Meeting and study rooms at the North Haven Memorial Library are designed to meet general informational, educational, cultural, and civic purposes. The first priority for the Community Room is to serve the community through our library programs and functions that further the work of the library. Second priority will be given to town agencies, organizations directly affiliated with those agencies, and to non-profit groups. Other organizations may reserve the use of the Community Room as the schedule permits. Study Rooms are available to the public for the purpose of quiet study or discussion. The Community Room and Study rooms are available for the community to use following the guidelines set forth below.

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The Library Board of Directors subscribes to Article VI of the Library Bill of Rights, which states, “libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.”

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Use of the Community Room or Study Rooms do not in any way constitute an endorsement of the group’s policies or beliefs by the Library or Town.

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The Library is responsible for providing a safe, peaceful, and respectful environment to the community. The Library Director and Library Board of Directors reserve the right to reject a reservation request if the anticipated meeting is likely to be disruptive to regular library functions, over room capacity, disorderly, dangerous to persons or property, or in any other way inconsistent with any of the terms and conditions of this policy or other Library policies.

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All Meeting Rooms

1. The Library should not be considered a regular meeting place for non-Library or non-local governmental groups.

2. Conducting a survey, petitioning, canvassing, research studies, or selling any goods or services is not permitted in the library or on library premises. Soliciting funds or signatures, panhandling, gambling, including the sales of tickets, etc. is also not permitted.

3. The Library building and grounds are a smoke free environment.

4. Alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited.

5. All activities must comply with local fire code regulations.

6. Meetings and Study Room booking may only be held during the hours that the Library is open. The Community Room must be vacated 30 minutes before the library closes and the study rooms must be vacated 15 minutes before the library closes.

7. Library equipment use is not part of the room use.

   1. Groups may bring in their own equipment for use during programs, however, the Library will not be held responsible for any damage to this equipment.

8. Storage of materials before or after a program is not allowed.

9. Keys to the building are not available to any group.

10. The Library staff will not take incoming calls for meeting room attendees, except in an emergency.

11. No material may be affixed to any wall surfaces. Art display equipment may not be used without prior permission from the Director of Library Services.

12. Persons or groups using the room are responsible for:

    1. Costs arising from any damage that occurs during the assigned time of use.

    2. Organizations using the room must ensure that attendees adhere to the Library’s Code of Conduct.

    3. Proper supervision of all users. Children under the age of 12 may not be left unsupervised in the Community Room, Study Rooms, or Library.

13. The North Haven Memorial Library reserves the right to cancel or end a reservation early if the library’s policies or Code of Conduct are violated.

14. The Library reserves the right to close the building in the event of inclement weather or emergency. Any meetings scheduled would be cancelled due to unexpected building closures.

 

Study Rooms

1. Study rooms may only be reserved for one hour, twice per week, per person.

2. Study rooms may be reserved up to two weeks in advance by the public.

3. Room reservations will only be held for 15 minutes past the start of the time reserved.

4. The capacity of the study rooms varies. Please check the online reservation system or with a staff member for the specifics of each room.

5. Children under the age of 12 may not be left unsupervised in the Study Rooms or the Library.

 

Community Room

1. The use of the Community Room at the North Haven Memorial Library is primarily for Library related activities. If the room is available, it may be used by groups or organizations devoted to educational, cultural, civic, or other activities of general community interest with priority given to North Haven groups. The room is not available for commercial, religious services, or partisan political purposes. The room may not be used for private parties. The room may not be used for purposes prohibited by Town, County, State, or Federal law. Meeting Room users must abide by the Library’s Code of Conduct.

2. The Library Director and the Library Board of Directors reserve the right to determine, in their reasonable discretion, whether any proposed use of the Community Room will require police protection. If it is determined that such police protection will be necessary, the group seeking to reserve the use of the Community Room shall be required, as a condition of such reservation, to pay for the cost of this police protection.

3. The Library reserves the right to seek references of any group before booking the room.

4. Maximum capacity - 114 standing only, 80 set up with chairs only, 53 setup with tables and chairs.

5. Only persons 18 or older may sign/submit the meeting room contract. A responsible adult must accompany groups of persons under the age of 18. Children under the age of 12 may not be left unsupervised in the Community Room or Library.

6. The Community Room may be reserved for a maximum of three hours per event (including setup and breakdown), one event per month. Reservations for the room may be made no more than 60 days in advance.

7. Meetings may only be held during the hours that the Library is open. Use of the room may not interfere with the normal operation of the Library.

8. Groups are responsible for their own publicity. The publicity may not imply that the Library or the Town of North Haven is in any manner connected with the meeting except for providing the location.

   1. Groups may not use the Library address as a mailing address, nor may they use its phone number to conduct business.

9. Kitchen facilities are not available. Permission is required for food.

10. Groups must procure any license or permit necessary to conduct their meeting (ex. Food or Movie License).

11. Groups using the room are responsible for:

    1. Setting up chairs, tables, equipment, etc.

    2. Restoring the room to the same condition in which it was found.

       1. Non-library items, including food, may not be left behind.

    3. Failure to leave the Community Room space in the same condition as when the group arrived may result in the loss of the privilege to reserve the room.

12. Groups agree to hold harmless the Town of North Haven, its Boards and Commissions, and employees for any injuries arising out of use of the Community Room.

 

These regulations will be interpreted by the Library Director and/or the Library Board of Directors. The Library and the Town of North Haven expressly reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to amend, modify or revise these regulations.

 

Adopted by the Library Board of Directors May 18th, 2017
Revised November 22, 2024