Facility Use Policy - General

POLICIES AND RULES GOVERNING USE OF THE CHAPPAQUA LIBRARY FACILITIES GENERALLY

Theses Policies and Rules Governing Use of the Chappaqua Library Facilities Generally are applicable to third-parties’ reservation and use of Library facilities as a general matter. Use of specific facilities such as the Theater or the Children’s Program Room may be subject to additional Policies and Rules which supplement or may in specific cases supersede these Policies and Rules. Any user must be familiar with and abide by all applicable policies and rules.

  1. Administration: The Library Director is responsible for the administration and scheduling of theater, meeting rooms, and all other facilities in the Library (“Facilities”). Scheduled activities must not interfere with the normal operation of the Library during business hours.
  2. Eligible Sponsors: Facilities may be reserved and used for programs, events, and exhibits by Friends of the Chappaqua Library and other educational, cultural, and civic organizations based in the Chappaqua Central School District (“Sponsoring Organization”), or in a neighboring community whose library has no similar facility available when the program, event or exhibit must occur.
  3. Eligible Activities: Facilities may not be used for private parties or for programs or events involving the sale, advertising, solicitation, or promotion of commercial products or services immediately or at a future time. All events must be open to the public.
  4. Reservations: Reservation for use of a Facility must be made on an official application form and will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. To be valid, a reservation must be confirmed in writing by the Library Director or a staff member designated by the Director. The Sponsoring Organization may hold a maximum of 12 programs, events, or exhibits during a 1- year period.
  5. Priority of Use: Priority for use of Facilities shall be given in the following order: 1) the Library; 2) Friends of the Chappaqua Library; 3) other educational, cultural, and civic organizations based in the Chappaqua Central School District.
  6. Cancellation of Reservations: A reservation may be canceled by the Sponsoring Organization, but if it is not cancelled at least 24 hours in advance, then fees already paid will be forfeited. If the Library closes and all scheduled activities are canceled due to unforeseen or emergency circumstances, then fees already paid will be refunded or the reservation rescheduled. The library reserves the right to cancel a reservation, refunding fees already paid, with at least one week’s notice, in the event of a critical need of the space from something of higher priority, as defined above.”
  7. Sponsor’s Responsibilities: The Sponsoring Organization must identify an adult member of the Sponsoring Organization who will be present in the case of a program or event and who will be responsible for compliance with the rules of the Library (“Responsible Person”). The Sponsoring Organization shall be responsible for the preservation of order and for restoring the Facility to its original condition immediately upon completion of the scheduled activity, which may include cleaning the Facility, putting away or rearranging chairs, tables, and other equipment, disposing of trash, and otherwise making the Facility ready for the next user. Any Sponsoring Organization violating this rule may forfeit the right to any future use of any Facility and will be liable for any additional costs incurred by the Library in cleaning and restoring the Facility. The Responsible Person or another representative of the Sponsoring Organization must notify the Library custodian when the scheduled activity is over, so that together they can examine the Facility that was used to make certain that the Facility has been properly restored to the Library custodian’s satisfaction.
  8. Liability and Financial Responsibility: The Library does not accept any responsibility for the personal safety of any person, either inside or outside the Library, before, during, or after the use of any Facility. The Library is not responsible for damage, loss, or theft of personal property. The Sponsoring Organization and all users shall indemnify and hold the Library harmless from any loss, damage, liability, costs and/or expense, including but not limited to attorney fees, that may arise during or to be caused in any way by the Sponsoring Organization’s use of the Facility and compensate the Library for any damages to the Facility, or other property of the Library caused by or resulting from the use of the Facility.
  9. Certificate of Insurance: The Sponsoring Organization must provide a Certificate of Insurance form showing minimum limits of liability coverage of $1,000,000 per occurrence ($2,000,000 if alcohol is served) and $2,000,000 aggregate, which names the “Chappaqua CSD Public Library” as an additional insured, and providing contractual liability for the hold harmless and indemnification provisions of this policy. The Certificate of Insurance must be produced prior to the use of the Facility. Superseding the General Policies, the Library Director may waive or reduce the amount of insurance coverage otherwise required for use of the Children’s Program Room or another room after consultation with the Library’s insurance broker or another risk manager based upon the nature of the activity and level of attendance expected.
  10. Admission Charges and Donations: Admission to events, programs, and exhibits must be free and open to the public, but Sponsoring Organizations may collect donations.
  11. Publicity: All publicity and promotional material for a Sponsoring Organization’s program, event, or exhibit must include a statement that the activity is open to the public and a disclaimer stating the fact that the activity is not sponsored by the Library and that the Library does not have any relationship to the Sponsoring Organization or the activity.
  12. Rental Fees: Fees for the use of the Facilities are listed on the application form and must be paid upon confirmation of the reservation/by the date of the activity. Tipping of Library personnel is not permitted.
  13. Smoking and Alcoholic Beverages: No smoking is allowed inside the Library. Permission to serve or consume alcoholic beverages must be requested in writing (see line 3 on application form) and received from the Library Director at the time of confirmation of the reservation.
  14. Use of Library Equipment: If Library’s equipment is to be used, that must be noted on the application for the reservation, and the Library will supply basic instruction in the use of the equipment.
  15. Kitchen Use: The use of the kitchen located in the rear custodial area is limited to the preparation of simple refreshments. The Library does not provide tablecloths, paper plates, napkins, towels, etc. When such items are used, they must be properly disposed of in containers provided. Equipment must be cleaned and put away, and users must leave the kitchen clean and orderly.
  16. Amendments and Changes: The Library may amend, revoke, or replace any of the forgoing Policies and Rules at any time and for any reason, subject only to the discretion of the Library’s Board of Directors and applicable law.

 

Adopted by the Chappaqua Library Board of Trustees on October 20, 2009.