Meeting Room Use Policy

Thank you for your interest in booking a meeting room at the North Palm Beach Library. Our rooms are available for rental during regular Library hours and outside regular hours for an additional rental fee.

Regular Library Hours

• Monday – Thursday / 9:00 A.M. – 7:00 P. M.
• Friday and Saturday / 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.

Priority in use of meeting rooms is given to the Library for programs and events.

How to Apply

Reservations are made through the Library’s Meeting Room Coordinator on a first-come, first-served basis. Completed Meeting Room Application confirms room rental. Applicant must be a cardholder in good standing. Reservations must be made by persons eighteen (18) years of age or older. A group may not transfer the use of a room reservation to another group or individual. Reservations can be made up to twelve (12) months in advance. A new application must be completed each calendar year.

Payment

The Library accepts cash, check, or credit. If using a credit card, the Library charges a convenience fee of $2.50.

Make checks payable to The Village of North Palm Beach Library.

All fees must be paid on or before the scheduled room rental date. Annual invoicing is available for groups that hold regularly occurring meetings.

The Library reserves the right to deny access to a reserved room if all fees are not paid by the required deadline.

Additional fees, including an overstay fee for not exiting the Library in a timely manner at closing time and a custodial fee for not leaving the room in good condition, may be charged at staff discretion.

Any individual or group with an outstanding fee may not book a room until the previous fee has been paid in full. Outstanding fees may be charged to the applicant’s Library account.

Cancellations

To cancel a reservation, please notify the Library’s Meeting Room Coordinator as soon as possible at (561) 841-1153. A full refund will be given if cancellation occurs at least seven (7) days in advance of the room rental date. If cancellation occurs less than seven (7) days in advance of the room rental date, the library will deduct an administrative fee of $10 from the refunded amount. Refunds will be issued via paper check and take approximately fourteen (14) days to process. Repeated cancellations will result in loss of meeting room privileges.

The Library reserves the right to change or cancel a reservation to accommodate a Village function. A full refund will be given when the Library has canceled a reservation and an alternative date cannot be accommodated.

Emergency Closings

If the Library closes due to an emergency or unforeseen circumstances (e.g., weather), every effort will be made to notify the group’s contact person listed on the Meeting Room Application. A full refund will be given if an alternative date cannot be accommodated.

Regulations

All meetings or functions must be completed in the timeframe stated in the rental agreement to avoid an overstay fee. Be sure to reserve enough time for setup and clean up. At least one adult, 18 years of age or older, must always be present.

Meetings must be conducted so as to not disturb Library operations or violate the Library’s Code of Conduct. The Library reserves the right to deny use of the meeting rooms to any use contrary to the best interests of the Village of North Palm Beach. No group will be permitted use of a meeting room if that use poses a potential disturbance to the normal operation of the Library. In determining whether such a likelihood exists, the Library Director or designee may take into consideration the contents of the application, the history of the group’s Meeting Room use in the Library, and such other information as he or she may deem appropriate. Approaching library users for the purpose of encouraging participation in the group’s activities is prohibited. All activities must be contained within the meeting room space unless approved otherwise.

No materials may be attached to meeting room walls, doors or windows without prior approval. Limited decorating may be permitted by the Meeting Room Coordinator. Certain types of decorations are prohibited, such as confetti, glitter or other items which make cleaning or vacuuming difficult. Moving tables, chairs or other items from one room to another must be authorized by Library personnel. Groups that view videos must secure all necessary performance licenses and indemnify the Library for any failure to do so.

Fire codes must be observed at all times. Room occupancy may not exceed legal limits and furniture and equipment may not block aisles and exits.

Failure to abide by these rules may result in termination of scheduled meetings and denial of future applications to rent space. Any group asked to leave during an event because of violations of the rules forfeits the rental fee. Appeals may be made to the Library Director or his/her designee.

Responsibilities

Rooms must be left in the same condition as found at the beginning of the meeting. Library staff is not responsible for setting up the room and janitorial service is not available. Use of electrical cords must be approved prior to use. Groups are responsible for operating their own equipment. Trash must be disposed of in refuse containers provided. Floors should be vacuumed or swept as needed. A vacuum can be requested from a staff member if not in the room. Cleaning supplies are available onsite. Clean up includes wiping tables and chairs as needed. Facilities may not be used to store material or equipment not belonging to the library. Any materials left after the meeting will be discarded. Any group which fails to leave the room in a satisfactory condition, or damages the premises beyond reasonable wear and tear, may be billed for the cost of damages. Children must be supervised by an adult at all times.

Publicity

A copy of any publicity material must be attached to the Meeting Room Application prior to publication. Any brochures, flyers, etc. must carry the name and telephone number of the group sponsoring the meeting. Groups cannot use the library’s name, address or telephone number as their official address or contact information. Groups are responsible for registering their own participants. The Village logo cannot be used in any publicity for non-Village business without prior consent of the Village Council. Groups may not publicize their meeting or event in such a way as to imply Library sponsorship or that the meeting is open or offered to the public. A sign advertising the meeting or function may be given to Library staff to hang in an appropriate location up to thirty minutes before the meeting provided it contains the statement, “This program is not sponsored or endorsed by The Village of North Palm Beach Library.” Handouts and other materials may be made available on a table inside the meeting room for those attending the meeting to pick up if they desire. No publicity is allowed on Library property outside of the building. The Library only provides publicity for functions sponsored by the Library and/or affiliated groups.

Food/ Refreshments

Light refreshments may be approved by the Meeting Room Coordinator. A $25 non-refundable cleaning fee may be required. Groups must bring their own supplies and utensils, including dishes and paper products. The Library does not provide coffee makers or microwaves, or access to a refrigerator. Open fire, including the use of candles, is not permitted. Any food served must be prepared offsite, as the rooms are not designed for cooking. No alcoholic beverages may be served, except at select Library and Village-related functions or at events in partnership with The Friends of the Library or the Country Club’s restaurant. Group representatives are expected to clean up before leaving. Please use covered drinks whenever possible.

NOTE: There are no public vending machines available at the Library.

Room Details

• 1st Floor Community Room (Obert), 103 maximum occupancy
• 1st Floor Multipurpose Room (Bob’s Garage), 20 maximum occupancy

All rooms have free WIFI available. A standard number of tables and chairs are provided based on room capacity. Sinks are available in each room. All rooms are wheelchair accessible. Some rooms are also equipped with technology or other amenities that may be reserved upon request.

NOTE: Arrangements for equipment must be made with the Meeting Room Coordinator in advance. This includes requests for number of tables and chairs. The Library makes every effort to ensure that equipment is in good working condition and performs regular checks. However, equipment and facilities are rented “as is.” The Library meeting rooms are not equipped with Hearing Loop technology.

If a group brings in outside items, that group is responsible for receiving and returning them. Additional furniture or electronic items to be brought in must be approved at the time of reservation.

*For an additional fee, staff can set up the space to your liking. Please see the Meeting Room Coordinator for more details.

Equipment Available

• DVD Player
• HD Projector
• Laptop
• Large Screen TV with HDMI port compatibility
• Lectern
• Wireless Mic
• Sound System

NOTE: Equipment must be left in the same condition in which it was found. Damage or loss of any library equipment or property will result in a financial liability to the individual and/or group reserving the room.

Room Fees

• Obert Room $30/hr
• Bob’s Garage $15/hr

All room rentals require a 1-hour minimum. Any exceptions must be approved in advance by the Library Director or his/her designee.

Government organizations and groups affiliated with the Village of North Palm Beach, such as the Friends of the Library, shall be rent free.

The Library reserves the right to deny access to a reserved meeting room if all fees are not paid by the required deadline.

Additional Fees

• $15.00 overstay fee- applies to those rentals that are booked to end when the Library closes. If the renters stay past closing time, this fee will be charged. Library staff is not authorized to stay late to accommodate a meeting unless approved ahead of time and afterhours fee is paid.
• $40.00 per hour afterhours staff fee- applies to those rentals that are booked outside of regular Library hours. Must be approved by Meeting Room Coordinator at time of booking and paid in advance. 
• $10.00 cancellation fee- applies when renter fails to notify the Meeting Room Coordinator of cancellation at least seven (7) days prior to the scheduled room rental date.
• $5.00 room set-up fee- applies when staff is requested to set up tables and chairs for Bob’s Garage.
• $10.00 room set-up fee- applies when staff is requested to set up tables and chairs for the Obert room.
• $15.00 custodial fee- applies when the staff of the Library needs to clean a room after a meeting, i.e. vacuum the floor. Renters do not need to take the trash out to the dumpster.
• $25.00 cleaning fee- applies when renter wishes to serve food/refreshments.

Equipment Charges

• DVD Player FREE
• HD Projector FREE
• Laptop FREE
• Large Screen TV FREE
• Lectern FREE
• Wireless Mic FREE
• Sound System FREE

Admission Fees and Sales

Organizers may charge admission to the programs they present in the meeting rooms they rent. Sales of products are also permitted as are the collection of membership dues. However, all such transactions are the sole responsibility of the booking organization or group.

Disclaimers

Use of a meeting room does not imply or suggest Library sponsorship or endorsement of the group’s beliefs or activities. The Library is not responsible for loss or damage of equipment, supplies, materials or any personal property owned by those sponsoring or attending meetings or functions at the Library. The Library reserves the right to take photographs for meetings/events open to the public. Library staff may enter the meeting room at any time during a scheduled function. The Library reserves the right to revoke meeting room privileges at any time. The Library Director or designee has final authority on all matters pertaining to meeting room usage.

Contact Information

Lynn Johnson, Meeting Room Coordinator
North Palm Beach Public Library
303 Anchorage Drive, North Palm Beach, FL 33408
Phone: (561) 841-1153 Fax: (561) 848-2874