Abington Community Library
Community Rooms Policy
The mission of the Abington Community Library (hereinafter the “Library”) is to facilitate lifelong learning, provide for leisure-time interests, support student research and encourage children, teens, and adults to read. In support of this mission, the Library provides the use of two Community Rooms, the Ryon Community Room and the Children’s Story Room, at its location of 1200 West Grove Street, Clarks Summit, PA, 18411.
The Ryon Community Room may be utilized by no more than forty-five (45) people at one time and the Children’s Story Room may be utilized by no more than twenty-five (25) people at one time. The Community Rooms are available to the community and non-profit groups and organizations for meetings that are educational, cultural or civic in nature. The use of a Community Room shall be in accordance with the policies and procedures set by the Board of Trustees of the Abington Community Library.
In allocating the use of the Community Rooms, the Library and its staff shall not discriminate on the basis of the political or religious beliefs of the applicant groups, or in any other constitutionally or statutorily-prohibited basis. However, the provision of the Community Rooms is not the primary purpose of the Library, and must always be subordinate to the paramount need to provide a safe, peaceful, and respectful environment in which to read and study. No uses of the Community Rooms that are likely to disturb Library patrons in their customary use of Library facilities, to impede Library staff in the performance of their duties, or to endanger the Library’s building or the Library’s collection will be approved or permitted. Use of the Community Rooms for Library purposes shall take precedence over all other uses.
Permission to use a Community Room does not constitute or imply the Library’s endorsement of the aims, policies or activities of any group or organization, or the views expressed in the meeting.
Reservations for a Community Room are on a first-come, first serve basis. Library sponsored meetings have priority and the Library reserves the right to preempt any scheduled meeting. The Library will make every effort to give advance notices of such preemption.
All meetings must be free of charge and open to the public. No admission charge, request for donation, or items for sale will be approved. The Community Rooms shall not be used for entrepreneurial or commercial purposes, for the solicitation of business, for profit or for fundraising other than fundraising solely for the financial benefit of the Library, unless specifically permitted by the fundraising committee of the Library Board of Trustees.
Organizations and/or groups using the Community Rooms must not use advertising or publicity which implies that their programs are sponsored, co-sponsored, endorsed or approved by the Library, unless written permission to do so has been previously given by the Library. No organization and/or group may consider the Library as their permanent meeting place or use the Library as their mailing address.
The Library has the authority to accept, renew, or reject requests for use of a Community Room under the established policy. To promote the accessibility of the Community Rooms to a wide variety of community groups and/or organizations, the Library may limit meetings for any particular group and/or organization. The Library and the Library staff reserve the right to reject reservation requests if the anticipated meeting is to be unreasonably disruptive to regular library functions, too large for the applicable room capacity, disorderly, dangerous to persons or property, or in any other way inconsistent with or in contravention to any of the terms and conditions of this policy. In determining whether such a likelihood exists, the Library and/or the Library staff may take into consideration the contents of the application form, the history of the organization’s and/or group’s Community Room use in the Library, the history of the organization’s and/or group’s use of meeting facilities elsewhere, and such other information as they may deem appropriate.
Use of the Community Rooms should conform to the scheduled operating hours of the Library. Exceptions may be made upon request and with the organization and/or group paying in advance for needed staff. Reservations may be made no more than one month in advance for a Community Room.
The requesting organization or individual hereby agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Abington Community Library, its Trustees, employees and volunteers from any and all liability, claims and damages (including personal injury) as a result of use of the library.
All applicants, organizations and/or groups must agree to comply with the Community Rooms Use Procedures prior to use of a Community Room and submit a Community Room Planning Form, to be approved by the Director.
Downloadable ACL Community Room Use Policy & Procedures.2023
