Policy Statement

The Howell Carnegie District Library (HCDL, Library) provides meeting rooms (the Meabon Room and the Colbert Room) so that the Library can promote its program of service to the community. The Library Board of Trustees recognizes that the Library facilities belong to the community and permits use of the facilities on an equitable basis to as many organized groups and businesses as possible for educational, cultural and informational community meetings and programs conducted on a non-profit basis.

For-profit organizations or businesses using either meeting room are limited to staff training opportunities for employees of that organization or business only.

General Use

  1. Library programs and Library related activities have first priority for scheduling use of the facilities, after which other applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.
  2. The Library may ask users to reschedule meetings in the event the Library has to schedule a special Library Board meeting or other Library sponsored or co-sponsored event.
  3. The Library Board reserves the right to limit an organization to four meetings during a twelve-month period in order to accommodate general demand for the use of the meeting rooms.
  4. The applicant is responsible for room setup and cleanup, and these times should be included on the application.
  5. Private, personal, or family functions are not permitted in the meeting rooms.
  6. All meetings shall be open to the public. Events held in meeting rooms shall be open to all without restriction based on religion, race, color, national origin, arrest record, genetic information, sex, age, height, weight, marital status or disability, in accordance with Michigan law.
  7. Permission to use the meeting rooms does not imply endorsement by the Library.
  8. Users shall not use the Library’s name for any purpose other than to indicate the location of the meeting. The name, address, or telephone number of the Library shall not be used as the address, information contact source, or headquarters for users using the Library meeting rooms.
  9. Literature may be distributed during the meeting inside the meeting room, but not outside of the meeting room. Printed materials shall not be left on Library property without prior approval of the Library Director.
  10. Use of the meeting rooms shall not include an admission fee. Nonprofit users may charge fees for learning materials.
  11. The meeting rooms shall not be used by organizations or groups for events which have the primary objective of fundraising unless the library is the sole recipient of the funds raised.
  12. The sale of books, CDs and other items by authors or artists as a part of Library programming shall be permitted. Sales or activities that directly benefit the Library shall be permitted. Any exceptions to this must be approved by the Library Director.
  13. Only light refreshments (e.g. coffee and cookies, but no meals) may be served in the meeting rooms. Organizations using the meeting rooms shall provide all equipment and utensils needed and leave the room in the condition it was found prior to the meeting, cleaning up thoroughly.
  14. No alcoholic beverages are permitted in the meeting rooms.
  15. The Library is a smoke free environment, in accordance with Michigan law.
  16. The capacity of the meeting rooms is:

    Colbert Room – up to 15
    Meabon Room – up to 100

    The supervising or responsible adult shall comply with capacity limits and/or local fire department occupancy regulations.

  17. Users of Library facilities must observe the Library’s Rules of Conduct policy and all other Library policies. The responsible party must make program attendees aware of the Library’s policies and its regulations.
  18. Activities that disturb regular Library functions are not permitted.
  19. All participants are asked to use the rear (Clinton St.) entrance of the Library.
  20. Any application may be rejected or previously granted permission withdrawn for violation of the Use of Public Meeting Rooms policy.

Liability

  1. All organizations, groups or businesses will agree to hold the Library harmless from any loss, damage, liability, costs and/or expense that may arise during, or be caused in any way by, such use of the Library facilities.
  2. In the event of cancellation of the use of the meeting room by the Library due to an emergency, the Library is not obligated to provide an alternate meeting space.
  3. Groups using the facilities agree to leave the room and equipment in the same condition it was prior to their meeting. Extra custodial costs or costs of damages incurred as a result of the group using the meeting room shall be paid by the applicant.
  4. Adult supervision (over the age of 21) is required for all youth groups.
  5. Nonprofit groups within the district that meet more than once per week will be charged the same fee as nonprofit groups outside of the district (see Schedule of Fees).
  6. Fees are charged in increments of 4-hour blocks of time. Fees will not be prorated.

Schedule of Fees

Non-profit Group within HCDL district Non-profit Group outside HCDL district *For-profit Group with taxable property within HCDL district *For-profit Group outside of HCDL district
Meabon Room, regular library hours $0.00 $125 per 4 hour block minimum $125 per 4 hour block minimum $250 per 4 hour block minimum
Colbert Room, regular library hours $0.00 $50 per 4 hour block minimum $50 per 4 hour block minimum $100 per 4 hour block minimum
Beyond regular library hours** $25.00 $25.00 $25.00 $25.00

*For-profit organizations or business are limited to using HCDL’s meeting rooms for staff training opportunities for employees of that organization or business

**Regular library hours are:  9:00am – 7:00pm, Monday through Thursday; 9:00am – 4:00pm Friday and Saturday. The fee applies before 9:00am or after 7:00pm.  Meeting rooms are not available on Sunday.

Scheduling Procedures

  1. The Library Administration Department authorizes the use of the rooms and maintains the schedule. To verify availability of a Meeting Room, please check the Meeting Rooms space availability webpage or ask at a public service desk.
  2. Meeting Rooms may be scheduled no less than 1 week or no more than 45 calendar days prior to the scheduled date. The online request form must be completed at time of reservation request.
  3. Meeting Rooms may be used for meetings during regular Library hours.
  4. Provided a building supervisor is available, Meeting Rooms may be used before/beyond the regular hours as follows:
    1.  The Meeting Rooms must be vacated no later than 8 pm Monday through Thursday.
    2. Meeting Rooms are not available: before 8 am or after 8 pm Monday – Thursday; before 8 am or after 4 pm Friday; before 9 am or after 4 pm Saturday; or any time on Sunday.
  5. Include time for set-up and clean-up when scheduling times for use of the Meeting Rooms.
  6. All Meeting Room setup and amenities shall be requested at the time the application is submitted. Users wishing to use Library-supplied equipment must make that request at the time of application. Users have no guarantee that equipment will be available for use unless scheduled in advance.
  7. The Library will make every effort to notify scheduled users of the unavailability of the meeting room in the case of emergencies.
  8. Reservations are considered confirmed after the applicant receives an approval confirmation email.
  9. Twenty-four-hour notice is required for cancellation of the use of the room. Future meeting room privileges may be suspended for no-shows or cancellations without 24-hour notice.
  10. The applicant shall be responsible for all fees set forth in the Schedule of Fees.
  11. Any fees paid will not be refunded for no-shows or cancellations unless 24-hour notice is given.

 APR 7/14
Revised August 2021
Revised December 2021