Reserve Meeting Room

Mansfield Public Library / Council on Aging
Guidelines for Groups Using the Meeting Room

The Board of Library Trustees of the Mansfield Public Library and the Council On Aging Board allow non-profit local organizations to reserve and use our Meeting Room, subject to the regulations contained herein. 

Guidelines:

The meeting room is available to local (Mansfield), non-profit groups and organizations and those sponsored by the Library or COA for meetings or programs of an educational, informational or cultural nature. There is no charge for use of the Room. 

  1. All meetings must be free of charge and open to the public. No reserve seatings, selling of tickets, suggested donations or charges of any kind will be permitted. The Library, the Council on Aging, the Friends of the Library and the Friends of the COA are exempt from this rule.

  2. Preference will be given to Library  and COA programs (including those coordinated by the Friends) as well as other town departments.   All other requests will be treated on a first come, first served basis.  Private, closed, commercial sales, and/or family functions are not permitted.

  3. No use of meeting space will be allowed that is likely to disturb patrons in their use of Library/COA facilities, impede Library/COA staff in the performance of their duties, or endanger the Library/COA building or Library collection.
  4. It is at the discretion of the Library/COA to refuse use of the meeting space to any group or individual that discriminates on the basis of a person’s membership in a protected class, including race, national origin, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
  5. Religious proselytizing and partisan political recruitment are prohibited.
  6. Groups using the Room must not use advertising and publicity which imply that their programs are sponsored, co-sponsored, endorsed or approved by the Library/COA.  All publicity for non-Library/COA sponsored events is the responsibility of the individual or organization using the meeting room.
  7. In order to make the Room widely available to a variety of groups, limits may be placed on the number of times a single organization may use the Room in a calendar year. Groups may reserve meeting space for no more than two meetings a month for three consecutive months.
  8. The Board of Library Trustees, the Council On Aging Board, the Library Director and the COA Director have final authority concerning use of the meeting room.


Procedures:


Reservations must be made in person or by filling out an online application form. 

An authorized representative of the group or organization must apply to either the director or assistant director of the Library for evening use or the director of the COA for day use. The individual signing the form will be responsible for the conduct of the group and the protection of Library/COA property.

Applications shall be submitted in time for Library/COA consideration and approval prior to the date requested. 

Availability:

Scheduling of the meeting room for day use, Monday – Friday, up to 3:30 pm is done through the COA Director.

Scheduling for evening use Monday- Thursday, after 3:30 pm and Saturday is arranged through the Library Director.

All events in the Room must occur during open hours of the Library/COA building, and the room must be vacated 15 minutes before the Library’s closing time.

Rules:

The use of the meeting room shall generally follow the precepts as outlined in the Library Bill of Rights and relevant interpretations. Specific rules as laid down by the Trustees are as follows:

  1.  Smoking, vaping  and alcoholic beverages are not permitted in the building.
  2. A maximum of 100 persons is permitted in the meeting room.

  3. Groups are responsible for setting up the room as needed for their meeting.  All furniture must be set up by the group and must be back in original positions after use of the meeting room.

  4. Groups using tables for arts and/or crafts must cover all tables.
  5. Light refreshments may be served in the room. Groups serving refreshments must remove all leftover food and drink and deposit all trash into receptacles. The room should be left clean and orderly after use.

  6. Spills or other accidents requiring custodial attention must be reported immediately. Users are expected to control these situations as best they can until such time as proper maintenance can be provided.
  7. No lit candles or other open flames are allowed.

  8. Groups must follow the instructions of the Library or COA staff at all times in regard to the safe and orderly operation of the meeting room.

  9. It is the responsibility of the individual in charge of the meeting to enforce the above regulations.

  10. It is the responsibility of the individual in charge of the meeting to notify the Library/COA staff of the meeting’s conclusion in order that appropriate security measures can be undertaken.

All organizations or groups shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Library, the COA and the Town of Mansfield, as well as its officers, agents and employees from and against any and all claims, suits, actions of any kind, arising and resulting and accruing from any negligent or wrongful act, omission or error of the organization or group resulting in or relating to personal injuries or property damage arising from the organization/group’s use of a the Library/COA meeting room.


Additional Mansfield locations that have public meeting rooms:
Mansfield Municipal Airport
Airport Meeting Room
The airport has a meeting room for up to 25 people with a small kitchen and handicapped restrooms. The meeting room is available for use by town boards and committees, as well as Mansfield not-for-profit organizations. Contact the Mansfield Municipal Airport (508-851-6464) to check for availability and reservations.

Joint Public Safety Building
Public Safety Community Room
The Joint Public Safety Facility at 500A East St. is home to the Public Safety Community Room. While this versatile and well-equipped room is regularly utilized by Police, Fire, and other Town departments for meetings, conferences, and training, it is also available for public use upon request.
Click here for more information, including how to reserve the space.

Approved by the Board of Library Trustees       6/14/2023

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