Policy
The Board of Library Trustees welcomes the use of the Community Room by Town Departments and local, non-profit, civic, educational, or cultural group, when the room is available and when its use does not conflict with Public Library needs or prior commitments made by the Library Trustees. The Community Room may not be used by individuals for the purpose of holding birthday, anniversary, bridal or baby showers, weddings, or other celebrations or private parties. Arrangements should be made through the Reference/Programming Librarian (455-7559 x223). By order of the Needham Fire Department, the seating capacity of the room is limited to 160 persons. Library programs receive first consideration in scheduling events.
The Library Board of Trustees reserves the right to change or amend this policy.
Regulations
The Board of Library Trustees initiates the following regulations:
A. Organizations which meet the above criteria will be charged a $30.00 basic fee for use of the Community Room (Town departments exempted). If organizations wish to use any of the audiovisual equipment (microphone excepted), the charge will be increased by $30.00. A check payable to the Town of Needham must be submitted to the Reference/Programming Librarian at least one week before the scheduled event.
B. Organizations wishing to use the Community Room outside of library custodian working hours or requiring custodial services beyond opening and closing the Community Room must pay a custodial charge of one and a half times the custodian’s hourly rate, with a three-hour minimum. Library custodians work from 7 am to 11 pm on Monday-Thursday, 7 am to 5:30 pm on Fridays, 8:45 am-5:15 pm on Saturdays, and 12:45 pm to 7:15 pm on Sundays September to June, and 12:45 pm to 5:00 pm during July and August.
C. A Certificate of Liability Insurance in the amount of $1,000,000 single and $3,000,000 aggregate is required. The certificate must be submitted to the Reference/Programming Librarian at least one week in advance of the meeting date. Any
unchartered, unincorporated, and informal group or individual using the library facilities without a certificate of Liability Insurance must sign a Town of Needham Waiver and Release form.
D. All meetings held in the Community Room must be free of charge and open to the public.
E. No meeting may be held that is likely to disturb library patrons, impede library staff, or endanger the library building or collection. The library reserves the right to reject a reservation, if the anticipated meeting is likely to be unreasonably disruptive to
regular library functions.
F. Performers may film their performances, subject to the following:
1. The performer must provide the equipment and personnel to do the filming
2. The filming cannot interfere with the public’s enjoyment of the program
Kitchen Regulations:
A. Only preparation of light refreshments involving no cooking will be permitted in the kitchen. Kitchen facilities may be used for preparing coffee or tea or the coffee pot may be set up in the Community Room.
B. Groups must provide their own dishes, utensils, linens, paper goods, etc.
C. The Community room is not available for serving club dinners.
Furniture Set-Up Regulations:
A. Notification of any special seating arrangement must be given at least one week in advance.
B. All equipment needs must be given at least one week in advance.
Audiovisual Regulations
A. The audiovisual equipment in the Community Room is available to groups using this room. In order to use the equipment a person in the group must demonstrate his/her expertise to the Reference/Programming Librarian at least one week in advance of the meeting time. The library reserves the right to refuse equipment use, if no person in the group has a satisfactory level of expertise.
Miscellaneous Regulations:
A. Public restrooms are available for people using the Community Room
B. No tickets may be sold and no moneymaking functions may take place.
C. Nothing may be attached to the walls of the Library.
D. No alcoholic beverages may be served (Needham general by-law 3.1.10).
E. Smoking is not permitted in any part of the Library (Board of Library Trustees’ policy).
F. A booking slip must be filled out and returned to the Reference/Programming Librarian at least two weeks in advance, in order to hold the Community Room for a given date.
G. The Board of Library Trustees reserves the right to refuse the use of the Community Room to any organization abusing the privileges set forth above.
H. The Board of Trustees reserves the right to waive any of these regulations. The waiver request must be made in writing and filed with the Community Room application form. The request will be forwarded to the Board of Trustees for consideration at its next
meeting.
Approved January 1993
Amended May 1998, July 1999, January 2000, August 2000, December 6, 2005, December 13, 2005, October 10, 2006, June 12, 2007, April 12, 2018