Objective

The meeting rooms at the Carrollton Public Library at Josey Ranch Lake and Hebron and Josey are provided primarily for Library and City sponsored activities and services, which have priority in the scheduling of these rooms. The Carrollton Public Library reserves the right to cancel a reservation made by an outside organization or person if there is a conflict with events sponsored by the Library or City. The Library, City of Carrollton, and their partners (e.g., Friends of the Library) are exempt from these guidelines.

Use by Other Groups

• Meeting rooms are available for use by Carrollton residents who possess a valid Carrollton Public Library card. The person reserving the meeting room must be 18 years or older.
• Meeting rooms are available for meetings and programs that serve an educational, cultural, or civic purpose.
• Any solicitation, sale, or distribution of materials, goods or services, or the collection of attendees’ personal information, for commercial purposes or financial gain is not allowed.
• Any cultural, educational, or informational presentation must not compete in subject matter or content with Library programming or services.
  • Requests to present or host events that are similar in content to current Library programming should be directed to staff using the Program Proposal form.
• Meeting rooms are not available for public press conferences.
• Social functions (i.e., birthdays, showers, receptions, or similar celebrations), exercise classes, dance classes, music lessons, or similar type functions are NOT allowed.
• Political meetings or events must always be non-partisan and open to all candidates running for office, regardless of party affiliation or elected office.
• Meetings must be open to the public without regard to race, age, sex, religion, national origin, political affiliation, or disabilities.
• Any reservation of any Library meeting room is understood to be for that room only; a reservation does not include use of any outside or lawn space, or any interior open spaces outside the rooms, including the lobby.
• Amplified music is not allowed as it can cause a disturbance in other parts of the Library.
• Attendance is limited by the capacity of the rooms as established by the Library.
• Adults attending meetings in the Library, who bring children younger than 12 years of age, must keep their children with them while in the building.
• No decorations that will mar the rooms (i.e. adhesive tape) are permitted.
• Open flames or ignition sources of any kind, including candles and sterno burners, are not permitted.
• Permission to use the rooms shall not, in any way, constitute an endorsement of the group, its policies or activities, by the Library or by the City of Carrollton.
• Activities which violate City codes and ordinances or Federal, State, or local laws will not be permitted.

Fees

• No admittance fee, or any other charge for attendance, may be attached to any function held in the meeting rooms. Fund raising or sales of goods for any purposes are not allowed. The only exception will be Library co-sponsored programs, which may require a nominal fee.

Application for Use of Meeting Rooms

• Reservations are taken on a first-come basis with Library and City activities having priority.
• An adult who is a Carrollton resident and has a valid Carrollton Public Library card must make the reservation.
• Reservations for meeting rooms may be made between 14 and 60 days in advance of the reservation date.
• Representatives of HOAs and other neighborhood organizations which are registered with the City of Carrollton Neighborhood Partnership Office may reserve rooms 14 to 90 days in advance of the reservation date. Information about the registry may be found on the Community Development webpages.
• Reservation requests may be submitted online via the Library’s website.
• Reservations are not final until staff have reviewed and approved the request, and payment has been made.
• No group shall assign its space or reservation to another group.

Availability

• The rooms are available for use during Library hours and at times when Library functions are not scheduled. City and Library activities have first priority in scheduling of the rooms.
• Meetings shall be ended and cleanup completed prior to the Library closing hour or end of the reservation time. Meetings may NOT extend past the Library opening or closing time and additional charges may be incurred if the rooms are not cleared on time.

Publicity

• The Library does not produce publicity materials for groups utilizing the facilities. Meetings of outside groups are not included in the Library publicity materials unless they are co-sponsored by the Library.
• Neither the name, address, nor phone number of The Carrollton Public Library may be used as the official address or headquarters of an organization, other than the Friends of the Carrollton Public Library.
• Any publicity concerning the meeting which lists the Library as the location must include this disclaimer:
  "This event is not sponsored by The Carrollton Library." 

Payments and Cancellations

• Payment must be made at least seven (7) days before the date of the reservation.
• Cancellations may be made by the person reserving the room by submitting a request to Library staff via email or in person. Final details of the cancellation may be required to occur in-person.
  • Notice of cancellation of a meeting should be made to the Library as soon as possible, but at least 72 hours in advance, to receive a full refund. Cancellations made after 72 hours may be pro-rated.
• Failure to notify may result in loss of the privilege to book the rooms.

Smoking & Alcohol

• In compliance with the City of Carrollton Ordinance No. 1388, smoking is not permitted in the building, in either the lobby of the Library or the Community Meeting Rooms.
• No alcoholic beverages are allowed on Library property.

Set Up/Clean Up

• Upon arrival, all reservation holders must check in at the service desk and show ID for the safety and security of all Library visitors and staff.
• Sufficient time for set up and clean up should be factored into a room reservation.
• The Library staff does not provide room set up, including chairs, tables, podium, or equipment.
• Groups using the rooms are responsible for returning the chairs and tables to their original places when events have ended.
• No physical changes may be made in the rooms except for the rearrangement of furniture. Items on display may not be disturbed.
• The rooms must be left in their original condition and clear of trash and personal belongings.

Equipment and Supplies

• Use of videos in programming must conform to copyright laws governing public performance videos only.
• Audio-visual equipment (e.g., projectors, laptops, sound systems, or similar items) are not available for public use. These items must be provided by the group organizer.
• Staff is not available to assist with equipment at the time of the meeting or program.
• Internet access is provided via Wi-Fi.
• Groups must provide all supplies needed. The Library cannot provide office supplies, scissors, staplers or copy services. All rooms have dry-erase boards; markers are available at the service desks.

Responsibility for Damages

• The individual making the reservation and providing his/her Library card number is responsible for any damages to the rooms, the furnishings, or any Library equipment borrowed.
• This individual should be present at the time of the scheduled activity or designate a contact person to be present.
• Damage to the facility may result in denial of future use and payment for damages.

Library Staff Member Presence

• The Library reserves the right to have a member of its staff in attendance at any meeting held within the Library facility.

Revocation of Privileges

• Failure to comply with this policy may result in loss of privilege to use the facility and may also result in other action deemed appropriate by the Carrollton Public Library.