7.1 Hardin County Public Library Meeting Room Policy

The Hardin County Public Library’s meeting room is intended primarily for library-sponsored activities. When the room is not in use by the Library, it may be used by other non-profit organizations for occasional educational, cultural, informational, government, or civic activities. All meetings must be free and open to the public. There is no charge for the use of the meeting room.



7.1.1 Guidelines for Public Use of Main Library Meeting Room:

• Library-sponsored activities take precedence over non-library usage of the meeting room.

• HCPL cardholders 18 years of age and in good standing may reserve the meeting room by submitting a Meeting Room Application. The cardholder is considered the official representative of the group, must be present throughout the scheduled meeting, and shall be responsible for communicating library policies and overseeing policy observance. Any fees for damages or cleaning shall be charged to the applicant’s library account.

• Meetings may be scheduled for no more than two (2) hours unless prior approval has been secured from the Library Director. Meeting rooms are only available during normal hours of operation. All meetings must conclude thirty (30) minutes prior to the library’s posted closing time. 

• Meeting rooms are booked on an equal first come, first served basis. Reservations should be made at least five (5) business days prior to the meeting. Reservations may not be made more than two (2) months in advance. An organization may not schedule more than one reservation in thirty (30) days. The room will not be made available to any organization for regularly scheduled meetings on a weekly, monthly, or recurrent basis. The Library Director may make exceptions on an individual basis. 

• A minimum of five (5) participants is required for use of the meeting room. Groups using the meeting room are required to report their attendance to the Adult Services Librarian. The maximum capacity of the room is forty-nine (49) and groups may not exceed this number due to fire code regulations. 

• Use of the kitchen is prohibited. Food and drink may be served in the meeting room as long as the use of the kitchen, including the refrigerator, is not required. Groups must leave the room neat and orderly, including the removal of trash. Fines are assessed if the room is left in an unsatisfactory condition or if there is damage to library property. 

• The Library has overhead projectors and a screen available for use in the meeting room. Reservation of audiovisual equipment must be requested on the application at the time of registration. A deposit may be required for equipment use. If library equipment is used, it must be returned to the circulation desk at the conclusion of the meeting. Movies must comply with Movie Licensing USA guidelines. Groups assume legal responsibility for copyright compliance.

• Meetings must be booked in person and a contract completed for meeting room use. This application must be approved before the meeting room is considered to have been reserved.

• The following uses of the meeting room are NOT permitted: the sale or promotion of products or services, groups charging admission or soliciting donations, social functions or recitals, personal or private parties, activities likely to disrupt regular Library operations, or the promotion of illegal activities. Meetings and individuals must conform to local laws and ordinances.

• No conduct disturbing regular Library use or infringing on any Library rules is permitted. All meetings shall adhere to the Hardin County Public Library Code of Conduct policy. No smoking or alcoholic beverages are permitted. 

• The Library reserves the right to cancel meetings for operational reasons or if an emergency exists. Groups must notify the Library and registered attendees of a cancellation of a meeting at the earliest possible date. Failure to notify may result in the denial of future planned meeting room use.

• Should inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances result in Library closure, altered hours, or infeasibility of meeting room utilization, cancellation of scheduled meetings will occur. It is the responsibility of the person completing the application to keep apprised of altered hours and notify the group of cancellations. The Library will attempt to notify you of a closure.

• Room setup is the responsibility of the group using the room. The group using the room must restore the room to its original condition after completion of the meeting. The Library will not be responsible for loss or damage to equipment or exhibits left in the meeting room or personal property of those attending the meetings. 

• Except as a designation of location, the name of the library may not be used in any publicity. Groups reserving the meeting room shall not use the Library’s name, logo, images of the building, or staff in any way that indicates library sponsorship of their event. 

• The marketing material you use to advertise your meeting must include the phrase: “This is not a Hardin County Public Library sponsored event.” The Library reserves the right to approve flyers, notices, signs, advertising, or postings of meetings.

• No signage may be placed outside of the Library’s building to designate the use of the meeting room. Any interior signage is limited to the space immediately in front of the meeting room door. All signage that will be used must be approved by the Library Director. 

• The Library does not endorse the views expressed by any group using the meeting room but does endorse the right of those groups to express their views as long as they abide by the policies and rules governing the use of the Library meeting room.

• All groups will agree to hold Hardin County Public Library, the Library Board of Trustees, and staff members harmless from and against all liability caused by the group/organization or any person in connection with that organization's meeting. HCPL, the Library Board of Trustees, and staff, collectively and individually are hereby released and discharged from all liability for any loss, injury, or damage to persons or property which may be sustained due to a meeting. 

• Exceptions to this policy may be made at the discretion of the Library Director.

• The Library reserves the right to deny the use of library meeting rooms. Any person(s) using the Library’s meeting room agrees to the terms of this policy in its entirety without exception. Any violation of this policy will result in the inability to use the meeting room in the future.    Rev. 03/14/24