Meeting Rooms

Meeting and Conference Rooms

The Bastrop Public Library encourages public use of its meeting facilities in keeping with the Library's mission "to provide free and unrestricted access to informational, educational, cultural and recreational library materials and services in a clean, comfortable, secure environment for people of all ages."

The Meeting Room / Conference Room (meeting rooms) Policy establishes general guidelines and procedures for the use of the Library's meeting rooms. The Library Director or his appointee is responsible for implementing this Policy and for maintaining reservation lists. While these guidelines and procedures are intended to be comprehensive, other guidelines and rules may be identified and enforced, on a case-by-case basis, as the Library Director deems necessary under specific circumstances, as they may arise. The City of Bastrop reserves the right to revise this Policy, as it deems necessary from time to time.

Use of library meeting rooms by any group signifies acceptance of the terms of this policy.

General Guidelines

• Meeting rooms at the Bastrop Public Library are designed to meet general informational, educational, cultural, and civic needs including activities such as discussion groups, panels, lectures, conferences, seminars, exhibits, displays, storytimes, puppet shows, and films.
• To be eligible to use a meeting room  a club, organization or nonprofit corporation must have three or more members.
• There is no charge for meeting room use.
• Use of the Library's meeting rooms by participants does not constitute Library or City of Bastrop endorsement of materials (written, audio, etc), opinions, or viewpoints of attendees or participants. Advertisements or announcements implying such endorsements are not permitted.
• All activities held in the Library's meeting rooms must be open to everyone, unless state law provides otherwise (ex., sessions of governmental bodies using the rooms).
• Solicitation, admission or other charges, money-raising activities, and/or sales are not allowed. This guideline is waived for all library related programs or library fundraising activities.
• Meeting rooms may not be used for social gatherings such as showers, birthday parties, dances, family reunions, etc.
• Meeting rooms may not be used for religious services or political campaigns (religious study groups and political forums that are sponsored by eligible clubs,  organizations or non-profit corporations are permitted).
• All meeting rooms are closed on Sunday official City of Bastrop  holidays and other designated dates.
• City or Library needs may preempt any other scheduled event.
• Conference room can only be reserved during normal library operating hours per the "Reservation" procedure noted below.
• Smoking, tobacco products and alcoholic beverages are not allowed.

Reservations

Requests for reservation forms for a meeting room or conference room may be obtained by telephone, in writing or online. Requests will be honored on a first-come, first served basis. A completed reservation form (pdf) must be on file 48 hours prior to the meeting.

• When making a reservation, please fill out a reservation form. Forms are available online and at the library. Completed forms must be submitted in person.
• Reservations are accepted up to six months in advance. Only one reservation can be submitted at a time. Only library or library related groups, or City of Bastrop employees can reserve a meeting room for more than one month at a time.
• To provide an opportunity for all groups to use the meeting rooms, a group may use a meeting room only once each month, and may reserve only one meeting room for use at the same time. The Library Director must approve exceptions to this rule in advance.
• Notice of cancellation should be made as soon as possible. After 30 minutes a group forfeits its reservation if it fails to appear as scheduled.
• Groups may not assign their reservations to other groups.
• A refundable $50.00 deposit is required for all Meeting Room reservations.
• All City of Bastrop meeting room reservations are exempt from the $50.00 deposit requirements.

Care and Use of Facilities

• Organizations and their representatives/members are responsible for their own set-up and cleaning of the meeting room (chairs and tables are available upon request but no setup or take-down or cleaning will be provided by the Library).
• Please leave meeting rooms as they are found. If the furniture is rearranged, it should be returned to the original arrangement at the end of the meeting.
• Furniture and/or equipment from the main area of the library may not be brought into the meeting rooms.
• Personal furniture or equipment may be provided by a group with prior approval. Arrangements for the use of personal furniture or equipment should be made at the time reservations are made.
• Equipment, supplies, or personal effects cannot be stored or left in Library meeting rooms before or after use. The Library and City shall not be responsible for materials, equipment, supplies or the personal effects of those using the Meeting Rooms.
• Keep all exits unlocked at all times. Open aisles must be maintained within the seating arrangements to provide clear access to the exits.
• Public entrances are to be used for entrance to and exit from the building, and for all deliveries.
• No announcements or notices to publicize an activity may be posted or distributed without prior approval from the Library Director.
• Attendance at meetings will be limited to the capacity of the individual meeting rooms as listed at the end of this policy. Seating and/or supplementary furniture are not allowed in corridors outside the meeting rooms.
• Simple refreshments including coffee, doughnuts, box or sack lunches, may be served, but kitchen facilities or equipment will not be provided by the Library.
• All trash resulting from the serving of refreshments must be removed by the organization and thrown in the dumpster on the East side of the building.
• The individual making the reservation, as well as the membership of the group as a whole, will be held responsible for any and all damages and losses that may occur as a result of the use of the facilities.
• Permission to use Library meeting rooms may be withheld from groups failing to comply with the Meeting Room Policy and from any group that damages the room, carpet, equipment, or furniture or causes a disturbance.
• The Library Director, or his designee, shall have the authority to end meetings and/or clear/close Meeting Rooms, as he deems necessary, to protect the health, safety and welfare of individuals and property, and to maintain proper use of the Library facilities.

The City of Bastrop is committed to compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request.

Please address questions not covered within this policy to Library Administration, 512-332-8880.

Available Meeting Facilities and Capacities Meeting room - 100 w/o tables or 50 w/ tables/ Conference Room - 10

Rev. 8/30/06 Library Board Approval: 8/7/06 City Council Approval: 9/12/06