes. While political and sectarian religious subjects, or occult, mystical and philosophical information may be presented and discussed, no presentation or discussion may limit the expression of divergent religious views or limit the expression of bi-partisan and non-partisan political opinions.
• Political groups may use space, but no partisan campaigning or political fundraising is permitted. Donations, "admission" fees, "membership" fees, and fundraising activities, and sale of merchandise or other items is permitted only by non-profit, community service, and charitable organizations, and only to defray the expenses of the program. Such charges shall not serve as a fee for attendance and attendance may not be limited to those individuals who pay such fee. The Library will not be responsible for collecting such charges or paying tax thereon. The Library Board or its designee must approve all such fees and fundraising activities and sales in advance, and may require, in advance, that a specified percentage of the proceeds be donated to the Library.
• Authors and performers invited or permitted to appear at the Library who wish to sell their books, tapes, compact disks or other materials at said appearance may do so subject to an agreement that a specified percentage of the sales are to be donated to the Library, pursuant to an arrangement made in advance by the Library Board or its designee. The Library will not be responsible for the collection of such fees or sales charges, or the payment of any tax thereon.
• Commercial or for-profit organizations may reserve space for informational or educational purposes only. Solicitation of names and addresses of attendees for business purposes, distribution of commercial literature or business cards, or sale or distribution of business merchandise is prohibited. Private counseling, tutoring and other individual sessions are permissible only if offered to clients free of charge.
• If the facility is engaged for any group of minors, an adult must co-sign the application and there must be one adult representative for every 10 minors present during the entire event.
• The Library may not be used for soliciting new membership or contributions for any group or individual (Except in the case of the Friends of the Library).
• Smoking and open flames are prohibited throughout the Library building. Alcoholic beverages may not be served without prior approval of the Library Board, or designee. A temporary liquor license may be required.
• If the meeting room is in use for a scheduled program, no visitors to the exhibit gallery will be allowed to enter.
• Events which, in the sole discretion of the Library Director or the Library Board of Trustees, might result in disorder or damage to the Library or might attract attendance beyond the legal limit are not allowed.
• These policy guidelines will be interpreted in individual instances in the sole discretion of the Library Director and are subject to change by the Library Board at any time, without prior notice, to the using individual applicant or organization. Current copies of these guidelines are available to the using individual and organizations at the Circulation Desk or on the library website:www.dobbsferrylibrary.org.
• The Library is not responsible for investigating or authenticating the information provided by individuals and/or organizations requesting facilities and neither secures the premises nor supervises or controls persons or activities at said events. Sponsoring individuals and organizations and persons attending said events assume all risks of attendance thereat.
The fact that an individual or organization is granted permission to meet in the Library shall not constitute a Library endorsement of that individual's or organization's policies or beliefs. Permission to exhibit or sell arts, crafts or merchandise does not constitute an endorsement or promotion of said arts, crafts or merchandise.

PUBLICITY:

No publicity of any meeting or event in the Dobbs Ferry Public Library may be released until permission is granted for a final reservation of the facility by the Library Director or designee in writing.

• All publicity must state that attendees "must call" your organization's stated phone number "in advance to pre-register." (This will avoid attendance in excess of room capacity).
• All publicity not sponsored by the Library or the Friends of the Library must include the following phrase (or equivalent) as a disclaimer: "This program is neither sponsored by nor affiliated with the Dobbs Ferry Public Library."
• All written press releases and other publicity items mentioning the Library must be approved in advance by the Library Director or designee in writing no less than one week in advance of publication, posting or distribution.

LIABILITY:

The requesting individual and organization shall assume full liability for injury, damage and/or loss to persons and property caused by the negligence or the improper or unauthorized usage of the facility and all equipment and appurtenances thereto, and shall assume full responsibility for all security at the event and supervision of all persons in attendance.

The requesting individual and organization agree to supervise all persons upon the premises to ensure that none engage in unlawful or improper conduct, or conduct disturbing to neighbors and, if alcoholic beverages are served, to see that all persons on the premises are of legal age and that none use mechanical equipment in an unsafe manner or operate vehicles in violation of law or engage in other conduct likely to endanger themselves or others.

Signing the application binds the applicant and organization to accept full responsibility for the requested use and to comply with all regulations governing use and binds the applicant and organization to hold harmless, defend and indemnify the Dobbs Ferry Public Library, the Library Board of Trustees, and the Village of Dobbs Ferry from and against any and all claims of injury, death and/or property loss or damage arising from any condition of the premises, or any acts or omissions of the applicant and/or organization or others in connection with the event and to pay legal expenses and all other expenses of the Dobbs Ferry Public Library, the Library Board of Trustees, and the Village of Dobbs Ferry in connection with the investigation and legal defense against said claims. Failure to abide by these regulations may result in denial of future requests to use the facility.

POLICY FOR USE OF THE FACITITIES:

This policy governs the use by the public of the meeting rooms and other facilities in the Dobbs Ferry Public Library. This policy is consistent with both the New York State Education Law and Article VI of the Library Bill of Rights as adopted by the American Library Association.

The Dobbs Ferry Public Library supports and participates in the educational, cultural and social life of this community by opening its facilities to use by organizations and individuals that further the general interests of the local community**. Library facilities are available on an equal basis to any Dobbs Ferry individual or group regardless of their beliefs or affiliations. Non-resident individuals or groups may also use the facilities to further the general interests of this community. Permission to use these facilities does not imply endorsement by the Library of any idea, opinion, program or activity of any individual or organization using the Library facilities.

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