1.    The Urbandale Public Library provides meeting space for civic, cultural, educational and public informational meetings by community and business groups.  Rooms are available except when they are needed for library or library co-sponsored programs. The Library is a designated polling place and elections also take priority.  Groups or organizations are allowed no more than two bookings per month.  No social events are allowed.  Meeting rooms are not available for business promotions, to sell merchandise or services, solicit for later sales, placement of orders or client contact by commercial businesses.  Exception: Programs or sales conducted by the Urbandale Library Foundation, the City of Urbandale or the library itself. 

2.    All meetings held at the library must be free of charge.  No admission, collection or donation may be taken.  Exception: With approval, permission may be given for the meeting rooms to be used by professional organizations for seminars and programs or by area colleges for courses of an educational or cultural nature.  Any fees necessary to support these programs or cost of program materials must be collected outside the library.

These regulations are in accordance with Article VI of the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights which states that such facilities should be made available to the public served by the given library “on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.”

3.    Reservations for use of meeting rooms will be assigned according to the needs of the meeting. Meeting rooms available include a large meeting room - capacity 128 seated or 120 at tables (this room can be divided into two smaller rooms with capacities of 64 seated or 60 at tables), the ICN room - capacity 20 at tables and the conference room - capacity of 18 seated or 12 at the table (available during library hours only).

4.    The meeting rooms may be scheduled in May for the following July 1 – December 31 and in November for the following January 1 – June 30.  Meetings are scheduled over the phone, in person or online with the Audio Visual Librarian at the Urbandale Library. Each reservation must include the name, address, and phone number of a contact person.  This contact information is made available to the public.  It is the responsibility of each organization to notify the library if the contact person changes.  Anyone under the age of 18 must have an adult co-sign the application and adult supervision must be provided during meeting room use.

5.    Meeting rooms are available at no charge from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday.  Meeting rooms are also available Sundays from 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.  Evening and weekend hours are limited to non-profit organizations.  (Exceptions to these hours are made for meetings by Urbandale City and Urbandale Schools.)  Thirty minutes shall be scheduled between any two meetings in the same room.  If a scheduled meeting is not to be held, the user must inform the Library one week in advance.   

6.    All equipment must be scheduled in advance.  Fees are charged in accordance with the equipment policy and a valid library card is required for use of some equipment.  Internet access is available in the meeting spaces but the Library cannot guarantee a connection to a specific site (i.e., corporate email, VPN, etc.).  All organizations must take reasonable precautions to avoid damage of equipment, furnishings, floor cover and other library property.  The Library reserves the right to bill organizations for damaged library property.  Candles and open flames are not allowed.  Materials are not permitted on walls except on the provided display rails and only dry erase markers may be used on the white board surfaces.  Exits shall not be obstructed and all materials shall be completely removed. 

7.    Set up and clean up is the responsibility of the user.  Meeting room furniture may be arranged to fit the needs of the user but must be returned to the standard arrangement prior to departure.  A custodial fee of not less than $50 will be charged to groups who fail to return a room to its original condition.  Upon a second infraction, meeting room use will be denied. The Library is a smoke-free building. 

 

8.    Food and non-alcoholic beverages must be provided exclusively by the Library’s contracted concessionaire Chapter’s by Mustard’s.  Failure to follow the Library’s food/drink policy will result in the loss of meeting room privileges for a period of six months.  Upon a second infraction, meeting room use will be denied.
 
9.    The Library’s “Code of Conduct in the Library Policy” also applies to use of the meeting rooms. Noise and conduct is expected to be kept to a level that will not disrupt either meeting room use or persons in the library. Individuals attending meetings are responsible for the supervision of their children.  The library is not responsible for accidents, injury, loss or damage to the private property of individuals or organizations or for storage of materials.

10.   Use of meeting rooms in no way implies library endorsement of ideas expressed in the meeting or of the aims and goals of the organizations using the facilities.  In case a question is raised as to the objective and activities of any organization, group, or individual requesting use of the meeting rooms, the Library Board shall be the final authority in granting or refusing permission for the use of the rooms.  Failure to follow the Library’s meeting room policy will result in the loss of meeting room privileges for a period of six months.

11.    All advertising and public notices of events to be held in the meeting rooms must carry a clear statement of organizational sponsorship.  No organization or group shall use the Library as its official address.

Note:  Although there is no charge for the use of these meeting rooms, any donation your organization may like to give to the Urbandale Public Library Foundation will be gratefully received. 


Revised 02/25/08