Meeting Room Policy

Please click here for the Meeting Room Application.

The Mission of the New Providence Memorial Library is to be the community’s center of knowledge and to serve as the catalyst to promote and encourage lifelong learning. Library resources including the meeting rooms are available to library users in accordance with the mission statement.  

Priorities for Library Meeting Room Use

The Coddington Activity Room and the Conti Family Meeting Room are primarily used for programs that are sponsored by the library and by groups in accordance with the considerations in this policy. This includes gatherings of a civic, cultural, educational, informational, or recreational nature, such as book discussions, music concerts, and children’s story times, and many more uses. All events must be open to the public.

Guidelines for Library Meeting Room Use

Events sponsored by the library or library affiliated groups take precedence over all other groups.  NPML reserves the right to cancel or reschedule a confirmed reservation if the Meeting Room is needed for library purposes.  As much advance notice as possible shall be given. 

The Library is not responsible for personal property, including cell phones, laptops, iPads, handbags, etc. It is the responsibility of the owner to safeguard personal belongings.

Library users may not publish or distribute advertisements, letters or electronic communication indicating the library as their place of business, or otherwise imply library sponsorship of their activities.  Any materials for display or distribution must be approved by the Library Director.

Any organization requesting use of the Meeting Rooms must complete an Application for Use of the Library Meeting Room form in advance and obtain approval before permission can be granted.

Conditions for Use of the Meeting Rooms

• Applicants for program use must be 18 years of age of older.  For any event that is intended for minors, an application must be made by an adult who will be present and will be responsible for the conduct of the minors and the use of the facility, including children who leave the meeting room during the course of the meeting.
• No admission may be charged.  Fundraising is not permitted.  Authors presenting a library-sponsored Book Talk may sell their books with approval from the Library Director acting for the Board of Trustees.  [Fees for materials may be charged with advance approval.]
• No solicitation or referrals of business is permitted. Materials, cards, service brochures, etc. may be placed on a table during presentation but may not be handed to attendees. Programs are limited to the presentation of information about which the presenter can speak authoritatively. 
• The Conti and Coddington Rooms may be rented for a fee of $75.00. The fee is $50.00 for organizations located in New Providence. This fee is waived for New Providence non-profit groups that serve the community at the discretion of the Library Director.
• Professionals or groups who reserve the meeting room for a program must have an authorized individual sign the Hold Harmless Agreement, and provide a certificate of insurance of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence. If not provided within 5 days before the event, the event must be canceled. The application must be returned to the Library well in advance of the scheduled event, accompanied by the insurance certificate.  Acceptance of a request is not a confirmation. Requests for the meeting room must be approved by the Director before they are confirmed.  The Library Director or authorized representative is solely responsible for granting permission to use the meeting rooms. Authorized library staff will have free access to any part of the building during times of meeting room use.
• Approval for use of the rooms will be granted for not more than once per week for a maximum of one month, or once per month for a maximum of six months.  Applicants may reapply when their scheduled time has been used up. Requests for exceptions to these requirements must be approved by the Director.
• Should the library close due to inclement weather, it is the responsibility of the group to check the Library’s website, newprovidencelibrary.org.  The library shall bear no responsibility for costs incurred by the booking group.  Organizations are responsible for providing members and attendees with directions, parking information and an organizational contact name and phone number, for questions about the event. 
• The meeting rooms must be vacated by 8:30 PM on nights that the library is open in the evening, and at 4:30PM when it is open until 5PM. Groups are expected to comply and continued non-adherence may affect future use.
• Attendance is restricted to the number of persons permitted in the room by ordinance.  This information is posted in the Meeting Rooms. 
• Serving refreshments or snacks of any kind in the Coddington Room is not allowed. Refreshments in conjunction with an event in the Conti Room may be served with the approval of the Director and will incur a $50 service fee per event. No other food or drink is permitted.  The organization must provide its own paper products.  Any food or beverage remaining must be removed.  All spills and traces of refreshments on tables, furniture and carpets must be removed.  All trash and debris must be placed in the proper receptacles at the end of the event. 
• Applicants are responsible for any damage to library property.  There must be no nailing or taping to floors, walls or fixtures.  The building and equipment must not be marked or defaced in any manner.  The library will determine the cost of damage or theft by charging prevailing rates.
• The group is responsible for furniture set-up and for returning the furniture to the original set-up.
• For group programs, an HDMI cable attachment to the ceiling projector can be provided.  The organization is responsible for providing an experienced operator of a laptop or presentation device. A laptop computer may be reserved but bringing one’s own laptop is strongly recommended for compatibility of software programs.
• Permission to use the room does not constitute endorsement on the part of the library of any particular organization’s policies or beliefs.  Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the library or its trustees and/or employees.  The applicant may not name the library as a sponsor or presenter in posters or any advertisements.  The library may be indicated for location only.
• Smoking and alcohol are prohibited.  Gambling is prohibited. 
• If a movie will be shown, the organization must arrange for a license to comply with copyright law. The library takes no responsibility for compliance.
• Chairs and tables in any area of the library are available on a first-come basis.  Patrons can expect to share a table or a space with others as needed.  Tables may not be reserved.  Furniture must not be moved. 
• The Library outside the Meeting Rooms contain quiet spaces where people come to study and read. Please be respectful of other patrons. Voices and noise should allow activities outside the Rooms to continue without unreasonable interference. The Library reserves the right to ask room occupants to lower their level of noise and also to relocate groups within the Library.
• When tutoring is permitted in the Meeting Rooms, doors must remain open.
• A representative of the organization and all who use the Rooms are responsible for adhering to Meeting Room protocol which includes notifying Circulation Desk staff that you have arrived as well as when you are leaving and adhering to the posted Code of Conduct.

           

NPML Meeting Room Policy, Approved Dec. 6, 2006: Revised Sept. 15, 2009 and March 17, 2015 and Dec. 20 2016 and Nov. 2021