Hello from classic.jmrl.org!
NOTE: This is the old jmrl.org website and only available for historical purposes and the content on this site is no longer updated.

Staff looking for the intranet can go to classic.jmrl.org/intranet

Meeting Rooms

The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library welcomes groups (more than two people) to use its meeting rooms for civic, cultural, and educational activities and for discussion of current public questions. The meeting rooms are available for use during hours the Library is open on equal terms to all groups in the community, regardless of the beliefs and affiliations of their members, provided that the meetings are open to the public. The fact that a group is permitted to use a room does not in any way constitute an endorsement of the group's policies or beliefs by the Library. All literature and publicity regarding meeting room activities must clearly identify the sponsor(s). Where access to a meeting room is independent of the Library, restricting hours to when the Library is open does not apply. Meeting room use requires completion of a JMRL Meeting Room Registration form (JMRL Form: Section 5.1) by an authorized group/organization representative with a valid JMRL library card or "In-House Use" card.

Library and Library-sponsored activities have first priority in scheduling; and, thereafter, the rooms are available for informational public gatherings. If a party reserving a meeting room does not arrive within 15 minutes of the scheduled reservation time, library staff may make the room available to other users. When not in use, rooms may be available to individuals on a first-come, first-served basis for up to 3 hours per day. The rooms are not available for programs involving the sale, advertising, or promotion of commercial products or services, regardless of purpose, except programs of Jefferson-Madison Regional Library, Friends of Jefferson-Madison Regional Library, the Virginia Library Association, the Virginia Festival of the Book, or the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Board of Trustees, at which programs performers/presenters are permitted to sell sound recordings, videos and books related to their performance/presentation. Library staff shall not be involved in such sales in any fashion.

Solicitation is not permitted in meeting rooms; however, local offices of Voter Registration and/or their designees may use library facilities to encourage voter registration.

The Library Director or Branch Manager may, upon application in writing, extend meeting room use beyond regular library hours. Such extensions may require that janitorial service fees be paid by the group or organization using the room.

Meetings or classes held in library meeting rooms must be open to the public free of charge. Fees to cover only the cost of materials.

Meeting Room Guidelines

  • Meeting room reservations are handled by the Reference Department of the Central Library and by the Branch staff in the Branch libraries.
  • Bookings are made on a first-come, first served basis. Rooms are booked for the current month, plus three months in advance.
  • When a patron requests a reservation for the meeting room, he or she should be asked if the group has a Registration Form on file. Registration forms are required to be renewed on an annual basis.
  • If there is not a current application on file, a representative of the group must fill out the Meeting Room Registration form prior to the meeting. A room may be reserved for only one time until the Registration Form is completed.
  • The staff member should give the representative of the group a copy of the Meeting Room Policy.
  • The staff member who takes the application may approve it at the time, or if there are questions, it should be passed on to the Branch or Department Manager. If there are still questions regarding the application, the matter should be referred to the Library Director for approval.
  • The completed registration form should be filed in the Department or Branch where the request was made. Expired registration forms are purged on an annual basis.

Meeting Room Privileges & Responsibilities

  • Smoking is prohibited.
  • Alcoholic beverages may not be served.
  • Food and non-alcoholic beverages may be served in the meeting rooms.  Each group is responsible for cleaning up after itself.
  • Burning of any materials, including incense and candles, is prohibited.
  • Each group must provide its own supplies and set up for its meeting. Meetings must be contained to the room reserved. Chairs, tables, and certain audiovisual equipment can be provided by JMRL on request. JMRL does not supply pens, pencils paper, chalk, etc. JMRL does not provide storage facilities for groups' materials.
  • A group is required to leave the room in the condition in which it was found, and is financially responsible for any damage incurred to the premises, furniture, or equipment while using a room.
  • Groups are not allowed to post signs around the library unless approved by the Library Director or a Branch Manager.
  • Groups should notify the library in a timely manner if a meeting is canceled so that others may schedule use of the meeting room. If a group repeatedly does not show for a scheduled meeting, the group may lose its privilege of using a meeting room.
  • JMRL reserves the right to prohibit a group's further use of meeting rooms for disorderly conduct or for failure to abide by JMRL policies, procedures, or guidelines. The person signing for use of the meeting room is responsible for assuring that use of the room complies with library policies.
  • JMRL reserves the right to close due to weather conditions. Groups will not necessarily be notified by JMRL.
  • JMRL will not channel telephone messages except in cases of extreme emergency.
  • A valid JMRL library card in good standing is required to use JMRL Audio-Visual (A/V) equipment. Guidelines and available equipment lists are provided by each Branch Library.
  • Solicitation is not permitted, except by local officers of Voter Registration to encourage voter registration.