Room Reservations Policy

PURPOSE

The Meeting Rooms at the Rancho Mirage Public Library are available to patrons to provide facilities for civic, educational, cultural and library related activities that support the Library's goals and objectives. In order to accommodate groups that are interested in using a room, it is the intent of this policy to provide application and scheduling procedures, regulate the use of the rooms and set fees for use of the rooms and equipment.

PROCEDURE 

Application

Any person or group of persons desiring to use a meeting room must apply on forms provided by the Library and provide additional information as may be required by the Library to assure compliance with the regulations and specifications of this policy. Applicants will be required to satisfy the Library that meetings or activities will be conducted in an orderly manner without damage to the facilities and that such persons or groups are financially able to respond to damages in the event of any personal injuries or property damage arising from the use of a room. All persons and groups will be required to acknowledge that neither the City of Rancho Mirage nor the Library assumes any liability for injury or loss of personal property. Prior to the use of the facility, the application must have approval of the Library Director or designated representative. 

Reservations

Reservations for use of a room may be made up to six months in advance.

Requests may be made on the telephone, via fax or in person, but the reservation will not be valid until fees have been paid, the Room Use Agreement has been signed by a responsible member of the organization and approved and signed by the Library Director or designated representative. Pending reservations will be held for one week only without an approved application and fee payment.

REGULATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS 

All Meeting Room users will be subject to the following regulations and restrictions: 

• The use of alcoholic beverages is prohibited, except when determined appropriate by the Library Director for Library sponsored events. The City Manager may approve the use of alcoholic beverages for other City sponsored events.
• For all meetings of young people, 18 years and under, there shall be at least one responsible adult in attendance, who shall remain in the room for the duration of the activity.
• No groups' use shall interfere with the normal use and activities of the Library.
• Except for Library fund raising activities, all fees, donations or admissions charged by the group using a room must be limited to essential expenses of the group. The group treasurer will be required to submit a financial report following each activity when the above is collected.
• Activities conducted shall not be in the nature of a commercial enterprise.
• Room capacities shall not be exceeded.
• Rooms shall not be used for private social functions. See Priorities of Use section as it relates to nonprofit and social organizations.
• Use of rooms may be denied on the basis of frequency of use or requests for space by other groups and organizations. In any case, rooms may not be used by the same group more than 12 times per year. It is a goal of the Library to make rooms available to a wide variety of groups and organizations.
• Groups are expected to leave a room in the condition in which it was found.
• Food or drink may not be brought into or served in a room without advance permission. Groups must remove all debris, food and personal items after each use of a room.
• Members of groups using a room will not be paged to the telephone except in cases of emergency. Library staff will not accept telephone messages for meeting attendees.
• Equipment, supplies or personal effects cannot be stored or left in the Library's facilities before or after use. The Library is not responsible for theft of, or damage to, property brought into the building.
• The Library does not provide special accommodation to groups using meeting rooms, such as parking, service to carry supplies, providing refreshments, office supplies or photocopies. All groups must provide their own support for preparation and reasonable clean-up.
• The Library is responsible for setup of Library equipment and any rented equipment brought in by the user.
• Permission to use the Library's meeting rooms does not constitute a Library or City endorsement of a group's viewpoints, product, service or program. Advertisements or announcements implying such endorsement are not permitted.
• Library or City needs may preempt other scheduled events in meeting rooms with a minimum of thirty days’ notice to a previously scheduled group.
• Library staff must have free access to meeting rooms at all times. The Library retains the right to monitor all meetings to ensure compliance with Library policies.
• Permission to use the meeting rooms may be withheld from groups that have damaged room(s), carpet, equipment, furniture, facilities or grounds, or that caused a disturbance, or have failed to comply with the Library's policies, rules and regulations.

PRIORITIES OF USE

Permission for use of meeting rooms shall be granted on a first-come, first served basis. Subject to the following priorities: 

• All official Rancho Mirage Public Library and City of Rancho Mirage initiated and/or conducted activities including those of the Rancho Mirage Public Library Foundation.
• All official Library co-sponsored groups and/or activities such as community groups and activities that are non-profit, self-governing, privately organized and of an educational nature that may be brought under the sponsorship of the Library.
• Official public agency sponsored programs and activities not included in 1 and 2 above.
• Recreational, social or civic activities in groups that are resident promoted and sponsored by local non-profit organizations.
• Recreational, social or civic activities in groups that are nonresident promoted sponsored by non-profit organizations, but not qualifying under number 4 above.
• Schools, colleges, hospitals and other similar civic groups not qualifying under the definition of non-profit.
• Others.

*Non-profit is defined as an organization that is so defined by the Internal Revenue Service, 501 (c) (3) and has a State of California Tax Identification Number. 
 

AVAILABLE HOURS 

Meeting rooms are available during hours the Library is open:

Mon-Tues                   9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Wed                           9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Thurs, Fri & Sat            9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. 

FEES & CANCELLATION 

No fee shall be charged for use of meeting rooms or equipment by the Library, the City, Rancho Mirage Public Library Foundation, or professional library organizations when co-sponsored by the Library: 

Two-hour minimums are required for Meeting Room reservations and are: 

The meeting room fee includes the setup and dismantling of chairs and tables as applicable. 

Equipment fee: $50.00 per hour (1 hour minimum)

This fee includes computer and AV setup, consulting and/or monitoring during the event. The fee will be estimated by the designated representative at the time of booking. 

Notice of cancellation of a reservation is required three weekdays prior to the scheduled use. Any notice of cancellation less than three weekdays will result in forfeiture of $ 50.00.

Adopted-2 November 2006