Meeting Room Policy
Use of the Chesapeake Public Library meeting rooms is reserved for Chesapeake organizations, businesses, city departments, schools, residents and their guests, Commonwealth of Virginia and Federal agencies and full service card holders. Meeting rooms are available during normal library operating hours.
These facilities are available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs, or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use, as stated in Article VI of the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights as it relates to exhibit space and meeting rooms.
REGULATIONS:
1. Library Activities. Library activities/programs or library co-sponsored programs are given first priority in the use of the meeting rooms.
2. Private Use. Meeting rooms may not be used for private purposes such as birthday parties, weddings, showers, funerals,family reunions, or parties in general. The Library Manager reserves the right to deny any request or apply additional conditions/reservations before requests are approved. Exceptions may be granted by Library Administration. Apply by completing form or writing a letter to the Director.
3. Community Organizations, Community Organizations may have two (2) active reservations in effect at a time. Reservations may be made up to twelve (12) months in advance. Reservations beyond twelve months or in excess of two concurrent reservations are subject to the same fee as businesses or groups conducting sales or charging admission. All fees are due within seven (7) days of making reservations and prior to using the room. See Meeting Room Locations and Fee Schedule attached. Use of the room is free to residents, full service card holders and community organizations not conducting sales or charging admission and to city and state departments. Activities sponsored or co-sponsored by the Chesapeake Public Library are held at no charge.
4. Business Use. Chesapeake businesses will be charged fees based on the size of the room being reserved. All fees are due within seven (7) days of making reservations and prior to using the room. See Meeting Room Locations and Fee Schedule. Businesses or groups conducting sales or charging admission may have seven (7) active reservations in a calendar year. Reservations may be made up to twelve (12) months in advance. A Meeting Room Reservation Form must be filled out for each reservation.
5. Political Use. Any individual or group using the rooms for political purposes will need the approval of the City Manager’s Office. The Meeting Room Reservation Form must be completed with sufficient time to route through Library Administration to the City Manager’s Office.
6. Reservations. Meeting room reservations may be made on-line (http://www.infopeake.org/site-files/meet_room_agree.html) or in person at any CPL location. Reservations must be made at the library where the room is being reserved. Reservations will be held for thirty (30) minutes after the start time indicated on the reservation form. After thirty minutes,the group will be considered a “no-show” and the room opened up for other reservations.
7. Cancellations: Cancellations must be made at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting in order to receive a refund. Any fees not paid will result in cancellation of the reservation. Refunds will be made in the event the library is closed by the City,or the City Emergency Operations Center. Every effort will be made to contact the group as soon as closing is determined to be necessary. City-wide closing announcements will be made on WFOS-FM, WTAR-AM, and WVEC-TV. Although cancellation circumstances are rare, the Library retains the right to cancel a reservation for a meeting room if a scheduling conflict occurs. In this unlikely event, the Library will make every effort to accommodate the group at another library.
8. Housekeeping/Setup: The library does not provide setup or housekeeping services. It is the responsibility of the organization to return the room to its original furniture arrangement and cleanliness. A dumpster is provided outside for disposal of trash. A vacuum cleaner is available at all locations for use in cleaning the meeting room floors if needed.
9. Penalties: Loss of future meeting room privileges will result if:
- a. Staff is required to stay more than 15 minutes after closing due to attendees not vacating the meeting room at closing;
- b. Failure to return the room to its original furniture arrangement and cleanliness;
- c. Failure to cancel reservations 48 hours in advance if meeting is canceled.
10. Restrictions: In addition to the previous conditions, the following regulations are also in effect:
- a. Smoking is not allowed. Code of the City of Chesapeake Section 38-154.
- b. Library staff is not responsible for taking registration fees or selling tickets for non-library sponsored events. Staff is not responsible for providing information about non-library sponsored events. Neither the name, address or phone number of any Chesapeake Public Library may be used for the address or organization’s office.
- c. Materials may not be stored in advance by groups using the library meeting rooms unless previously authorized by the library manager.
- d. The library is not responsible for any personal belongings brought into the facility.
- e. Groups using the meeting rooms may not exceed the room's authorized seating capacity.
- f. Groups selling merchandise or tickets are responsible for having all required licenses, and for payment of any amusement or other taxes due. Contact the Commissioner of the Revenue and/or the City Treasurer for further details.
- g. Meeting rooms are not available before the opening of the library unless prior arrangements have been made with the library manager.
- h. Open flames, including candles, are not allowed under the City's Fire Code. However, cans of sterno fuel which are used to keep buffet items warm are allowed. The City's Fire Marshall (382-6566) can answer specific questions about other items.
- i. Alcoholic beverages are allowed only when all portions of the Code of the City of Chesapeake Section 46-182 are met. Excerpts from the code, as it applies to city buildings, are as follows:
Section 46-182. Consuming or tendering to another in a public place
(a) If any person shall take a drink of alcoholic beverage or shall tender a drink thereof to another, whether accepted or not, at or in any public place, except as provided in subsection (c) below, he shall be guilty of a class 4 misdemeanor.
(c) The city manager is hereby authorized to issue a permit to any person or organization for the use of a public recreation or community center where alcoholic beverages are to be consumed, upon the deposit of $200.00 with the city manager and compliance with the other requirements set forth in this subsection. A deposit shall not be required of any city department, agency, committee or board applying for such use. Such deposit shall be for the purpose of protecting the city from any damage to the facilities used by the applicant and the deposit shall be refunded after the proposed activity has been completed with no such damage having occurred. No meeting or other activity shall be held at the center other than that stated in the application. Any person desiring to obtain a permit shall make application to the City Manager or his designed representative thirty (30) days prior to the day when the building is to be used, setting forth the following information.
(1) Name of person or organization responsible for activity, the place of such building and the duration of the desired.
(2) Provisions for crowd control, traffic control and parking.
(3) That the person or organization serving or permitting alcoholic beverages at the premises shall comply in all respects with regulations of the alcoholic beverage control board.
(d) The city manager is hereby authorized to make such rules and regulations as may be necessary to govern the use of the premises where alcoholic beverages may be used or served.
(e) Upon determination that the above requirements of subsection (c) of this section have been met, the city manager shall issue the permit for the designated date and use. (Code 1970, '17-6.1; Ord. of 3-13-72; Ord. of 11-5-77; Ord. of 7-25-78; Ord. of 1-8-80)
(f) Public buildings may be made available to all political candidates on an equal basis for the purposes of introducing candidates for public office and the conduct of the business of any political party in compliance with the following procedure: Application shall be made seven calendar days prior to the proposed use to the city manager. The seven-day application period may be waived by the city manager where it can be shown that no inconvenience or disruption of normal public activities in such building will occur. Chesapeake City Code, Chapter 46-16 (Library staff will forward request to library administration)
References: Code of the City of Chesapeake