Meeting Spaces Policy

Library Board approved February 15, 2012. Revised April 25, 2017. Revised February 27, 2018. Revised September 27, 2022.

Purpose

The Meeting Spaces Policy reflects the diverse needs of the Oak Park community and the priorities of the library’s Strategic Plan to facilitate engagement, learning, and stewardship. The library believes that meeting spaces are part of the library’s available public resources, resources that includes all of its spaces, materials, services, and experiences. We work to respond to our community’s needs and aspirations through these resources.

Principles

The library advocates for broad and meaningful community participation and engagement, including the sustained use of library spaces. It does not promote or endorse all of the ideas, discussions, and activities taking place in its spaces or the discussions those meetings may inspire but it provides the spaces and opportunities for those ideas and discussions.

The library protects the right of the individual to access information and speak freely, even when the content may be controversial or unacceptable to others. As such, the library upholds the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, including the statement that “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.”

Policies

The Oak Park Public Library provides meeting spaces for organizations and groups as a public service. Meeting spaces may be reserved by any library cardholder, 18 years of age or older, whose card is registered in the library’s database. All meetings must be open to the public and attendance may not be restricted. Exceptions are made for meetings of library staff and for official committees, commissions, and boards of the Village of Oak Park and other government agencies.

The Executive Director is authorized to establish reasonable regulations governing the use of meeting spaces and their related fees.  The Library reserves the right to decline meeting spaces requests that do not align with this policy.

Meetings may not disturb the normal operations of the library or create an unsafe environment. Meetings or events of a primarily commercial nature are not permitted.

The spaces listed in this policy are intended for use by groups and not for individual use. Individuals may reserve a library study space for that purpose.

The library supports our creative community and will permit the sale of books and other artistic works at meetings and programs.

The sale, advertising, solicitation, or promotions of other products or services are not permitted.

Fundraising or donation solicitations are not permitted. Entry and participation fees are not permitted.

Political Events and Political Campaigning Activities

Political events such as debates, forums, and town hall meetings and political campaigning activities are permitted in library facilities if they are sponsored or hosted by Oak Park library cardholders and all expenses related to the activities are assumed by the candidate, political organization, or the individual or group reserving the space. Political campaigning activities shall include, but not be solely limited to, activities such as organized phone calling efforts to inform, persuade, recruit, or mobilize voters and volunteers but shall prohibit any fundraising efforts. Library property and services such as equipment (other than tables and chairs), telephones, computers, email, postage, photocopying, fax, and vehicles shall not be used for political campaigning activities.

Any persons reserving a space must have their own valid library card.

Meetings may be scheduled for any time when the designated Library facility — Main Library, Dole Branch, or Maze Branch — is open for service.

Oak Park Public Library cardholders may reserve library spaces up to four months in advance of the desired date. All other library cardholders may reserve library spaces up to one month in advance of the desired date. Non-resident cardholders must have an account registered at the Oak Park Public Library and have active reciprocal borrowing permissions from their home library.

The Library maintains the right to cancel any meeting spaces reservation for any reason. The decision of the Executive Director or the Deputy Director to cancel a reservation is final.

Any individual or group that reserves the use of a meeting space must assume legal responsibility for all related event activities in the Library.

An individual must sign the application and agreement and must ensure compliance with all of the rules and regulations described in this policy. Any individual or group that violates this policy will be excluded from access to the library’s meeting spaces.

All users must comply with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which require that a meeting or materials at a meeting be provided in an accessible format when requested.

The Library is not responsible for any accidents that may occur on library property to individuals attending programs or meetings in the Library. Meeting space users will be held responsible for any accidents that occur. Meeting space users will be held responsible for any damage to the Library’s buildings, grounds, or equipment because of negligence or misconduct.

Definitions

Fees are based on the category of the individual or group requesting to reserve the meeting space: not-for-profit or for-profit. Contact the Library to determine your correct category.

  • Not-for-Profit: Groups are defined as not-for-profit when their missions serve an educational, cultural, charitable, political, or civic purpose. Not-for-profits include 501(c)3 corporations and unincorporated associations, organizations, clubs, book groups, or government agencies.
  • For-Profit: All groups that do not fit the definition of a not-for-profit group will be defined as for-profit. These include all businesses and other commercial entities.

Space Reservation Charges (four hours)

Main Library Veterans Room
For-profit = $200
Not-for-profit = No charge

Main Library Small Meeting Room
For-profit = $50
Not-for-profit = No charge

Main Library Lobby Community Space
For-profit = $50
Not-for-profit = No charge

Main Library Conference Room
For-profit = $50
Not-for-profit = No charge

Dole Branch Meeting Space
For-profit = $50
Not-for-profit = No charge

Maze Branch Meeting Space
For-profit = $50
Not-for-profit = No charge

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