Meeting Rooms

NORTH KINGSTOWN FREE LIBRARY MEETING ROOMS 

The North Kingstown Free Library makes its Main Meeting Room available to community groups and local organizations engaged in educational, cultural and intellectual activities and its Conference Room available for individuals or small community groups engaged in educational, cultural and intellectual activities. 

The use of the library meeting rooms does not in any way constitute an endorsement of the group’s policies or beliefs by the North Kingstown Free Library. 

*Please Note: All persons attending meetings are subject to all library policies and regulations. The Board of Trustees reserves the right to withdraw use from groups not conforming to these policies. The Board may also refuse the use of the room by a group if such use interferes with normal library operations. 

B. Reservations 

1. There is no charge for the use of the meeting rooms. 
2. Reservation requests for use of the Main Level Meeting Room can be made up to 90 days in advance. Requests will be reviewed by the Library Administration before a reservation is confirmed. The library will not uphold reservations that have a pending or denied status.  
3. The Main Level Meeting Room has a capacity of 58 persons. 
4. Reservations for the Lower Level Conference Room can be made no more than a week in advance. Requests will be reviewed by the Reference Staff. 
5. The Conference Room downstairs has a capacity of 10 persons 

C. Regulations for Use of the Rooms: 

1. The library does not provide projectors, laptops, extension cords, sound equipment, or other audiovisual equipment. 
2. No food is permitted in the Small Conference Room. 
3. Light refreshments may be served in the Main Level Meeting Room. Groups must clean up after each meeting. 
4. The group is responsible for setting up and for returning the room to the condition in which it was found 
5. Groups and organizations holding meetings assume the responsibility for any damage to the room or its contents and will hold harmless the Board of Trustees, or any of its employees, for personal injury or property damage arising out of the use of the premises. 

D. Requirements for Use of the Meeting Rooms:

1. The library always has first priority to schedule use of the facilities. 
2. The use of the meeting rooms must not interfere with the use of the library by patrons. 
3. All meetings held in the North Kingstown Free Library must be free of charge and open to the public. 
4. Programs that involve the sale of goods or services are prohibited. (Exceptions may be made for library-sponsored programs) 
5. Any sign, advertisement, invitation, or other notice or announcement of an event to be held in the Meeting Rooms must clearly identify the sponsor by name and phone number and may only use the name North Kingstown Free Library to identify the meeting location.

E. Availability:

1. The rooms are available during regular library hours.
2. The rooms must be put back to their original arrangement and vacated 15 minutes before closing time. (7:45 Monday –Thursday and 4:45 Friday & Saturday) 
3. The library reserves the right to limit advance reservations. 
4. The library reserves the right to cancel meetings due to unforeseen circumstances or emergencies. 

F. Procedures for Booking the Main Level Meeting Room: 

1. Applications for using the meeting rooms must be completed online.
2. Groups may reserve the meeting room once per calendar month, with a maximum of a four-hour time limit per reservation.
3. Reservations will be reviewed by the Library Administration. The library may require an application to be submitted to the Board of Trustees for further review at their discretion. 

G. Procedures for Booking the Lower Level Conference Room:

1. This room is designed for individuals or small groups of up to 10 people.
2. Reservations for this room can be submitted online or at the Reference Desk, no more than a week in advance.
3. Online room requests will be reviewed by the Reference Staff. The library may require an application to be submitted to the Board of Trustees for further review at their discretion. 
4. Only one reservation per day is allowed with a maximum 4-hour time limit per reservation.
5. The Conference Room is held only 15 minutes for a reserved booking, after which time the reservation is canceled. 
6. Individuals or groups that repeatedly cancel or fail to show up for reservations may lose the privilege to reserve the room.

Exceptions to Room Booking Limitations

1. Individuals or groups who wish to book the Conference Room further in advance than 1 week or seek other exception to the room reservation booking procedures outlined above may contact the Reference Coordinator at nkiref@nklibrary.org directly to request an exception.
2. Exception requests for the Main Level Meeting Room may be emailed to jboettger@nklibrary.org, and should provide a justification for needing to secure a meeting room reservation beyond the scope of this policy. The Library Administration will review the request. The library has the right to refuse exceptions at their discretion.
3. Groups who may be considered for exception include town or state governmental boards/committees or similar agencies that legally require advance meeting notice due to Open Meeting Laws, or other such groups whose meetings are free and open to the public. Individuals or groups seeking personal use for the room will not be granted exception.

Revised Meeting Room Policy 5/8/23, approved by Library Board of Trustees 5/8/23.

To book the Meeting Room, click here.

To book the Conference Room, click here.