Policy 600: Use Of The Community Room

Section 1: Purpose
The Brookfield Library maintains its Community Room meeting facilities as a suitable setting in which to hold its own programs and those of The Friends of The Brookfield Library. In addition, the Community Room is made available to local agencies, clubs, businesses, and other organizations as a meeting site, subject to the rules and regulations of use established by the Library Board of Trustees. Use of the room should reflect the educational, cultural, social, and recreational role the library plays in the community.

The Board subscribes to Article IV of the Library Bill of Rights, which states that facilities should be made available to the public served by the library on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting its use.

Section 2: Rental Fees
Organizations other than the library or The Friends of The Brookfield Library (hereinafter referred to as “reserving parties”) that wish to use the library’s meeting facilities will be charged a rental fee, as follows:

Town departments $15 per meeting or class
For-profit groups $100 per meeting
Not-for-profit groups $35/meeting

Rental fees are due and payable seven (7) days prior to a reserving party’s function. Reservations not paid within seven days of the meeting will be cancelled. Checks should be made payable to The Brookfield Library.

The Library requires that any non-Brookfield based group using the Community Room leave a security deposit of one hundred dollars ($100.00), in addition to the normal rental fee, payable in advance. This deposit will be kept on file at the Library as long as the reserving party continues to use the Community Room. Its purpose is to insure that the meeting facilities are left in a clean and orderly condition after each and every use.

No group may store materials on the premises unless the item(s) can be integrated into the furnishings around the perimeter of the Community Room. Such storage must be approved by the Library Director or a designated member of the Library staff.

Reserving parties which decide to cancel their use of the Community Room must notify the library at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to their scheduled use (inclement weather situations exempted) in order to receive a refund of their rental fee. . Organizations which cancel without a minimum of 24 hours advance notice will not receive a refund of the rental fee.

Proof of liability insurance or financial security will be required of any reserving party whose activity, in the opinion of the Town of Brookfield’s Insurance Risk Manager, warrants such coverage. Evidence of financial security is due at least seven (7) days prior to the function. Minimum insurance requirements will be as follows:
• General Liability Insurance: Broad form also naming The Brookfield Library as an additional named insured for the function specified on the application form.
• Automobile Insurance: Coverages must have $500,000.00 minimum coverage per occurrence.

Section 3: Reservations
Written application for use of the Community Room, using the form provided by the library, should be made to the library as far in advance as possible. Reservations are not taken over the telephone and are not considered to be official until the required paperwork has been filed.

Community Room reservations for the ensuing fiscal year (beginning July 1) may be submitted beginning May 1. Reserving parties wishing to meet in the Community Room on a regular basis may file a single, annual application.

The library reserves the right to accept or reject any application for use of the Community Room.

The library reserves the right to limit the number of times per month that any group may rent the Community Room.

Library programs and activities have priority in the use of the room. Therefore, The Brookfield Library reserves the right, with at least thirty (30) days’ notice, to cancel or reschedule an organization’s use of the room to allow its use by the library, and to re-book that organization for another date, subject to the availability of the room.

Section 4: Rules Of Use
The Library Board of Trustees will adopt rules for the proper and acceptable use of the Community Room, its equipment and furnishings. These rules will be made public and considered an appendix to this policy. Reserving parties will be expected to abide by these rules when using the library’s meeting facilities. The library reserves the right to suspend or revoke the room privileges of any reserving party failing to comply with its usage rules. Meetings which interfere with normal library use will not be permitted. Failure to comply with Library Policies and Code of Conduct will result in a cancellation of the event, and/or denial of future requests for use of the room.

Section 5: Security System
The Community Room is protected by a security system. This system will be disarmed by the staff during the time the facilities are being used by a reserving party. Reserving parties whose attendees, by unauthorized interference, accidentally or intentionally trip the security system during their function will be held responsible for paying the fine assessed for a false alarm by the Brookfield Police Department, or by the Library’s security company. Reserving parties whose attendees set off the security system, whether by exiting through the upper level doors after library hours, or by another means, will be assessed a $50 fee by the library for each occurrence after the first occurrence

Section 6: Restrictions
Reserving parties may not charge admission fees at their functions held in the Community Room. They may make normal collections of dues from their own members, however.

The Community Room is not available for private parties, showers, receptions, reunions, or other social events.

Section 7: Nonpartisanship
The Brookfield Library rents its meeting facilities in order to generate supplementary income to support library operations. Reserving parties are organizations that use the facilities properly and carefully. The library neither advocates nor endorses the viewpoints of any of the meetings or reserving parties allowed to use the Community Room.

Adopted by the Library Board of Trustees, March 9, 1998; revised 9/24/03; revised 8/17/2009.
The Brookfield Library
Rules Governing Use Of The Community Room

Groups using the library’s Community Room are requested to follow these rules:

No party may use the Community Room prior to 8:30 a.m. or after 10:30 p.m. without express permission from the Library Director or his/her designated representative.

In case of emergency, meeting participants must exit the library immediately.

The maximum attendance capacity of the Community Room is 150 persons. The Library reserves the right to deny requests for use of the room, or to cancel a reservation which has been made, when attendance of over 150 people can reasonably be expected.

Reserving parties may use the library’s chairs and folding tables, movie screen, stove, and refrigerator. All other supplies and equipment needed are the reserving party’s responsibility. A data projector is available on request for an additional fee.

Reserving parties must set up and take down the chairs, tables, etc. they use, and replace the furniture according to the diagram on the walls.

Parties must not block doorways, fire extinguishers, or the stairway with furniture or equipment.

Smoking is prohibited on library premises.

Alcohol is prohibited on library premises.

When the library is closed, meeting attendees are to enter and exit the building using the lower level exterior Community Room doors only. Except in emergencies, attendees may not exit the building after library hours via the stairway up to the main floor.

Parking: If the Library is Scheduled to Open After Your Function Begins: Attendees are to park in the lower half of the parking lot only. These are the spaces on the Brookfield Playhouse side of the library’s main entry. In All Other Instances: Attendees may use the entire parking lot. Vehicles may not be parked so as to impede the flow of traffic in the parking lot or to block the driveway leading to the private residence behind the library.

Before leaving, please return chairs and tables to their original locations. All chairs should be stacked facing the same direction, no more than 25 per carrier. All tables should be stacked facing the same direction against the wall. Follow the diagram posted on the walls for tables to be left set up.

Please leave the kitchen clean (as per posted instructions) and empty your trash in the dumpster in the library parking lot.

Please remove all supplies and equipment that you brought in for your function.

If Your Group Signed For a Key: After your function, this key should be returned in person to the Checkout Desk (if the library is still open) or else deposited into the bookdrop in an envelope or other protective packaging.