Use of the East Orange Room

General

1. The Library is a community resource providing access to information and a facility where ideas are exchanged. To encourage this, meeting rooms are maintained in the Library.
2. The Library Director grants, within this policy and on proper application, permission to use the East Orange room. Permission does not imply endorsement of the organization or approval of the program contents by the City of East Orange, the Library, or the Library Board of Trustees.
3. Library sponsored programs are not covered by this policy nor are the activities of the Friends of the Library, Literacy Volunteers of Essex County, other library organizations, the City of East Orange, the East Orange Board of Education, the State of New Jersey, or the Federal government.

Conditions

• The East Orange Room can only be used by governmental, educational, community, businesses, and non-profit organizations that serve the greater East Orange community. The use of the room is not intended for individuals.
  • Activities occurring at the Library may be interpreted as receiving an imprimatur of approval from the Library and there is a tremendous demand for use of the meeting room from organizations that cannot afford to rent facilities. Hence, the East Orange room is not available for commercial activities such as selling items, gathering names for future mailings, and educational seminars by commercial companies or for raising money for an organization.
  • Organizations can be incorporated or unincorporated but must be a recognizable entity.
• In order to give all organizations an opportunity to use the library facilities, no organization may monopolize the use of the room. No organization may schedule the use of the meeting room for more than 36 hours per year including meetings canceled or rescheduled by the organization unless approved by the Director.
• All meetings of non-profit and community organizations must conform with all local, state and federal laws and regulations and must be open to the public. Meetings may be restricted to those who meet appropriate and legally acceptable criteria such as age, gender, or medical history but may not exclude non-members of an organization. Organizations do not have to permit non-members to speak, interrupt, or disrupt their programs and presentations. They do have to permit the public to attend, observe, and learn.
• Meetings must be without charge unless the Library Board of Trustees authorizes admission fee in advance. The seeking of donations is prohibited. Nothing may be sold on the premises nor may orders for items be taken.
• No meetings may be held for religious worship or instruction.
• The Library assumes no responsibility for security during meetings. If security personnel are necessary, the user will be responsible for paying library security personnel.
• Alcoholic beverages and smoking are prohibited in the meeting room.
• No meeting may have more than 150 people in attendance. All applicable fire and building codes must be complied with.
• Each organization must clean up the meeting room and return it to the condition in which it was found. All garbage is to be bagged in plastic bags and all recycling materials are to be source separated.
• Meetings will always have present at least one adult who is responsible for the participant's conduct. An adult is a person 18 years of age or older.
• No activities are allowed which create noise or which disturb the normal affairs of the Library.
• The use of open flames or candles in the meeting room is prohibited.
• No object, poster, or writing, etc. will be placed on walls. Requests to use library equipment must be made 48 hours in advance and the Library supplies equipment as a courtesy and assumes no responsibility for its availability or proper functioning.
• Meetings may not be scheduled to start until 15 minutes after the Library opens and must conclude at least 15 minutes before the Library closes.
• Organizations utilizing the meeting rooms are considered a public accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and are therefore responsible for providing auxiliary aids and services in compliance with the ADA.
• All organizations are required to notify the librarian-in-charge when the meeting is finished and the meeting room is being vacated.
• The Library will not care for or store any organization's materials and will not take responsibility for materials left by an organization. The Library will not be responsible for any damages or costs resulting from the cancellation of meetings due to the Library closing for weather or other emergencies.
• If any organization fails to abide by these regulations, such violation can act as grounds to deny future use of the meeting room for a time not to exceed one year from the date of the infraction

Insurance

• The organization agrees to indemnify the Library and the City of East Orange and hold the same harmless against any and all claims, demands, damages, costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees for the defense of such claims, arising out of the organization's use of the meeting room. The Library requires a refundable deposit of up to $100 that may be required to cover any damage or loss. The Library shall be the sole judge of the cost of such damage or loss.

Scheduling

• When scheduling conflicts exist, priority will be given to Library events and then Friends of Library events. If a conflict still exists, preference will be on a first come first serve basis.

Parking

• The parking lot is owned and operated by the East Orange Parking Authority. It is the user's responsibility to contact the East Orange Parking Authority to make arrangements for parking. Phone number: (973) 672-1116.

Application Procedure

• Application on the required form must be made by a cardholder of the East Orange Public Library to the Library Director who will act upon completed applications within 5 days of receipt. Failure to provide 5 day's notice is grounds for the application to be summarily rejected.
• If the organization or business is not connected to East Orange except that it serves this community, exemption from the requirement of an East Orange Public Library card-holder making application for use of the room may be requested.

Approved by the Board on 12/31/01.