Our temporary location at the Jamestown Golf Course (245 Conanicus Avenue) does not have meeting rooms. Thank you for your patience and support during our renovation!
Meeting Room Policy
Who May Reserve a Meeting Room
As an institution of education for democratic living, the Library welcomes the use of its meeting rooms for socially useful and cultural activities and discussion of public questions. The meeting rooms are available on equal terms to all groups in the community regardless of the beliefs and affiliations of their members, provided that the meetings are open to the public.
The facilities of the Jamestown Philomenian Library are generally available, free of any rental charge, to Jamestown civic, cultural, and educational groups, provided that no admission fee is charged and the meetings are open to the public. Fees or conditions may be levied for meetings by other groups as outlined in the procedures and application. Meeting rooms are not available for personal, or social purposes or individual memorial services, the benefit or use of private individuals, or for fund-raising purposes.
I. Facilities and Meeting Rooms Available for Use
•Meeting Hall— 125 Fire Code Capacity, 100 seating capacity. May be used when the library is closed with permission from the Director.
•The Sydney L. Wright Room—12-15 person capacity. Available only when the library is open. Limit—2 Hours
II. Authorization Meeting Room Use
A. The Library Director is responsible for managing the library facility, including public meeting rooms. The policies outlined in this document shall be implemented by the Director, or a duly authorized designee.
B. The fact that a group or organization is granted permission to meet in the Library in no way constitutes endorsement by the town of Jamestown or the Library of the policies or beliefs of that group or organization.
C. The Library Board of Trustees reserves the right to deny any meeting room application after review.
III. Guidelines for Use of the Meeting Rooms
It is of the utmost importance that the groups and individuals who use the meeting rooms understand and acknowledge that they are the guests of the Library, that they are able to use the facilities at the discretion of the management of the Library, and that their use of the facilities reflects that understanding. Priority ranking for groups is as follows.
•First priority - The Library, Friends of the Library, Jamestown school and municipal organizations and committees, Jamestown students, Jamestown civic, cultural and service organizations - no charge except for kitchen use.
•Second priority. Jamestown non-profit organizations, Jamestown businesses, Jamestown private clubs and organizations - no charge except for kitchen use.
•Third priority - Non-Jamestown civic, cultural, educational groups. Charges may apply.
•Fourth priority - Non-Jamestown businesses or non-civic organizations. Non-Jamestown private clubs and organizations. Charges may apply.
•These charges reflect room use for a maximum of four hours. Additional hourly charges may apply.
* Please see VII for fee schedule
Additional Guidelines
•Petition signing is limited to areas outside the building and shall in no way interfere with the normal use of the Library.
•It is Library policy that the Library be a place free from commercial or charitable solicitation other than for the Library or the Friends of the Library.
•No group or organization using the meeting room will discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, or handicapped status in the provision of services.
•No admission fee may be charged. Exceptions are in the case of paid registration at conferences or institutes, held in cooperation with the Library, or payment of fees for regularly scheduled education courses sponsored by nonprofit organizations.
•No product or service may be sold, except in the case of payment for materials required for educational or group discussion or the books and materials of presenters at library sponsored events and then only with the expressed permission of the Library Director.
•All publicity for meetings held in the Library must carry the name of the organization sponsoring the meeting. The Library will not take reservations from individuals for particular meetings. Those reservations must be made through the sponsoring organization. The Library may not be identified as the sponsor.
•Groups may not use the name or address of the Jamestown Philomenian Library as the official address or headquarters of the organization.
•Youth organizations using meeting rooms must provide adult supervision at all times.
•No smoking is permitted in the building. No open flames are allowed (candles, sterno, etc.)
•No alcohol or illegal drugs may be consumed in or brought onto the library property.
IV. Meeting Room User Responsibilities
•All persons wishing to use library facilities and meeting rooms must agree in writing to abide by these policies.
•Library facilities and meeting room users must agree to restore area to original clean condition. Users must provide their own trash bags and trash generated by the meeting must be take away by the user. Failure to restore the facility or meeting room to the condition in which it was found may result in penalty fees and the revocation of authorization for the use of the room.
•Library facilities and meeting room users agree to pay for any and all damages to library property including, but not limited to walls, floors, grounds and furniture while property is being used by applicant. Failure to pay for damage will result in revocation of authorization for use for the remainder of the reservation year.
•Rooms with meetings or programs scheduled within the library proper i.e. all rooms excepting the meeting hall must be vacated promptly at the library closing time. Staff will provide sufficient notice to participants so that business can be concluded.
V. Parking
Attendants at meeting should be aware of the half hour parking spots and refrain from parking in them for meetings longer than one half hour. Handicapped parking spaces should be respected. Please do not park on the grass.
VI. Staff Assistance
•Authorization for library facilities and meeting room use does not include the use of staff time other than to provide access to the facility or meeting room.
•We regret that staff assistance in the arrangement of chairs and tables is not available.
VII. Fees
Please contact the Director for any applicable fees.
VIII. Application for Use
•All groups are given consideration on a first come/first served basis using the priority schedule above.
•No group shall have more than four consecutive meetings scheduled at one time. Exceptions may be made for municipal meetings which require postings with the State of Rhode Island.
•The Library reserves the right to preempt any event for a Library or Town sponsored event; in such rare instances, the Library will put forth every reasonable effort to give ample advance notice of such preemption and to assist the group in reserving another date or library facility or meeting room.
•A fully completed, signed Application For Use Of Meeting Room must be submitted for approval by the Director of the Library. All organizations will be asked to sign an initial responsibility form. On-line reservations are available and will qualify as a signed responsibility form. You will be notified if your reservation has been accepted.
•Tentative booking of a facility or meeting room may be initiated by calling 423-7280.
•Please notify the Library if you will not be using the room. Failure to do so may result in suspension or revocation of privileges.
IX. Scheduling
Availability of library rooms can be viewed remotely by computer on our events calendar.
X. Refreshments
Refreshments are limited to the Meeting Hall. The Library Board and the Friends of the Library Board are the exceptions to this rule. If refreshments are served in the hall, the organization or group is responsible for providing their own trash bags and removing the trash when they leave.
XI. Publicity
Programs and meeting held in the building appear on the library Meeting Rooms and Events Calendar. Groups doing community programming open to the public will do their own publicity for their programs. If information for our calendar is desired, the information must be submitted in a digital format.
XII. Indemnity/Insurance
The Library is insured by Interlocal Trust as part of the Town of Jamestown.
XIII. Liability
The library is not responsible for equipment, clothing, or other items left on its premises. Organizations are responsible for any damage to the library property.
XIV. Reserving audio-visual equipment
If the Library s audio-visual equipment is requested for a program in the building, reservations must be made with the librarian by calling 423-7280. Only Jamestown organizations or businesses may borrow A/V material to be removed from the building and a representative of the organization must sign a responsibility form. Currently available equipment includes:
•LCD Projector
•DVD Player
We regret that we can not guarantee availability of A/V material or support for the use of the equipment.