Meeting Room Policy & Application

Meeting Room Application

The Cook Memorial Public Library District (“CMPLD” or “Library”) has one meeting room at the Cook Park Library and one meeting room at the Aspen Drive Library. When not being used by the library or its affiliated organizations, they are available for use by in-district groups engaged in educational, cultural, intellectual, civic, and other non-commercial activities. Seating capacity is fifty six (56) people for the Cook Park meeting room and eighty (80) people for the Aspen Drive meeting room. Capacity may be limited at the discretion of the Library due to public health guidance, regulation, or other necessity. Policy guidelines, regulations, and restrictions may be modified for official library functions when deemed appropriate. Organizations applying for either meeting room must adhere to the following guidelines and regulations:

Article I: Guidelines and Regulations.

1. Library activities and functions have priority.
2. Permission to use the meeting rooms does not constitute endorsement of the subject matter of the meeting or the group’s beliefs and policies. Publicity for non-Library sponsored meetings must in no way imply Library sponsorship.
3. As required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, special accommodations requested by a potential attendee will be provided by the sponsoring group/organization, including sign language interpreters. The meeting rooms are handicapped accessible.
4. The booking party must be a CMPLD cardholder.
5. All reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis upon receipt of the completed application. The Library must be notified forty-eight (48) hours in advance if a cancellation becomes necessary. Failure to do so may result in reservations being denied in the future.
6. The Library reserves the right to cancel any reservations due to unforeseen circumstances. The Library may also cancel a group’s reservations if the guidelines and regulations described in this document are violated.
7. The meeting rooms are not available for commercial, for-profit or fund raising activities; purely social functions (e.g.; receptions, birthday parties, showers, etc.); or activities that, by their nature, are disruptive to the library routine (e.g.; loud rallies or ceremonies). Noise resulting from public use of the meeting rooms must fall within levels that are acceptable and consistent with normal library operations.
8. All library policies apply to use of the meeting rooms. Library policies are located at all public service desks and on the Library website.
9. The meeting rooms are available for a maximum of three (3) hours during the Library’s normal business hours only. Meetings must conclude and clean-up completed by the time the library closes for the day. When scheduling a room, time for set-up and clean-up must be included in the reserved time period and may not exceed three (3) hours. No organization will be allowed to enter the library before the library opens or remain after the library closes.
10. Meeting rooms may be scheduled no more than two (2) months in advance. The Library is unable to accept reservations for a series of meetings which would designate the Library as a regular meeting place for any organization.
11. Groups, organizations, or individuals using the meeting rooms may not charge or collect admission fees, with the exception of fees charged to cover the costs of program materials or supplies that participants may take home with them.
12. Sales are not permitted except for a library sponsored program or sales by organizations affiliated with the library. Per the Use of the Library Policy, authors are permitted to sell materials relating to their presentation.
13. Workshops, seminars or other such “educational” presentations including, but not exclusive of, financial, estate, health, and/or retirement planning or related topics will be considered commercial activities and will not be permitted unless sponsored as an official library program.
14. Organizations meeting in the Library may not use the Library as a mailing address or telephone number. The telephone facilities of the Library shall not be available to the persons meeting in either building.
15. Groups of children through grades 12 may use the meeting rooms with adult supervision. The adult supervisor must sign the meeting room application, taking responsibility for the group and must be in attendance at all times.
16. Children under the age of 10 must remain with an adult at all times.
17. A group or organization must designate one person to assume legal responsibility for its activities in the Library and act as the liaison between the group and the Library. This representative must sign the application form and be present for the entire meeting. The representative of the group or organization shall be held responsible for willful or accidental damage to the Library building, grounds or equipment caused by the group, its members or those attending its program.
18. The Library is not responsible for equipment, supplies, materials or personal possessions owned or rented by those sponsoring or attending a meeting. Any individual, group or organization using the meeting rooms shall be held responsible for willful or accidental damage to the Library building, grounds, collections or equipment caused by the group or organization, its members or those attending its programs.
19. Beverages, if provided by the sponsoring group, are permitted in spill proof and/or covered containers only; the clean up of such refreshments by the group or organization is the responsibility of the sponsoring group. Alcohol and food are not permitted.
20. Groups or organizations have a choice of five setups for the meeting rooms which must be designated at the time of application. Forty-eight (48) hours’ notice must be given for any setup changes.
21. The Library is responsible only for furnishing the necessary meeting space, seating, and requested fee-based equipment. Library personnel are not available to assist any group to rearrange seating, carry supplies to and from the meeting rooms, operate equipment, etc. The Library is unable to provide storage for the property of any organization which meets in either building.
22. Any group or organization using the meeting rooms will indemnify, protect, and hold harmless the Cook Memorial Public Library District, its Board of Trustees, and staff, for any and all accidents, including personal injury and property damage, and theft, which may be sustained on the premises.
23. Failure to abide by the requirements and regulations set forth in this policy, including vacating the rooms at the time designated on the application or by the time the library closes, may result in reservations being denied in the future.

Article II: Restrictions.

1. Any other activity which would materially and substantially interfere with the proper functions of the Library, such as excessive noise, a significant safety hazard or security risk, is prohibited.
2. If, on the advice of law enforcement professionals, the library staff or board determines that reasonable possibility of a threat to the safety of library staff, patrons or members of the public might occur, based on prior experience of the group or speaker at this library or at other occasions where the group has held meetings which have been disruptive or had a potential for violence, the following shall be required: the individual or group reserving the meeting room shall be required to pay in advance by cashier’s check the reasonably estimated cost of any special security measures that need to be taken for the meeting; and the individual or group reserving the meeting rooms shall obtain a special event liability policy for $1,000,000 for injury or damage to property occurring at the meeting.
3. Attendance is limited according to posted occupancy limits. These limits are set and enforced by the Libertyville and Countryside Fire Departments and are based on the size of the room used and furniture set up. Emergency exits must be kept clear at all times.
4. Smoking, food and alcoholic beverages are not allowed.
5. Open fire is not permitted, including the use of candles.
6. Nothing may be hung on or attached to the walls or ceiling.

Article III: Application for Use.

1. Applications must be made in person through the Library’s Administrative office. Applications can be found on the Library’s website, at the Cook Park Library Information Desk and at the Aspen Drive Library Reference Desk. Applications must be completed, signed, and returned with a $5 room usage fee before meeting space can be reserved.
2. All applications are subject to library approval and must be made with a minimum of one week advance notice.
3. Applicant must be 18 years of age or older and have a valid CMPLD library card in good standing.
4. Reservations will be accepted in the order in which completed application forms are received. Applications will be accepted up to three (3) months in advance.
5. The Library reserves the right to change or cancel meeting room reservations due to unusual circumstances and will notify groups at least forty-eight (48) hours before the scheduled meeting.
6. No group may transfer a room reservation to another group.

Article IV: Fee Based Equipment.

1. Requests for equipment must be made at the time of application. Library staff can provide basic use instructions of equipment in advance by appointment. Library staff will set up equipment but will not be present to provide basic use instructions or operate equipment during meetings, programs, or events.
2. Availability of fee-based equipment may vary.
3. LCD projector with Renter’s laptop $20
   Sound system (microphone) $20

Adopted: 12/18/07
Revised: 07/19/11
Revised: 09/17/13
Revised: 10/22/13
Revised: 06/21/16
Revised: 05/18/21