Adopted by the Madison County Library Board of Trustees, April 13, 2004

The Madison County Library System welcomes the use of its meeting room facilities for cultural, civic, educational and public information meetings of interest to the citizens of our county. Under no circumstances will individuals or groups be allowed to use a library meeting room for church services or for social functions (i.e., wedding receptions, birthday parties, showers, reunions, etc.). Policies governing the use of the library meeting spaces are made in accordance with Article 6 of the Library Bill of Rights:

Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

Library-sponsored programs and library staff meetings or training programs will be given first priority in the use of meeting room space. Library meeting room space will then be made available to all non-profit Madison County groups on a first-come, first-serve basis, subject to the requirements that follow. Individuals may be permitted to use meeting room or small conference room space for quiet study, but community groups will be given priority when requests for use are considered by the Branch Manager.

Meeting Room Use Requirements

1. Meeting room capacity at each branch is determined by the Fire Code and must NEVER be exceeded. Capacity per branch is as follows:

Camden Library: 48 Seated without tables, 16 seated at tables
Canton Library: 100 Seated without tables, 36 seated at tables
Flora Library: 65 Seated without tables, 22 seated at tables
Madison Library: 88 Seated without tables, 29 seated at tables
Ridgeland Library: 90 Seated without tables, 30 seated at tables

2. All meetings must be open to the public and the media. Meetings shall not exceed 3 hours.

3. No alcoholic beverages are allowed, no signs or posters shall be affixed to the walls, and applicants must bring their own supplies, i.e., photocopies, pens, paper, etc. Library staff will not make copies for groups.

4. Minors and/or children who accompany adults to meetings must stay in the meeting with the adult. (See MCLS Unattended Children Policy.)

5. Admission fees may not be charged, collections may not be taken up, nor may products be sold. Groups or individuals may not sell goods or services for profit. Exceptions to this rule may be fees collected as tuition for educational courses taught by established institutions or to recover the costs of breakage or theft of materials used in library-sponsored programs, utility costs, clean-up costs.

6. Library Fees

$15 Per-use fee (3 hours) or $150 annual usage fee due each year to cover maintenance, utilities, etc. (Maximum of 12 monthly meetings per year.)

$25 If alarm sounds and police must telephone a library staff member to come to the building, or if a library staff member is called to lock up the building after normal library operating hours.

$25 If meeting room key is not picked up before the meeting or returned by the next day.

$25 Penalty for chairs and tables left out by meeting room users (excludes Canton).

$75 Janitorial fee for failure of a group to thoroughly clean the meeting room after they have used it.

Procedures and Regulations:

1. Requests to use meeting room space in any branch of the Madison County Library System must be made through the branch where the meeting is to occur. Each of the branch locations has a different sized meeting room and/or small conference spaces available (contact the Branch Manager for details). Reservations will be made on a first-come, first-serve basis after an adult representative (person 18 years or older) of the requesting group has completed and submitted a meeting room reservation request form.

2. Meeting rooms and small conference rooms are available for use during normal library open hours. Meeting rooms should be vacated at least fifteen minutes before closing time. Persons using meeting room space at times when the Library is closed will be confined to that meeting room space. The Library's telephone will not be made available to attendees for use of after-hours meetings or classes.

3. No meeting may be scheduled more than one year ahead of the meeting date requested.

4. A group may reserve the meeting room no more than once a month.

5. Renewals of annual reservations are due no later than October 1st of each year. Renewals are not automatic. Renewals are not transferable to other branch libraries or to other parties. An adult representative from the group who is a Madison County resident with a valid Madison County Library System card must be responsible for arranging and verifying meeting room dates and times with the Branch Manager. A new reservation request form must be completed each year and accompanied by a $150 usage fee. If a group reserves the meeting room on a per-use basis, a reservation request form must be completed and $15 fee must be paid each time the room is reserved.

6. The contact person, as stated on the reservation request form, will be responsible for the conduct of the group. Meetings or classes held during regular library open hours must be conducted in low tones, being mindful and respectful of others using the library at that same time. The contact person will be assessed the full cost of any damages to the building or library property that occur during a meeting of the group. They will be assessed a fee if the key is not returned immediately following a meeting or if all equipment is not turned off properly or if the building is left unlocked. Future use of the space by that group may be denied.

7. Groups consisting of persons under 18 years of age should have adult supervision at all times when that group is using public library meeting room space.

8. The room must be left in exactly the same condition as when entered (i.e., chairs must be stacked or arranged as before; room must be left clean, with all garbage carried outside the building and placed in the appropriate container or dumpster).

9. Groups may serve refreshments in most branch locations, but only with the permission of the Branch Manager. In some locations, kitchen facilities are available (check with Branch Manager for details). The library staff will not serve or clean up.

10. The Libraries/Library System assumes no liability for any loss of personal property or personal injury which occurs in connection with a meeting held on its premises.

11. No library furniture or equipment may be moved into or out of any designated meeting room space. In the Canton Library, furniture will be placed by the library staff ONLY. If additional library equipment is needed, the request must be submitted to the Branch Manager when the meeting is originally scheduled.

12. Smoking is not permitted anywhere on Library property.

13. Publicity for meetings held in the public libraries of the Madison County Library System should specify the name of the sponsoring group along with the date, time, and library address.

14. Individual branch staff will give out information as to meeting days and times for groups using the meeting room facilities if that information is known. Notify the Library immediately if the name or telephone number of the group's contact person changes. A per-use fee ($15.00) is refundable if the meeting is canceled two weeks or more in advance. If a meeting is canceled less than two weeks prior to the meeting date, the $15.00 fee is not refundable.

The Library Board may deny use of the meeting room facilities to any group that does not fully comply with the aforementioned regulations.

The Library reserves the right to relocate a group within the Library if circumstances warrant. The Library has the right to deny use at any time or to change this policy at any time as circumstances may warrant.

The fact that a group is permitted to meet at the public library in no way constitutes an endorsement of the group's objectives or beliefs. The Madison County Library System Board of Trustees shall be the final authority in granting or refusing permission for use of the meeting rooms.

For more information concerning the use of meeting room space in the various branch libraries, please contact the Branch Managers at the following numbers. Camden: 662-468-0309, Canton: 601-859-3202, Flora: 601-879-8835, Madison: 601-856-2749, Ridgeland: 601-856-4536.

Click here to print a meeting room request form.