Purpose
These Policies and Rules Governing Use of the Chappaqua Library Facilities (“Facilities”) are applicable to third parties’ application, reservation and use of Library facilities, including the Theater and Program Rooms. Application does not guarantee use. Use of library facilities is at the full discretion of the Library Director and may be withheld at any time, for any reason.
Policy
Any user of the Facilities must be familiar with and abide by all applicable policies and rules.
• Administration: The Library Director is responsible for the administration and scheduling of the theater, meeting rooms, and all other Facilities in the Library. Third party use must not interfere with the normal operation of the Library during business hours.
• Eligible Sponsors: Facilities may be reserved and used for programs, events, and exhibits by Friends of the Chappaqua Library and other not-for-profit educational, cultural, and civic organizations based in the Chappaqua Central School District (“Sponsoring Organization”).
• Priority of Use: Priority for use of Facilities shall be given in the following order: 1) the Library; 2) Friends of the Chappaqua Library; 3) other educational, cultural, and civic organizations based in the Chappaqua Central School District.
• Eligible Activities: All events must be open to the general public. Facilities may not be used for private parties or for programs or events sponsored by political organizations. Programs or events involving the sale, advertising, solicitation, or promotion of commercial products or services immediately or at a future time are strictly prohibited.
• Applications: Applications for use of a Facility must be made four to eight weeks in advance on an official application form and will be reviewed by the Library Director. Applications will not be accepted early. If the application is accepted, the reservation will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis, according to Priority of Use. To be valid, a reservation must be confirmed in writing by the Library Director, or a staff member designated by the Director.
• Cancellation of Reservations: A reservation may be canceled by the Sponsoring Organization, but if it is not canceled at least 24 hours in advance, then fees already paid will be forfeited. If the Library closes and all scheduled activities are canceled due to unforeseen or emergency circumstances, then fees already paid will be refunded or the reservation rescheduled. The library reserves the right to cancel a reservation, refunding fees already paid, with at least one week’s notice, in the event of a critical need of the space from something of higher priority, as defined above.
• Sponsor’s Responsibilities: The Sponsoring Organization must identify an adult member of the Sponsoring Organization who will be present for the entirety of the program or event and who will be responsible for compliance with the rules of the Library (“Responsible Person”). The Sponsoring Organization shall be responsible for the preservation of order and for restoring the Facility to its original condition immediately upon completion of the scheduled activity, which may include cleaning the Facility, putting away or rearranging chairs, tables, and other equipment, disposing of trash, and otherwise making the Facility ready for the next user. Any Sponsoring Organization violating this rule may forfeit the right to any future use of any Facility and will be liable for any additional costs incurred by the Library in cleaning and restoring the Facility. The Responsible Person must notify the assigned Library staff member when the scheduled activity is over, so that together they can examine the Facility that was used to make certain that the Facility has been properly restored to the Library staff member’s satisfaction.
• Liability and Financial Responsibility: The Library does not accept any responsibility for the personal safety of any person, either inside or outside the Library, before, during, or after the use of any Facility. The Library is not responsible for damage, loss, or theft of personal property. The Sponsoring Organization and all users shall indemnify and hold the Library harmless from any loss, damage, liability, costs and/or expense, including but not limited to attorney fees, that may arise during or to be caused in any way by the Sponsoring Organization’s use of the Facility and compensate the Library for any damages to the Facility, or other property of the Library caused by or resulting from the use of the Facility.
• Certificate of Insurance: The Sponsoring Organization must provide a Certificate of Insurance form showing minimum limits of liability coverage, which names the “Chappaqua CSD Public Library” as an additional insured and providing contractual liability for the hold harmless and indemnification provisions of this policy. The Certificate of Insurance must be produced prior to the use of the Facility.
• Admission Charges and Donations: Admission to events, programs, and exhibits must be free and open to the general public, but Sponsoring Organizations may collect donations.
• Publicity: All publicity and promotional material for a Sponsoring Organization’s program, event, or exhibit must include a statement that the activity is open to the public and a disclaimer stating the fact that the activity is not sponsored by the Library and that the Library does not have any relationship to the Sponsoring Organization or the activity.
• Rental Fees: Fees for the use of the Facilities are listed on the application form and must be paid upon confirmation of the reservation. Tipping of Library personnel is not permitted.
• Smoking, Vaping, Drugs and Alcohol: Smoking, vaping, and the use or sale of drugs or other intoxicants is strictly prohibited inside the Library or on library grounds. Sponsoring organizations are not permitted to sell, serve or consume alcoholic beverages inside the library or on library grounds.
• Use of Library Equipment: If Library’s equipment is to be used, that must be requested on the application for the reservation. The Library Director reserves the right to prohibit the use of certain library equipment unless a library staff member can be scheduled to operate the library equipment on behalf of the Sponsoring Organization during the program or event. If a library staff member is required, the additional cost of the staff member’s time must be paid by the Sponsoring Organization.
• Food or Beverage: With permission from the Library Director, the Sponsoring Organization may serve simple refreshments. Requests must be made in advance on the application, and the Library reserves the right to approve the use of Library Facilities but deny permission to serve refreshments. The Library does not provide tablecloths, paper plates, napkins, towels, etc. When such items are used, they must be properly disposed of in containers provided. Equipment must be cleaned and put away, and users must leave the space clean and orderly.
• Amendments and Changes: The Library may amend, revoke, or replace any of the forgoing Policies and Rules at any time and for any reason, subject only to the discretion of the Library’s Board of Directors and applicable law.
Adopted by the Chappaqua Library Board of Trustees on October 20, 2009.
Revised on October 21, 2024.