What to Know About Using WPL’s Meeting Rooms
Our meeting rooms are available for community use during library hours. Reservations are free and open to local non-profit groups, clubs, and organizations. For-profit organizations may also reserve the room for a fee. Rooms come equipped with tables, chairs, and Wi-Fi. Please book in advance and we recommend reviewing our meeting room policy before reserving.
Available Meeting Rooms
Library Meeting Room Use Statement
The Westwood Public Library’s meeting rooms are available at no charge for use by community groups for educational, cultural, informational, or civic meetings and programs when not needed for library or Town of Westwood purposes.
However, such meetings must always follow the library’s Standard of Conduct policy to create and maintain a safe, comfortable and peaceful environment in which all patrons and staff may use, share and enjoy the Library’s resources. No use of meeting rooms will be allowed that is likely to disturb library patrons in entering and using library facilities, impede library staff in the performance of their duties, or endanger the library building or collection. The meeting room space may not be reserved by an individual or for a private event. Library or town sponsored activities have priority in consideration of the rooms.
Meeting rooms are available to groups on an equitable basis. Granting permission to an organization to hold a meeting at the Library does not in any way constitute an endorsement by the Library of the content of the program of that meeting or of that organization’s policies or beliefs.
Please note that use of the Children’s Program Room is strictly limited to organized Westwood youth library programs and certain collaborations with town departments such as the Early Childhood Council. Use for parties or play dates is not permitted.
Meeting Room Usage Fees
Fees may apply to for-profit organizational requests or other organizations outside of civic and government groups. Please review full meeting room and fee policies before submitting a request. If you have questions about fees, contact the Assistant Library Director.
Community Room (max capacity 75)
- Half Day 9am to 12pm: $250
- Half Day 1pm to 5pm: $250
- Evening 6pm to 9pm: $250
- Full Day 9pm to 5pm: $500
Conference Room (max capacity 25)
- Half Day 9am to 12pm: $200
- Half Day 1pm to 5pm: $200
- Evening 6pm to 9pm: $200
- Full Day 9pm to 5pm: $400
Eligibility
Eligibility for Meeting Room Use Without a Fee
When the meeting room is not in use for Library sponsored programs, Westwood based non-profit community groups, and all Westwood Town Departments and Boards may request to use the space for no fee. All meetings and programs must be open to the public if the room use fee has been waived.
Eligibility for Meeting Room Use With a Fee
When the meeting room is not in use for Library sponsored programs, non Westwood based non- profit groups and other organizations may request to use the space for a fee defined in this policy. The fees may be waived at the discretion of the Library Director.
Reservation Policy
Requests to use the meeting rooms must be made in advance by a Westwood resident using the Library’s Meeting Room Request form available online. Request forms must be submitted and approved by Library Administration before any reservations can be confirmed. The Library may require additional information before granting room requests.
Meeting Room Usage Priority
With a high volume of meeting room requests, please be aware that requests go to library administration for approval. Please be aware that requests are subject to the below priority levels and that not all requests can be accommodated.
- Library related meetings or programs
- Municipal related meetings or programs
- Other government departments and agencies
- Local non-profit community groups
- Other non-profit group and organizations
Applications may only be submitted by adults over the age of 18. The request form must be submitted by an adult (18 years or more) who, jointly and severally with his or her organization and its members, assumes full responsibility for the conduct of the events, its participants, and compliance with this policy. This responsibility extends to liability for damage to property or equipment of the Library and any third parties. It further extends to responsibility for any extra costs, including, but not limited to, custodial clean-up or repairs, police protection the Library deems necessary because of either anticipated or unanticipated problems related to the reservation. The Library Trustees and the Town are not responsible for any financial loss or injury to any person or organization arising out of a reservation or room use.
Meeting room use applications must be made at least 3 days in advance and up to three months in advance.
In order to ensure equitable access for all eligible applicants, no more than three repeating meetings may be submitted in advance unless they are no more frequent than monthly, without advance permission from the Library Director.
If an applicant must cancel a meeting room reservation, at least 24 hours notice should be given. Refunds of fees will only be provided if one week notice of cancellation is provided. Any applicant that fails to honor its reservation of meeting space without notification of canceling will forfeit the right to reschedule and will still be responsible for any fees.
The Library is not responsible for the cancellation of approval for use of meeting rooms in case of emergency (i.e. storm, power failure), which results in the closing of the Library, and thus the meeting rooms.
On the rare occasion that the Library finds it must use a meeting room unexpectedly for Library or governmental purposes, even though a non-Library meeting has been previously scheduled, the Library will make every effort to schedule an alternate time for the non-Library meeting. A refund will be issued if a fee was required.
Use of Meeting Rooms
- All community meetings held in the Library meeting rooms must be open to the public. Meeting rooms may not be used for social activities, private parties, commercial endeavors or gatherings which advertise a product or service.
- Groups using the rooms may not charge a fee for attendance or offer items for sale. The sale of items is only permitted by the Friends of the Westwood Public Library, with the permission of the Board of Library Trustees.
- Use of the rooms may include use of the facilities in the kitchen off the meeting room. Each group will be responsible for leaving rooms in a clean and orderly fashion.
- The Main Meeting Room and the Conference Room have projection, sound and Internet capability. Use of equipment for a meeting must be indicated on the Meeting Room Request form.
- Library audio visual/presentation equipment may not be compatible with all devices so compatibility should be tested prior to the meeting presentation.
- A reasonable degree of training of the equipment from library staff may be arranged prior to using the meeting spaces. Library staff may, at their discretion, consider the attendee trained to use our equipment. Use of this equipment must be reserved ahead of time during the application process. The library does not provide dongles or special cords and library staff are not necessarily available to assist with setup or troubleshooting during the event.
- The Library does not publicize non-Library sponsored events. Groups using the meeting room for non-Library events must clearly communicate that the library is not a sponsor in their advertising and delivery. This must be done by advertising “Presented by [group name]” and “held at the Westwood Public Library”. Westwood Public Library must not be listed as a host or sponsor on any flyers, social media posts, and other advertising.
- The Trustees will not assume responsibility for the loss or damage of property not belonging to the Westwood Public Library.
- Meeting rooms can only be reserved for times and days when the library is open. All meetings must end at the time scheduled. All meetings must end at least 15 minutes before closing. Meetings held in the Community Room may be scheduled beyond library hours, but only with prior approval of the Library Director or his/her designee.
Meeting Room Rules
- Organizations shall follow the Rules of Conduct policy of the Westwood Public Library. Failure to adhere to this policy will be cause for either cancellation of future meetings or a request to suspend the meeting.
- Alcoholic beverages, smoking, lit candles, or other open flames are not permitted anywhere in the building including the meeting rooms.
- Refreshments may be served only inside the meeting rooms, not in adjacent areas. All meeting activities must be confined to the meeting room.
- The kitchen adjacent to the main Meeting Room is available for serving light refreshments. The user is responsible for leaving the kitchen clean or be subject to a cleaning fee.
- Organizations must provide their own supplies. The Library does not have space to store organization supplies.
- Decorations and/or displays must be limited to tables or easels. No materials are to be posted or attached to the walls. Materials on display in the meeting rooms are not to be moved, covered, or rearranged.
- Meetings where crafts, floral arrangements or other art is assembled are required to leave the room in an orderly manner.
- Solicitation of business or encouragement of library patrons to participate in the meeting room activity is not allowed. Meetings may not disturb library patrons, impede library staff or endanger the library building or collection.
- For security reasons all people must enter the Library by the front door. For after hours meetings all people must use the designated exit.
- Responsibility for Damage and Free and Harmless Requirement
User Agreement
By agreeing to the meeting room Terms and Conditions, the applicant, acting for the group or organization, accepts responsibility for any damage to Town Property. The applicant, acting for the group or organization, also agrees to keep the Town of Westwood, the Board of Trustees, the Library Director, their agents and employees forever free and harmless, and indemnified against costs or expense arising out of any accident or other occurrence causing injury to any persons or property as a result of the use of the above premises as set forth in the Town’s RELEASE AND WAIVER OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT which can be provided upon request.
The Board of Library Trustees establishes policy concerning meeting rooms.
Any decisions or interpretations of this policy will be made by the Library Director.
Approved May 2024
