Meeting Room Policy

The primary purpose of the Library's Meeting Rooms is to provide a space for Library and Library-related activities. The needs of the Library and the Friends of the Library, Perry Public Library Board of Trustees and Perry Public Library Association will take precedence. The Library reserves the right to cancel or reschedule any meeting. 

Library Meeting Rooms are available free of charge for the following groups/individuals: 

  • Educational, cultural, civic, social, political, religious or professional organizations
  • Persons volunteering as tutors as part of a non-profit program 

Library Meeting Rooms are not available to groups/individuals for: 

  • Promotion or sales of services or products
  • Fund-raising purposes
  • Conducting classes for profit

No admission, attendance charge or required donation may be assessed by any non-Library group using a Meeting Room. Fees may be charged for program materials. Use of the Meeting Room does not mean that the Library endorses the purposes and policies of those using its Meeting Rooms. Meeting Room use may be denied to anyone falsifying a meeting room application or failing to comply with this policy. Groups and individuals using Library Meeting Rooms agree to the Policy and to the Meeting Room Guidelines. 

Meeting Rooms Guidelines

  1.  All meetings must be open to the public.
  2. Requests must be submitted in advance for approval and confirmation, either on-line or in person.
  3. Meeting rooms may be requested up to six months in advance of the meeting date.
  4. The Director or a Reference Librarian must approve all reservations. A representative of the group should review the Meeting Room Policies prior to the meeting date. The group representative, who must be an adult, is responsible for the orderly conduct of the group, and in the event of any damage to library property and/or equipment that individual will be liable.
  5. The Library will approve and schedule only those meetings which will not disturb other Library activities or patrons. All groups and individuals must comply with all rules of the Perry Public Library. The Library reserves the right to withdraw permission for meeting room use when conditions so warrant and to stop meetings which interfere with the normal operation of the Library.
  6. By requesting to use a Library meeting room, a group acknowledges its willingness to be addressed at some time during its meeting by a Library staff member.
  7. Meeting rooms are available during public service hours or through special arrangement and must be vacated 15 minutes before closing.
  8. Except as a designation of location, the name and contact information of the Library may not be used in any publicity for a meeting.
  9. In accordance with the Solicitation in the Library policy, groups will not be permitted to post signs or distribute materials on Library property without approval of Library staff. Unauthorized material will be removed.
  10. No promotion or sale of items or services allowed in any Library meeting room.
  11. Any action or event organized by a campaign committee or group designed specifically to promote or oppose a candidate or ballot issue is not permitted. Meetings at which candidates will discuss current election issues are permitted provided the event is hosted by a non-partisan, nonprofit organization (i.e. League of Women Voters) and all candidates for the same office have been invited. Meetings held by a campaign committee or political party/group to plan a campaign or political activity are permissible. Also permissible are meetings held by elected officials to gather input or communicate with constituents.
  12. Attempting to raise funds for any purpose during a meeting is not permissible. Use of a meeting room to plan a fund-raising campaign or event is permitted.
  13. Workshops, seminars or informational meetings on financial, estate, insurance or retirement planning sponsored by a for-profit business will be considered "for profit" ventures and, therefore, sponsoring groups or individuals will not be permitted to use the Library Meeting Rooms.
  14. Attendance is limited by meeting room seating capacity.
  15. Refreshments may be brought into Library meeting rooms. The group serving them will be responsible for any clean up following the meeting. Alcoholic beverages of any type may not be brought into, served, or consumed on the Library’s premises.
  16. The Library is not responsible for equipment, supplies, or any other materials owned by the group and used in the Library.
  17. Storage of personal property, equipment and/or supplies is not permitted in the Library.
  18. Accidents must be reported to the staff member in charge who will report the incident according to Library procedure.
  19. The library may permit presenters at Library-sponsored programs to sell merchandise related to the subject or activity of their programs. The Library will grant this permission either to reduce the cost of the program to the Library or to raise funds for the Friends of the Library, likewise, a Library-sponsored program may have a registration charge to defray or reduce the cost of the program to the Library.
  20. The library makes no endorsement, express or implied, of any non-library event or activity held in the meeting room. Publicity of such events must include a disclaimer to this effect.