The Library meeting rooms are for use by the Library and for affiliated Library organizations and activities, such as the Friends of the Library. When they are not being used or needed for library purposes they are available to the public under the terms and conditions of this policy and the regulations.
The New Lenox Public Library provides meeting rooms as a limited public forum to support its educational mission and roles. Library meeting room use will not be denied to any person or organization because of race, religion, color or any other protected class. The Board subscribes to the tenets of the Library Bill of Rights, which states in part: “Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.” Use of the meeting room does not constitute Library endorsement of the viewpoints expressed by the participants in the programs. The following groups also may use meeting rooms for cultural, civic, and informal educational purposes:
- Library-Related Groups
- Non-Profit Organizations
- Businesses Holding Non-Commercial Meetings
Meeting rooms may not be used for gatherings of a purely social nature. All users holding public meetings are responsible for complying with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which require that a meeting or materials at a meeting be provided in an accessible format in response to a request. Groups may not charge admission nor solicit or require donations for their meetings. No products or services may be solicited or sold except at Library sponsored events. Groups leaving the meeting rooms in damage or disorder may be disqualified from future use and/or charged any repair and replacement costs.
Meetings shall not interfere with the public's use of the Library through noise, activity outside the meeting room, or other disturbance that violates the Patron Behavior Policy. The Library reserves the right to modify this policy and to cancel any reservation due to unforeseen circumstances. The Library may also cancel a group's reservation(s) if the Meeting Room Policy is violated. The Library’s Unattended Children Policy applies to people who use the meeting rooms. A group must make provision for childcare if the children will not be part of the program. Library staff are not responsible for watching unattended children.
See the attached Meeting Room Regulations and Large Meeting Room Use Agreement for more information on renting the meeting room.
Adopted by the Board of Trustees January 10, 2005; Revised October 10, 2011; Updated December 11, 2017; Updated November 12, 2019; Updated June 14, 2021
Meeting Room Regulations
Business and Non-Profit Groups
- Meeting room hours are available only during regular Library operating hours; i.e., 15 minutes after opening and before closing.
- Reservations are taken on a first-come, first-serve basis only. Library programming takes precedence over meeting room requests.
- Fees are as follows:
- Fees: $25 per meeting room for up to 2 hours, and each additional hour will be $10 per hour
- Setup of room is allowed 15 minutes prior to start of meeting.
- All fees must be paid within 3 business days of the room being booked or the booking is forfeited.
- Cancellations must be made 24 hours before scheduled meeting date.
- Selling products, items, or services for personal or business-related profit will not be allowed.
- All meeting rooms receive a basic room setup of 2 tables and 12 chairs, unless otherwise noted.
- The Library’s Unattended Children Policy applies to people who use the meeting rooms, and all groups must make provision for childcare if the children will not be part of the program as library staff is not responsible for watching unattended children.