Meeting Room Policy
Purpose:
Meeting rooms at the Manchester City Library and our West Branch are intended for library programming and for public gatherings of a civic, cultural or educational nature. Room usage is free of charge to registered non-profit organizations serving the citizens of Manchester provided no admission fee is charged. For profit organizations will be charged for the usage of library rooms. All meetings are to be open to the public and cannot be reserved for personal use such as weddings, birthdays and other special occasions.
The Library recognizes the rights of free speech and free assembly. Permission for a group to use library space does not constitute an endorsement of the groups’ philosophy or objectives by the Library.
Reservation of meeting rooms:
First priority of bookings of meeting room facilities will be reserved for Manchester City Library programs and activities or programs sponsored by the library.
The Library meeting spaces can be reserved through the Library Office at the main library, Monday through Friday 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. Tours of meeting spaces can be arranged during the library building's operation hours. Requests for reservations can also be made online.
All registering paperwork must be returned to the library for review and approval before reservation is confirmed. (See Meeting Room Request Form)
Scheduling of meeting rooms is on first come, first served basis. Reservations are limited to one booking per month by any one group or organization due to high demand. Rooms must be booked at least one week in advance, but not more than 6 months in advance. At the end of 5 months, groups may contact the Library to book additional meetings. Rooms must be reserved separately. Exceptions are at the discretion of the Director.
No resources or services may be sold while utilizing library rooms without written authorization by the Director.
All activities must be legal and create no disturbance to other library functions.
Meeting room users are subject to all library rules, as posted.
No food or drinks are allowed in library meeting rooms without prior permission.
It is the responsibility of the group or organization reserving the room to leave the room in a neat and orderly condition.
The Library reserves the right to move meeting locations to accommodate all requests. When it becomes necessary for the library to change a meeting time, place or date, the Library’s Office staff will notify the group’s contact person 48 hours before the scheduled program. Every effort will be made to give groups more notice.
Failure to comply with library/meeting room rules will result in no further bookings for the organization.
Meeting Room Fees:
| Room/Equipment |
Fee |
Additional Information |
| Auditorium |
$400 |
|
| Winchell Room |
$250 |
|
| Winchell Room Kitchen |
$50 |
When kitchen is reserved. |
| Hunt Room |
$150 |
|
| West Branch Large Room |
$100 |
2 rooms, no changes to setup |
| Piano |
$50 |
Includes one practice session. |
All groups, other than those that provide proof of being a registered non-profit agency will be charged for use of the room.
No admission fee, registration fee, donation or other monetary solicitation may be sought from meeting attendees unless you have the written authorization of the Director.
Should any type of fee be charged, the group will be charged for the use of the room as stated above.
Equipment:
All equipment available for library rooms is listed on the room reservation form. If the meeting at the Main Library will require any available audio-visual equipment as listed on the form, it must be included in the paperwork that is due prior to the room booking being confirmed. The library reserves the right to refuse any unplanned, day of event, audio-visual requests. There is no audio-visual equipment available for use at the West Branch Library.
The audio-visual equipment room and the equipment should NEVER be left unattended. If a group leaves the room for a break or when the program is concluded, library staff must be notified immediately so that the room can be secured.
When a group is planning to show a video or DVD in the Main Library auditorium, a Library staff member will be assigned to start and stop the video or DVD so that the audio-visual equipment room may be locked. It is the responsibility of the group or organization to obtain performance rights for any film shown on library premises. Independent or unrated films may not be shown without prior approval and/or review by Library Administration.
Kitchen Facilities:
The Winchell Room has a separate kitchen, which must be reserved. There are no kitchen facilities at the West Branch Library. Use of this room is NOT part of any other booking. A fee of $10 will be charged for use of the kitchen. Organizations are required to bring their own kitchen supplies (paper goods, utensils, serving dishes, coffee maker and supplies, etc.) Library supplies are for library sponsored programs only.
Groups who book the kitchen are required to do whatever cleanup is necessary to restore the room to the way it was found. All items brought in by groups are to be removed from the kitchen area including but not limited to food, paper products and other serving utensils upon completion of each usage of the kitchen.
Note:
Failure to abide by the rules of the Library, misuse of of a meeting room, or the repeated failure to utilize reserved room without first giving 24 hours prior notice to the Library will result in a group being barred from using library meeting rooms for one year.
Notice of Events:
Fliers advertising events may be left with library staff to be posted one week before the scheduled event. No group will imply in its advertising or during the meeting that the Library sponsored or supports its meeting, group or presentation without first receiving permission in writing from the Director. Any group found to have promoted their event as library sponsored will lose their reservation.
Special Security Costs:
When a determination is made by the Director that the proposed use of the meeting room (s) will necessitate additional security or police presence, the reserving group or organization shall be responsible for pre-paying all of the cost of same. Proof that extra security has been secured must be received at least one week prior to the event.
Liability:
RSA 202-A:24 OFFENSES AGAINST LIBRARIES
“Any person who shall willfully or maliciously deface, damage or destroy any property belonging to or in the care of any gallery or museum or any state, public, school, college or other institutional library shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any such person shall forfeit to or for the use of such library, gallery or museum, three (3) times the amount of the damage sustained to be recovered in an action in the superior court.”
Patron Behavior Policy
Respect For Staff, Users And Library Property Policy
All persons deserve to be treated with courtesy and respect. Please treat all staff, patrons and property, city or personal, with the same courtesy with which you would wish to be treated. Staff members may ask abusive or uncivil patrons to leave and come back or hang up and call back when they are better able to conduct themselves courteously.
It is the goal of the Trustees of the Manchester City Library to allow all patrons of the library to use its facilities, for the purposes for which the library was established, to the maximum extent possible during regularly scheduled hours.
Any patron not abiding by the rules and regulations of the Manchester City Library may be asked to leave library premises. Further, any patron who violates the rules and regulations of the library may be denied the privilege of access to the library by the Library Director.
- Library materials shall be used and handled with care. Writing, marking, earmarking, disfigurement, any sort of alteration, mutilation, destruction, or unauthorized access of Library materials is prohibited.
- Loud conversation and noise shall be kept to a minimum. All patrons shall be provided with a peaceful, quiet environment conducive to research and study.
- Patrons shall respect the rights of others. Patrons shall not annoy others through noisy or boisterous activities, by staring, or by following others about the Library.
- Patrons whose bodily hygiene is so offensive as to constitute a nuisance to others shall be required to leave the Library.
- Personal belongings and valuables of patrons shall not be left unattended by their owners. The Library shall not be responsible for patron’s belongings or valuables.
Safe Child Policy
Children eight years of age or younger must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or adult of at least 18 years of age who acknowledges responsibility for the child, during their entire stay in the library. These parents or adults are responsible for their children’s behavior while in the building.
Philosophy behind the Safe Child Policy
The Manchester City Library welcomes children of all ages. It is a doorway through which life-long learning takes place. The public library is, however, just that, a public building. As such, anybody can come into it, law-abiding or otherwise.
Library Staff have many duties to perform in order to serve all citizens of Manchester. They cannot monitor the behavior or whereabouts of each patron, including children. Staff do not take over parental responsibilities for children who come into the library.
A child could be tempted to go off with a stranger. A child could become ill. A child could get mixed in with a school group and become lost. Any of these or other emergencies could take place in a public building. It is for the safety of each child that the Manchester City Library has adopted this safe Child Policy.
Unattended Children and Disruptive Behavior
The Board of Trustees, Library Director and Staff, and the City of Manchester assume no responsibility for any child left unattended in the Library.
No child under the age of eight (8), even while attending library programs, shall be in the Library without a parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the child also in the Library.
If a child under the age of eight is left unattended and appears to be lost or frightened, library staff will make every attempt to locate their parent or guardian. If the parent or guardian is not located or a child is left in the library at closing time, the Police Department will be notified. Under no circumstances shall a staff member take the child out of the library.
Children under the age of eight are the responsibility of their parents, guardian, or teacher when in the library. Disruptive behavior shall be considered any behavior that is disruptive to the patrons, building, and/or staff of the library. Such behavior shall include but not be limited to loud talking, laughing, eating or drinking, and running in the building. All parents are urged to accompany children under the age of eight years.
Any child under age eight who is accompanied by a parent or guardian and who is being disruptive will be asked by the staff to behave. If such behavior continues, the parents will be told that their child is disturbing others and will be asked to control the child. If they refuse or are unable to control the child, the family may be asked to leave.
Disruptive children over age eight will be given only ONE warning and informed that they will be asked to leave if the disruptive behavior continues. Staff will follow through to insure that the child does leave the building/premises. If he/she refuses to leave, the Librarian in Charge shall call the Library Security Officer or, in the event of the Officer’s absence, shall call the Police Department.
The Library Director has the authority to deny use of the library to any child who is continually disruptive.
Library Rules and Regulations
Patrons may NOT engage in any of the following:
- Destruction of library property *RSA 202-A:24
- Harassment *RSA 644:4
- False Fire Alarms *RSA 644:3
- Obstructing Passageways *Sec 130.02 City Ordinance
- Loitering/Prowling *RSA 644:6
- Disorderly Conduct *RSA 644:2
- Criminal Threatening *RSA 631:4
- Criminal Trespassing *RSA 635:2
- Detaining Library Books *RSA 202-A:25
- Gambling *RSA 647:2
- Indecent Exposure/Lewdness *RSA 645:1
- Theft *RSA 637:3
- Criminal Solicitation *RSA 629:2
- Reckless Conduct *RSA 631:3
- Assault: Physical *RSA 631:2-A
- Sexual: Assault *RSA 632-A:3
The following are NOT allowed in or on the library property:
- Animals (except Service Animals)
- Bedrolls, sleeping bags, blankets, large bags, suitcases and boxes
- Bicycles (must be locked to the bike rack at Children’s Room entrance not to the front stair handrails)
- Drinks/food
- Alcoholic beverages
- Intoxication (including drugs)
- Weapons
- Bathing, shaving or washing clothes
- Rolling or chewing of tobacco products
- Smoking
- Horseplay/Running/Yelling/Swearing/Spitting
- Wet bathing suits or shoes with cleats are not allowed.
- Leering, following or any other actions that may make patrons/staff uncomfortable
- Voyeurism/Peeping
- Lounging or Sleeping
- Maliciously accessing, altering, deleting, damaging or destroying any library computer system, networking computer program or data
- Injuring plants *Sec. 130.36 City Ordinance
- Injuring City trees *RSA 634:2
- Climbing fences *130.38 City Ordinance
- Littering
- Injuring property *Sec. 130.35/130.07 City Ordinance
General:
- You must wear a shirt and shoes in the library
- Adults may not use the children’s rest room.
- Adults in the children’s areas must be accompanied by a child.
- Adults in the teen areas must be accompanied by a teen.