Facilities Use Policy

The Beaman Library offers two rooms for use by community groups and associations. They are the Muriel Stiles Meeting Room (which offers space for up to 80 people) and the Children’s Story Hour Room (which has space for approximately 20 people).

Library meeting rooms are primarily for the use of the library, library related organizations, and library sponsored programs. When not required for the use of the library or library related organizations, they may be used for meetings of local groups and organizations, under the following regulations:

1. Rooms may only be booked by non-profit groups holding public meetings at which all are welcome to attend. Meeting rooms are not available for social gatherings, for the benefit of private individuals, for commercial enterprises, or any closed meeting.
2. Reservations for all meeting rooms will be handled by the Library Director or his/her representative. Applications are available at the library and on the library website. Applicants are encouraged to use the library’s online booking system to check room availability and submit reservation requests. All applications will be approved or disapproved by the Library at its sole discretion; an application for use does not assure approval. The application form must be completed and submitted by an adult who shall be personally responsible for the conduct of the meeting, adherence to regulations, the payment of any fees or charges and any damage to the library property.
3. One person aged 18 or older must be responsible to the Library for the conduct of a non-Library meeting. Any individual or organization using a meeting room must acknowledge the policies and regulations governing its use and assume responsibility for observing them by signing the application or checking the “terms” box on the online application form.
4. Meeting rooms may be booked up to 3 months in advance of the meeting. We do not accept bookings beyond the 3-month period to allow flexibility in the arrangement of library programs. (The limit refers to all bookings, including both single and repeat bookings.)
5. Local groups, whose primary service population is the community of West Boylston, are not charged for use of the meeting room, but donations to the Friends of the Library are always appreciated. Other groups are charged $25.00 for each use of the Story Hour Room and $50.00 for each use of the Stiles Meeting Room. There is an additional charge of $25 for groups using the Stiles Meeting Room when the library is closed. Checks should be made out to “Beaman Library/Donations”.
6. The size of the group is not to exceed the capacity of the specific meeting room (as cited above). The group or association is responsible for maintaining control of attendees. Children should be supervised by group members and pick up of children should be monitored by the group.
7. Leaders of groups should inform meeting participants that children should not be left unattended in the library while parents attend meetings. We request that all meeting room participants be aware of the library’s Child Safety policy which states that “Children ten years or younger must be continually supervised by a parent or caregiver while in the building. Children between the ages of ten and thirteen years of age may be left unattended for a maximum or two hours.” This means that parents with children ten years old or younger cannot expect to have their children visit the Children’s Room while they attend a meeting. Further, we request that parents of children of any age check on their children periodically while the meeting is going on, to assure that they are safe, behaving well and not in need of assistance.
8. Refreshments may be served, with permission from the Library Director. Please note your intent to serve refreshments on the application form. Applicants must provide their own kitchen supplies and are responsible for kitchen cleanup after use. All food, beverages, and supplies must be removed from the kitchen immediately after a meeting. The group will be responsible for removing the garbage and trash, and wiping down tabletops at the end of the meeting.
9. The meeting rooms are available during regular library hours or, through special prior arrangements with the Library Director, when the library is closed. Should permission be granted for after-hours use, the signee for the group must meet with the Director and review the security procedures for such use, and sign a confirmation form. We will not extend the period of use for a meeting room to after hours periods if the group has not made prior arrangements. Groups who violate this rule will be charged a minimum fee of $20 or a fee of $30 per hour.
10. If meetings are held when the library is closed, but a staff member is in the building, groups are responsible to assign a group member to monitor an entrance to allow access for attendees. If the meeting adjourns while the building is closed and unstaffed, attendees will exit through the exterior meeting room door. If the meeting begins and ends when the library is closed and unstaffed, attendees must enter and exit through the meeting room door.
11. The library may cancel a meeting room reservation due to building conditions, weather conditions, or other special situations.
12. The library subscribes to the equitable use of its facilities regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of the individuals or groups requesting use. The use of the meeting room does not constitute an endorsement of an organization’s policies or beliefs. All announcements, press releases, flyers, and other promotional work must clearly state the meeting or program is not sponsored by the Beaman Memorial Public Library.
13. No admittance fee may be charged or contributions solicited.
14. Goods or materials may only be sold or advertised at library sponsored programs or events, with prior permission from the Library Director.
15. All inquiries concerning meetings will be referred to the person signing the agreement.
16. The number of people attending the program or meeting must be reported to the library for statistical purposes. Forms are posted in the two meeting rooms to accommodate this reporting.
17. Tables and chairs are available at each location. No other equipment is provided. The group is responsible for setting up, rearranging, and taking down tables and chairs. Nothing may be attached to the walls or ceiling. Tables must be covered to protect from glue, paint or other materials that mark the furniture.
18. Meeting rooms must be left clean, in good repair and in the same condition as found. Any group that damages library property will be liable for costs incurred in connection with such damage and may lose the privilege of using meeting rooms in the future.
19. The Library assumes no responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged items brought into a Library meeting room.
20. No smoking is allowed on the library property. Alcoholic beverages may not be dispensed or consumed on library property.
21. Any question of interpretation of this policy will automatically be referred to the Board of Library Trustees and no meetings will be booked until a decision is rendered by that Board.
22. Any infraction of these rules may result in the loss of meeting room use privileges for the group or association.

After Hours Facilities Use Security Procedures

1. The group or association wishing to use the Stiles Meeting Room outside of the regular library schedule must first have filed a Facilities Use Application Form with the Library Director (see sample below).
2. The signee of the Facilities Use Application Form must meet with the Library Director well in advance of the group’s scheduled meeting to review security procedures.
3. The signee must attend the meeting and be responsible for assuring that all Facilities Use Policy regulations and security procedures are followed during the period the group is in the building.
4. The following ideas will be reviewed with the group signee:
1. Key pick up (scheduled prior to meeting and during regular library hours)
2. Key return (must be placed in blue envelope in book drop at end of meeting)
3. Areas of the basement level that are available to the group (The public rest rooms, meeting room kitchen and the meeting room itself are the only areas that can be accessed by your group when the library is closed.)
4. Areas of the library that are off limits to the group. (The Non-fiction Room, the Local History Room, the interior stairwells, the elevator, and the first and second floors are all off limits when the library is closed.)

PLEASE NOTE—ENTRY INTO ANY AREA BEYOND THE TWO WHITE METAL DOORS OR USE OF THE ELEVATOR WILL ACTIVATE THE LIBRARY’S SECURITY SYSTEM AND THE POLICE WILL BE NOTIFIED.

5. Means of entry and egress during meeting are through the exterior meeting room door. Please note, during a fire or other catastrophe the emergency exits are operable.
6. How to contact someone in the event of an emergency.
7. How to secure the building upon exit.
8. All rules and regulations listed in the Facilities Use Policy apply to after hours use.
5. After hours use of the Stiles Meeting Room is offered to groups or associations, within the limits of the Facilities Use Policy, who are able to provide adequate supervision and adhere to the security requirements set above. If a group is unable to meet these requirements they will be limited to facilities use only when the library is open.