Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines governing the use of the public meeting rooms at the Grafton Public Library (“Library”) in a manner consistent with its mission, operational needs, and applicable law.  

A. General Guidelines

Use of Library meeting rooms does not constitute or imply endorsement by the Library, the Board of Trustees (“Board”), or the Town of Grafton (“Town”) of any organization’s policies, beliefs, or programs.  

All organizations and attendees must comply with this policy and all other applicable Library policies and federal, state, and local laws. The Library complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Organizations are responsible for ensuring that their events are accessible. Requests for reasonable accommodations should be directed to the Library Director in advance of the event.

B. Eligible Users

Meeting rooms are available for use by Grafton residents, Grafton-affiliated non-profit groups and civic organizations, community groups directly serving Grafton residents, and member libraries of the Blackstone Valley community (see appendix), under conditions set by the Board. Library-sponsored programs and official Library and Town business take precedence over all other reservations.

C. Permitted Uses

The Library’s meeting rooms are designated as limited public forums and are made available for certain community uses, such as educational, civic, cultural, and informational activities that are free and open to the public, including but not limited to: group discussions, exhibits, lectures, presentations, and civic meetings. The Library may impose reasonable, content-neutral, and viewpoint-neutral restrictions on the time, place, and manner of use in order to ensure the same and orderly operation of the Library.

D. Prohibited Uses

The Library may deny reservations that do not comply with this policy or that fall outside of the permitted uses described above. The following uses are not permitted under this policy:

  • Commercial use activities: including but not limited to sale of goods or services, events requiring admission fees or other charges for entry, solicitation of business, fundraising activities (except for events conducted by the Friends of the Grafton Library), and the provision of fee-based services.
  • Social or private events: including but not limited to reunions, showers, birthday parties, dances, weddings, and other private social events of such nature.
  • Individual use of Community Room: the Community Room may not be reserved for individual use. Individual use is accommodated through designated Study Rooms.  
  • Healthcare Services: including but not limited to the direct provision of healthcare services including examinations, hands-on demonstrations, or treatments, unless sponsored by the Town.  This restriction is based on liability and safety considerations.

For some of the above-described uses and other private interests, please refer to the Facilities Rental Policy. 

E. Reservations and General Use

Note: In addition to the following general rules that apply to all meeting rooms, there are additional reservation and use rules for each individual room. 

  • Meetings and events must occur during regular Library hours unless otherwise approved.
  • Reservations are subject to availability in accordance with the prioritization schedule listed above and the scheduling parameters of the online reservation system.
  • Reservations for the Community Room must be made by contacting the Administrative Assistant. The Conference Room and Study Rooms can be reserved by using the Library’s online reservation system or by contacting Borrower Services.
  • Reservations must be made by a Grafton resident, business owner or Town employee who will serve as the primary contact for the reservation. The contact person must be at least 18 years of age, must attend the meeting, and must include their name, address, and phone number with the reservation.
  • The following items are prohibited in all meeting rooms: tobacco products (including vapes and e-cigarettes); alcohol; marijuana/cannabis; open flames, incense, and lit candles.
  • No tape, tacks, or other fasteners may be used on any walls, doors, windows, or woodwork.
  • Groups must use only the furniture assigned to the meeting room and may not move furniture from other areas of the Library.
  • Groups are responsible for: setup and breakdown; returning furniture to original placement; cleaning tables used for crafts, food, and beverages; providing their own supplies including pens, markers, and paper.

Attendees and organization members are subject to all other Library policies.  Use of rooms may not disrupt regular library business. Noise levels must not disturb other patrons or library staff. The Library reserves the right to terminate a meeting or event in progress if this policy or other Library policies are violated.

F. Reservations for Town or State Entities

The Library Director may waive certain requirements of this policy for official Town or state business. Town or state entities requesting additional reservations, dates outside of the online reservation system parameters, or use outside of normal Library hours must coordinate directly with the Library Director or designee. Town and state entities must comply with all Library policies applicable to the public. Previously approved reservations will not be cancelled to accommodate Town or state entity requests. Town staff may use meeting rooms outside of normal Library hours and are responsible for securing the building and temporary access credentials may be issued as necessary. 

G. Publicity

Organizations are responsible for all publicity related to their events. Public-facing materials must clearly identify the sponsoring organization and not imply endorsement of the event by the Library, the Friends of the Library, or the Town. The Library will not publicize events unless sponsored directly by the Library or the Friends of the Library.  

H. Cancellations

  • Organizations must cancel reservations as soon as possible if unable to use the space.
  • Organizations are responsible for notifying attendees of cancellations.
  • The Library reserves the right to cancel reservations due to operational needs, emergency conditions, or weather-related closures, but every effort will be made to give adequate advance notice.
  • Missing two consecutive reservations without notifying Library staff may result in suspension of reservation privileges for three months.  Additional no-shows for the same organization or individual will result in suspension of reservation privileges for up to one year.
  • The Library is not liable for costs incurred by organizations or attendees due to cancellation.

I. Charges

There is no charge for the use of meeting rooms. The individual making the reservation is responsible for any costs associated with damages or extraordinary cleaning. No admission fees, sales, solicitations, or collections may occur during meetings or events, except fundraising conducted by the Friends of the Grafton Library.

J. Liability and Indemnification

The Library and the Town assume no responsibility for loss or damage to property owned by organizations or individuals using the meeting rooms. By reserving a meeting room, the individual making the reservation agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Town, the Library, its staff, and the Board from any claims, damages, or liabilities arising from the organization or the individual’s use of the meeting room.

Room-Specific Rules

K. Community Room A/B

An organization may have up to three reservations for the Community Room on the calendar at one time and may reserve the Community Room no more than 12 times in one calendar year.

The maximum occupancy for the Community Room is:

Tables and Chairs: 48

Chairs only: 117

Standing only: 181

Organizations are responsible for setup and restoration of the room, including setup and breakdown of chairs and tables. Furniture may be arranged as desired, provided that doors, fire safety equipment, and displayed artwork remain unobstructed.

A kitchen is available for light refreshments and for preparing and serving meals. Organizations must provide their own refreshments, tablecloths, and paper goods. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited. Please see the Food/Beverage and Kitchen Use Policy for more information on the use of the Community Room kitchen.

The Library has microphones, a projector, DVD player, and Listen Assist devices available for public use. Please contact the Administrative Assistant at least one week prior to the meeting or event date to arrange a training on the equipment. AV setup and takedown is the responsibility of the organization. Staff assistance for AV support during the meeting or event is not guaranteed. 

L. Conference Room (219)

The Conference Room comfortably seats ten individuals around four mobile tables. The tables in the Conference Room can be rearranged. An organization may have up to three reservations for the Conference Room on the calendar at one time. There is no yearly limit for usage of the Conference Room.

Same-day individual use of the Conference Room is permitted on a walk-in basis, when there are no Study Rooms available.

Smart TV access requires a valid Library card. Setup is the responsibility of the organization. Staff assistance for AV support during the meeting or event is not guaranteed.

M. Study Rooms

Room capacities and age designations are as follows:

Room 228 group study (6 people) - All ages

Room 202 group study (4 people) - All ages

Room 229 group study (3 people) - All ages

Children’s study room (2 people) - For children ages 0-12

Tween study room (2 people) - For tweens ages 10-14

Teen study room (2 people) - For tweens and teens ages 12-18

  • Study rooms may be reserved up to two weeks in advance.
  • Study rooms may be available on a walk-in basis, including by non-residents.
  • Study rooms cannot be reserved more than four hours in a row.
  • Group study rooms 202, 228 and 229 feature a whiteboard. Markers can be borrowed from the Borrower Services Desk.
  • Group study rooms 202 and 228 also have smart TVs. Smart TV access requires a valid Library card. Setup is the responsibility of the organization. Staff assistance for AV support during the meeting or event is not guaranteed. 

N. Tutoring

In addition to the above, the following policies apply to tutoring groups:

  • Study rooms must be reserved by the student or their parent/guardian and not the tutor.
  • Study rooms may be reserved no more than two days per week per student, and no more than two hours in a row.
  • The Conference Room may be used for up to two tutor pairs of any age at the discretion of staff when space constraints arise.
  • If all other meeting rooms are reserved, the Community Room may be made available for communal tutoring space for all ages. Capacity is 6-12 tables for up to six people per table.
  • Tutoring is discouraged in the following shared public spaces: Teen/Tween Room, Children’s Room, Historic Reading Room, Large Print/New Book or Adult stacks, and the Friends Corner. Tutors in these public spaces may be asked to relocate to a tutoring room or study room.
  • Guardians must adhere to the library’s Unattended Child Policy by remaining sight-adjacent to their child ages 0-7 and in the building with their child ages 8-12 during tutoring sessions.

The Library reserves the right to deny the use of any meeting room to any organization or individual that does not comply with these policies. 

Should any patron be dissatisfied with the reasonable accommodations offered, they may follow the appeals process as outlined on the library’s website.

References

Facility Rental Policy

Food/Beverage and Kitchen Use Policy

Child Safety Policy

Appendix

List of Blackstone Valley libraries: 

Bancroft Memorial Library in Hopedale

Blackstone Public Library

Milford Town Library

Millbury Public Library

Millville Free Public Library

Simon Fairfield Public Library in Douglas

Sutton Public Library

Taft Public Library in Mendon

Upton Town Library

Uxbridge Free Public Library

Whitinsville Social Library in Northbridge

Adopted, Board of Library Trustees: September 14, 2021