The Darien Library subscribes to Article IV of the Library Bill of Rights which states that facilities should be made available to the public served by the Library on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

The Darien Library regards the availability and use of its Meeting Rooms as an integral part of its service to the community. In that regard, Meeting Rooms are available, when not required for Library activities, to Darien non-profit organizations engaged in educational, cultural and intellectual activities consistent with the Library’s mission statement and objectives (Non-profit organizations not known to Darien Library will be asked to demonstrate their non-profit status, and that their activities are consistent with the Library’s mission statement and objectives), to Town of Darien Boards and Commissions, formal Darien neighborhood organizations, State of CT and United States governmental organizations, and to Darien for-profit organizations for their own internal purposes only.

The following Meeting Rooms are available for use on approval of written application:

• Community Room (maximum seating for 171 people; room capacity 225)
• Conference Room (maximum of 22 people seated at a conference table, or approximately 40 if seated for a presentation; room capacity 50)
• Technology Training Center (maximum of 12 people)

The following Rooms are available for reservation in advance by Darien residents, those who work full time in Darien, and non-resident Friends of the Darien Library at the $300 annual level. (contact Facilities Manager or Knowledge and Learning Staff):

• Power Library Smart Study Room (maximum of 6 people)
• Second Floor Harris Room (Open Door) (maximum of 8 people)
• Mezzanine Lautenbach Writer’s Room (maximum of 6 people)
• Mezzanine Quiet Study Rooms (Three) (maximum of 2 people)

Rooms are booked in two-hour slots. Rooms are held for 15 minutes after reservation begins and may be forfeited after that time.

All meeting rooms are available for use at the following times:

The Community Room and Conference Room may be available for use at times outside the Library’s normal hours by special request and payment of additional fees.

The Facilities Manager or Office Manager will provide an Application form to any qualified applicant, and will process Applications in order of their receipt. The Application is available on line at the Library’s web site. The Library’s Director reserves the right to cancel any approved reservation with notice. An appeal of this decision may be made to the Library’s Board of Trustees.

Every applicant will designate the individual responsible for supervision of the use of the Meeting Room, and who will be responsible for damages and additional cleaning required afterwards.

For events outside of regular Library hours, a Certificate of Insurance in the amount of $1,000,000 Combined Single Limit of Liability for Bodily Injury and Property Damage is required.  This may be obtained from your insurance agency and must be provided before approval of your reservation request.  The Town of Darien and the Darien Library must be named as “Additional Insureds” on the Insurance Certificate for the times the Meeting Room is requested.

1. Meeting Rooms are not available for business solicitations or fund-raising purposes.  The Library Director may require any Application be submitted to the Board of Trustees for prior review, and may require additional supporting information to be provided.
2. Library sponsored events receive priority in scheduling. Availability of the Meeting Rooms at all other times shall be on a first-come, first-served basis.
3. The Facilities Manager’s approval is required in advance for all publicity and all items that will be distributed at a meeting at which the public is in attendance.
4. The fact that a group is permitted to use a Meeting Room does not in any way constitute an endorsement of the group’s policies or beliefs by the Library. The Library may require any publicity to include a statement confirming this.
5. The Library reserves the right to impose limitations on the frequency of use of the Meeting Rooms by an organization or individual.
6. The Facilities Manager, in consultation with the Library Director, is authorized to determine the appropriate use of the room. In case of denial of use, appeal may be made in writing to the Library Board of Trustees. The decision of the Board of Trustees will be final.
7. Admission fees are not to be charged by any group using the Meeting Rooms.
8. Non-library groups and individuals are not to use the Library’s address and phone number as their own.
9. Refreshments are permitted for scheduled events in the Community Room and Conference Room.
10. Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the Library or on Library grounds.

Adopted by the Darien Library Board of Trustees on December 17, 2012.