Meeting Room

The Benton Public Library District has a meeting room with seating for 36 in an auditorium style arrangement.   With tables the room has a capacity of 24.  The primary purpose of this meeting room is in support of library functions, meetings, and programs.  The Board of Trustees supports and encourages community use of the library by offering the library meeting room for public use by organizations engaged in educational, cultural, civic, intellectual and charitable activities.  Meetings or programs which in the opinion of the Library Director are inappropriate to a library because of noise or other factors will not be permitted.  Meetings or programs sponsored by the Benton Public Library will be given priority in the scheduling of the Meeting Room, after which other requests will be considered by the Director in the order in which they are received.

The Library reserves the right to revise any meeting arrangements scheduled if necessary and to preempt established reservations upon reasonable notifications to the organization.  Use of the meeting room does not constitute the library’s endorsement of viewpoints expressed by participants in the program.  No organization meeting at the library shall use the library as its official address or the library’s telephone number for the relay of messages of the organization.

Civic groups will not be charged for the use of the room.  Other groups will be required to pay a rental fee according to the following schedule:

Up to 4 hours                             $25.00
4 to 8 hours                               $50.00

The hours include from the moment the group takes possession of the room to prepare for the event until the group relinquishes the room, having restored the room to original condition.

The Library Director shall resolve any questions concerning exemption from the rental fee.

Policy

Reservations for room use are arranged through the Library Director.  A member of the organization must sign a Request for Use of Meeting Rooms before the meeting.

Individuals/groups using the Library Meeting Room may not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, creed, national origin, religious belief or handicap, against any person requesting admission to the meeting.

Smoking and alcoholic beverages are not allowed in the library building.

Any damages to the premises or library furnishings as a result of the meeting will be paid by the group.  User also agrees to pay for all damage done to the Library premises as a result of the meeting.

The group is responsible for setting up chairs and tables for its members and putting them away when the meeting is finished.

In the event of a Library building emergency or weather-related emergency, meetings may be canceled.

The Meeting Room is available for use during regular library hours.  Meetings may not begin until half an hour after the library opens and must conclude no later than half an hour before closing.

A projection screen is available in the Meeting Room, but the Library will provide no other audiovisual equipment for use during the program.

Light refreshments may be served in the Meeting Room.  All refreshments must remain in the Meeting Room.  Individuals/groups using the room must provide all supplies for refreshments and clean-up.

The Library does not provide storage space for property or supplies of groups using the meeting room, and assumes no responsibility for private property brought into the building.

The organization agrees to indemnify and hold the library harmless from any suits, damages costs, losses, and expenses in any manner resulting from or arising out of the organization’s use of the room.  The library reserves the right to require a certificate of insurance.

All meetings must be open to staff, public, and press.

Library staff will not take or deliver messages for meeting participants.

No signs, posters, or announcements may be placed anywhere in the building without the express permission of the Library Director.

The Meeting Room must be cleaned of all litter and left as it was found at the meeting end.  If the room is not cleaned to the Library Director’s satisfaction, the deposit will be forfeited.

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