The Newbury Town Library offers use of its meeting rooms for non-profit entities. Meeting Rooms are not available for personal or family purposes such as parties. Meeting Rooms are primarily for the use of library staff, library affiliated organizations, and library sponsored or co-sponsored programs held in cooperation with the library.  Secondary use of the Meeting Rooms is for activities held by the Newbury Board of Selectmen, other elected Town boards, Town agents, committees and other representatives of Town government.

The Newbury Town Library affirms the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights policies “that all libraries are forums for information and ideas,” and specifically policy number VI (six) which states: “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.” In accordance with this policy, the Newbury Town library also makes Meeting Rooms available to individuals, groups, and organizations that are not affiliated with the library or Town government.

In granting an individual, group or organization the use of its meeting rooms, the Library Board of Trustees does not endorse the users’ beliefs, policies or programs.  No individual, group or organization shall in any of its publicity state or suggest that the Newbury Town Library, the Library Board of Trustees, the Town of Newbury or the library staff sponsors or endorses the meeting, the individual, the group, the organization or any particular set of ideas.

Individuals, groups, or organizations may identify the library and its location in their publicity for their meeting, but may not include the library’s phone number or invite potential attendees to contact the library.  Library staff will not accept RSVP’s or sign-ups on behalf of meeting room users.

The Town of Newbury, the Library Board of Trustees, the Library Director, library employees, and library volunteers assume no responsibility for the loss, theft, or damage of any property owned or used by any group, individual, or organization using the library meeting rooms.

Non-alcoholic beverages in covered containers are permitted. Food is not allowed in the meeting rooms.

The individual booking the room will be held responsible for the orderly conduct of the group and for any loss of or damage to library property. This person must be present the entire time the community room is in use. The individual who books the room is ultimately responsible for the key kit and for ensuring that the building is properly secured after use. All lights must be turned off, windows shut and doors closed and locked upon leaving the building. Another person may pick up the key kit in lieu of the individual booking the room, but the individual booking the room must be present the entire time the community room is in use. The organization booking the room must serve the Newbury area.

Guidelines:

  1. The meeting rooms are available free of charge to non-profit educational, cultural, civic, social, religious and professional groups and organizations.
  2. Donations to the Friends of the Newbury Town Library by any group are suggested.
  3. With the exception of dues collection, collecting money during meetings or events is not permissible.
  4. All requests for use of a meeting room must be made in writing at least 7 days prior but no more than 6 months prior to the requested date of use as follows:
    1. The request can be made by completing the online application at: http://newburylibrary.org/services/communityroomrequest
    2. Requests are accepted on a first come, first serve basis.
    3. The individual making the request must be at least eighteen (18) years of age and be present when the room is being used.
  5. The library must be notified as soon as possible if room use is being cancelled. Notifying potential attendees of the cancellation is the responsibility of the individual booking the room. Failure to notify the library of a cancellation a minimum of 24 hours prior to meeting time will result in forfeiture of future meeting room use for a period of three months, with the exception of weather emergencies.
  6. Room use is limited to once a month, unless approved by the Library Director or Library Board of Trustees.
  7. The number of attendees will be limited to the maximum seating capacity of the meeting room as follows:
    1. Lois Smith Community Room – 144 people, 68 people with tables and chairs (*Per Building Inspector 3/2023)
    2. Local History room – 15 people
    3. Study Room – 4 people
  8. All the meeting rooms are available during library operating hours as long as they are not being used for municipal or library meetings or events. For meetings occurring outside of the library’s normal operating hours, arrangements must be made at the time of booking by the individual requesting the room to obtain a building key and appropriate code, as follows:
    1. Pick up of the key kit must occur during normal operating hours.
    2. The key kit must be returned to the library immediately following the use of the room by depositing it in the book drop outside the main entrance.
    3. The individual who books the room is responsible for insuring that the building is properly secured after use. All lights must be turned off, windows shut and doors closed and locked upon leaving the building.
    4. Library staff will not be available to provide meeting support, room set-up, or equipment troubleshooting.
    5. Failure to secure the facilities will result in forfeiture of future meeting room use privileges.
  9. The Newbury Town Library has no full time custodial staff. Meeting Room users are responsible for cleaning up and returning the rooms to their original condition at the completion of the event or meeting. This includes:
    1. Returning chairs and tables to their original positions
    2. Removal of any user-owned materials
    3. Cleaning up of trash and other debris (a dumpster is available on site)
  10. Requested use time must include set-up and clean-up time. Example: if your reservation ends at 7:00 PM you must have the room cleaned and reset by then. Please do not end your meeting at 7:00 and then take until 7:15 to clean up.
  11. Library staff will not be available to provide meeting support, room set-up, or equipment troubleshooting.
  12. No use of tobacco or open flame is allowed under any circumstances.
  13. No alcoholic beverages are allowed without specific approval of the Library Board of Trustees and the Board of Selectmen pursuant to Mass. Gen. Law Ch.138. Users are responsible for securing any and all permits required.

The Newbury Town Library Board of Trustees reserve the right to amend this policy at any time, and to deny any request or cancel any reservation of the meeting rooms.

Approved by the Newbury Town Library Board of Trustees on September 24, 2015, and updated by the Newbury Town Library Board of Trustees in May 2018, November 2019, December 2022, May 2023


Click here to fill out the Lois M. Anderson Community Room Request Form.