Room Use Policy
In keeping with the Medfield Public Library’s mission and core values, meeting rooms are available for use by the public when not needed for library purposes. The Trustees of the Medfield Public Library reaffirm the American Library Association’s Bill of Rights which states that facilities should be made available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliation of individuals or groups requesting their use.
Meeting and study rooms are available at no charge to local individuals and organizations engaged in educational, cultural, intellectual, charitable, advocacy, civic, religious, or political activities. Granting permission to use library facilities does not constitute endorsement by the Medfield Public Library, its staff, or the Board of Trustees. No advertisement or announcement implying such endorsement is permitted.
Groups may identify the Library and provide its address in their publicity as the meeting location, but may not give out the library’s telephone or email address or invite potential attendees to contact the Library for further information.
The Library staff shall have the right to cancel, reschedule or transfer room locations or dates that conflict with Library-sponsored programs and will give as much notice as possible
Meetings, workshops, and events scheduled to occur in the library, which are not co-organized by library staff, are not eligible to receive promotional or other support from library staff, or to use resources beyond the provision of the room and access to the equipment and furniture in the room. All rooms must be cleaned up by the groups or individuals using the rooms within the window of time for which the room has been booked, and any activities that cannot be cleaned up in a timely manner are not permitted.
Individuals meeting with only one other person may charge for services, to include tutoring, client consultation, training, etc. Activities, sessions or meetings with an intended audience for a group of two or more people must be free to attend.
The noise levels of anyone using meeting rooms or study rooms must be such as to not disturb other patrons as determined by library staff members, including the start and conclusion of the gathering.
Reservations for all rooms are for a maximum of three hours. Groups or individuals are restricted to one advanced reservation of the conference room and meeting room a month, up to three months in advance. Study rooms may be booked up to one week in advance. A valid Minuteman Library Network library card is required to reserve study rooms or meeting rooms. A library card or valid form of ID is required to check-in.
If a group does not follow this or any other library policy during the time of attendance, or does not cancel unneeded room reservations in a timely manner to free the space for others, it may result in an extended or permanent non-allowance of library meeting and study room space.
Group or individual sponsors of events on Library property are responsible for actions and safety of the participants, both active participants and the audience, not Library staff, the Library Board of Trustees nor the Town of Medfield.
Groups sponsoring events are responsible for payment for all cleaning and repairs which must be made as a result of any damages to the facility or equipment.
Accidents or damages which occur during the use of a Library space must be reported to library staff upon the conclusion of the scheduled event.
The presenter, not the Library, is responsible for obtaining all rights regarding copying, performance, display, or distribution of materials for the event.
The Medfield Public Library, its Staff and Board of Trustees and the Town of Medfield are not responsible for the loss or damage of a group’s or individual’s property.
Service Priority
The reserved use of space will be determined on the basis of the following service priority:
- Library programs
- Organizations supporting the Library, e.g. Board of Library Trustees, Friends of the Library.
- Departments of the Town of Medfield
- Local nonprofit educational, cultural, civic, or social organizations and groups, and individuals
- Medfield for-profit groups, e.g. businesses, individual practitioners.
Approved by the Library Board of Trustees, December 17, 2024