Meeting and Study Rooms
Study Rooms
District Study Rooms are intended to be places where one or more people, depending on the room capacity, can come together to study in a distraction-free environment. Each Branch has study rooms that anyone is able to use on a first come, first served basis. However, priority will be given to those patrons who are using the Study Rooms for their intended purpose. Depending on the location, you may use a study room as long as you like, provided no one else is waiting. You are guaranteed two hours in the study room and may stay longer, provided that there is nobody waiting for the room..
Meeting Room Policy
White Oak Library District Meeting Rooms are available to all community groups and organizations whose objectives are cultural, educational or civic in character. Use of District meeting rooms does not necessarily constitute sponsorship or endorsement by the White Oak Library District or Board of the user or the user’s beliefs. The District will not discriminate in making its premises available for use on the basis of race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, political affiliation or physical limitation.
After reading the below policy, you can download and fill out an application here.
I. Priorities
Priority will be given as follows: (1) District sponsored programs, (2) Friends of the White Oak Library District, (3) White Oak Library District Foundation, (4) District related programs, (5) White Oak Library District-based groups and organizations, (6) all others.
II. Meeting Room Access
A. Meeting Rooms are available only during hours that the library is open for general use.
B. Groups using the meeting rooms must end programs at least 15 minutes prior to the library’s closing time.
C. Non-library sponsored meetings must be open to the public at large and may not be restricted to the membership of the sponsoring organization. This means that any member of the public that sees a meeting taking place may enter and participate.
D. Groups may not charge admission, require fees or request donations for attendance or participation. Exceptions will be made for special events or programs sponsored by the District, the Friends of the Library and the White Oak Library District Foundation.
E. Organizations must comply with applicable Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements when using District meeting room facilities, and are responsible for providing (and if necessary paying for) qualified interpreters or auxiliary aids, upon request, to individuals who require certain accommodations that would enable them to observe and/or participate in the meeting. Any person who will require such an accommodation is requested to notify both the organization and the District administrative office during regular business hours at least seven business days prior to the event.
III. General Rules and Restrictions
A. Smoking is not permitted.
B. Food or uncovered beverages are not allowed. Exceptions will be made for special events or programs sponsored by the District, the Friends of the Library and the White Oak Library District Foundation.
C. The applicant must be present at all times during the stated reservation period.
D. The District is not responsible for equipment, supplies, materials or personal possessions owned by those sponsoring or attending a meeting or activity.
E. Rooms must be left in the condition they were found. The organization or person reserving the meeting room is responsible for any and all damages. Meeting room applications must contain necessary credit card information in the event that billing occurs for cleanup or restoration of the meeting space.
F. The applicant is solely responsible for the behavior, well-being and safety of any and all of their meeting participants.
G. Adequate adult supervision of minors is required at all times. One adult per 12 minors is required.
H. Activities and materials must be contained within the room.
I. Groups using the facilities must conform to all fire and safety regulations, including maintaining open aisle space and abiding by occupancy limits.
J. District staff will not be made available to change the room arrangement or to provide support services such as carrying equipment or materials into or around library facilities, operating audio-visual equipment, making photocopies, accepting phone calls or taking messages for the sponsoring organization or its participants.
K. Any telephones located in the meeting rooms are for District staff and emergency use only. Groups and organizations cannot make or accept phone calls in library meeting rooms with District-owned equipment.
L. For the safety of all in attendance, the applicant is required to read a statement at the opening of each meeting that identifies the available emergency exit routes and cautions against using the elevator during emergency situations. A copy of the statement and an evacuation map are provided with each reservation confirmation.
M. Whenever any outside group or organization wishes to book a library meeting space, and the Director or their designee determines that the nature of the room use will require hired security to be present to best guarantee the safety of library staff or patrons, the outside group will be required to pay for said security costs via cash or credit card a minimum of 3 business days prior to the event in question. If they wish to pay by check, the payment must be made 7 business days prior to the event. Business days are considered to be Monday – Friday and excludes all recognized bank holidays. Failure to pay for any security deemed necessary by the library Director or their designee will be cause for the room reservation to be cancelled/denied.
IV. Prohibited Uses and Activities
Library meeting rooms cannot be used for the following purposes:
A. The sale, promotion, endorsement or advertisement, whether directly or indirectly, of a commercial product or service. This includes organizations or businesses that intend to generate future revenue based upon ‘free’ educational programs promoting products or services offered by the sponsoring party.
B. Learning institutions, instructors or tutors conducting classes or study sessions that involve a fee for participation and groups or individuals promoting future courses or services entailing fees.
C. Employee recruitment, training or staff meetings.
D. Gambling activities.
E. Strictly social functions; defined as an event intended for entertainment through companionship with friends and associates, including, but not limited to, weddings, anniversaries, showers, card parties, birthday parties and social club events.
F. Benefits for private individuals, organizations and charities.
G. Legal depositions, proceedings or meetings pertaining to a lawsuit or civil action.
H. Activities that advocate the election or defeat of a candidate for public office or which advocate affirmative or negative votes concerning any political proposition.
V. Application Process and Reservations
A. All those who wish to use the meeting rooms must complete the standard application form which will be attached to the policy statement.
B. The Director will have complete administrative responsibility for approval of applications and scheduling of reservations.
C. Meetings should be scheduled as far in advance as possible, however, the District reserves the right to restrict the sign-up calendar until District programs and events have been recorded for the relevant period of time.
D. The Library requires a minimum of two weeks to process an application.
E. Reservations can not be made more than 5 months in advance. Any reservation requests made within 2 weeks of the date of the room use will be accommodated if possible but are not guaranteed.
F. Applications are approved on a first-come, first-served basis within 14 business days of receipt of the completed application.
G. The applicant must be a member, officer or agent of the sponsoring organization.
H. Non-residents and organizations not based in White Oak Library District cannot list the address of another party in order to benefit from White Oak Library District residential status.
I. The District reserves the right to change meeting locations according to its own convenience without prior notice.
J. The District also reserves the right to determine if a particular request for meeting room use constitutes a monopolization that unfairly restricts use by other organizations. Exceptions may be based upon special circumstances and upon availability of the room.
K. Applicants must provide two unique contact names and phone numbers that the District can give out to the public for questions and referrals to your organization.
L. Authorization to use the meeting rooms is not transferable to another organization.
M. Please notify the District administrative office immediately if a meeting is canceled.
N. In the event of an emergency closing of the District, all reservations are automatically canceled and any fees paid will be refunded. District staff will attempt to inform the contact person of the closing. Applicants may also check the District website (www.whiteoaklibrary.org) or call the relevant library branch to receive announcements regarding an unexpected closing.
VI. Meeting Room Fees
A. Use of the community meeting rooms is free of charge for White Oak Library District residents and White Oak Library District-based groups and organizations.
B. The District will charge non-residents and organizations not based within the White Oak Library District a non-refundable fee for each date that the meeting rooms are booked. The person(s) signing the application is responsible for payment.
C. Payment of the non-refundable fee is required for confirmation of the reservation. Checks or money orders should be made payable to: White Oak Library District.
D. The District welcomes and appreciates monetary donations for the use of the meeting rooms.
E. Fees are non-negotiable.
VII. Publicity
A. Individuals and organizations reserving use of District meeting room facilities are responsible for their own publicity.
B. All advertisements, announcements, press releases, flyers, etc. relating to nonDistrict sponsored meetings must clearly state that the meeting is not sponsored by the White Oak Library District. Copies of the aforementioned material must be sent to the District administrative office for approval at least seven days prior to the meeting.
C. The location of the relevant library branch should be publicized, but the District’s telephone number may not be used for any purpose.
D. The District is not to be included as a source for further information about the meeting.
E. The District will not handle attendee registration.
F. All promotional materials to be posted or distributed at District facilities must be submitted to the District administrative office for approval.
VIII. Non-compliance
The White Oak Library District will discontinue use of the meeting rooms by any group that does not abide by the meeting room policy or which disrupts library operations.
This policy is not all-inclusive; approval of individual meeting situations not described here will be determined by the Director. Waiver of any prohibitions in this policy may be requested by written application directed to the Library Board of Trustees.
Approved by the Board of Trustees on November 19, 2024
Download the Meeting Room Policy here.