GENERAL STATEMENT

The Tippecanoe County Public Library welcomes the use of its meeting rooms by responsible organizations and groups in their formative stages. The major goal of the library is to meet the informational, cultural, educational, civic, and recreational needs of its community. The rooms are provided to accomplish this goal.

WHO MAY USE THE ROOMS

The meeting rooms are available for use by civic, community, cultural, educational, political, or religious organizations for non-commercial and non-profit purposes. The meeting rooms will be available to groups in the community regardless of the beliefs and affiliations of their individual members.

• The meeting rooms are available for use by civic, community, cultural, educational, political, or religious organizations for non-commercial and non-profit purposes
• The meeting rooms will be available to groups in the community regardless of the beliefs and affiliations of their individual members.
• All meetings will be open to the public and may be monitored by Library staff to ensure compliance with these policies.
• Use of the meeting rooms does not constitute library endorsement of the viewpoints expressed by participants in the programs.
• Publicity for a meeting by a non-library group in a library meeting room must not be worded in a manner, which would imply library sponsorship of the group's activities.
• The name, address, and/or telephone number of the library must not be used as the official address or headquarters of an organization.
• The meeting rooms are not available for personal or family parties, or purely social functions.
• The individual reserving and assuming responsibility for the room must be a resident of the Tippecanoe County Public Library district or the West Lafayette Public Library district. Exceptions to this requirement will be made for representatives of U.S. or Indiana agencies and political subdivisions and for members of or candidates for U.S. or Indiana executive, legislative, or judicial offices.
• Minors using a meeting room must be supervised by adults. The adult supervisor will be responsible for any damage.
• If children are brought to adult meetings, the accompanying adult is responsible for the children's behavior throughout the building. If children create a disturbance in the library, they will be required to stay with the adult in the meeting room.

FEES AND CHARGES

• The rooms are available to eligible groups without charge.
• No admission fees may be charged; no collections or offerings may be taken at any function held in the library. No buying or selling is permitted. Exceptions need to be arranged with the County Librarian or his/her designee.

SCHEDULING OF THE ROOM

• All reservations for use of the meeting rooms must be made on an approved form at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. All reservations are on a first come, first served basis. Reservations are not accepted more than six (6) months in advance of the meeting.
• The organization may not schedule more than (6) meetings in a calendar year without special permission from the County Librarian or her/his designee.
• No group may assign its reservation to another group.
• Library sponsored activities will take precedence over all other activities and the library reserves the right to cancel any scheduled meeting when: (1) It conflicts with the operation of the library; (2) The room is needed for library sponsored activity; (3) The group fails to comply with library rules.

USE OF THE ROOMS

• The meeting rooms are normally available during the hours which the library is open to the public. All meetings must adjourn 15 minutes before closing. Exceptions, to pay for required additional staffing, need to be arranged in advance with the County Librarian or her/his designee.
• Light refreshments may be served. The library does not provide supplies or equipment for refreshments. No alcoholic beverages are permitted. No smoking or use of other tobacco products is permitted.
• The scheduling party may arrange the chairs and tables to suit their needs. Following the meeting, furniture should be returned to the original arrangement and the room should be left in good order. Cleaning equipment is available to clean spills, etc. Any special cleaning needed after the meeting will be paid for by the booking organization.
• No provision can be made for the storage of equipment and supplies to be used by the groups using the meeting rooms.
• Special arrangements must be made in advance to use the library's audio-visual equipment.
• Use of the meeting room shall conform to all local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
• Use of the meeting rooms shall conform to the Library's Building Use Policy, and For Safety Statement.
• The County Librarian or her/his designee has the power to terminate any meeting disruptive to Library operations.
• All open flames, including the use of open candles, are prohibited by state fire regulations. 

PARKING
Due to limited parking, when a meeting is expected to last longer than one hour, all meeting announcements must request that attendees park in the spaces most remote from the library entrances.

SECURITY
The library does not assume any responsibility or liability for the security of personal or organizational items.

DAMAGES
Organizations holding meetings assume responsibility for any damage to the property due to the group's occupancy. A written agreement will be signed by the person representing the group, assuming responsibility.

Revised and approved by the Library Board: 11/06/00, 5/01/07