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Meeting & Study Rooms
Due to our library renovation, the library meeting room is unavailable for reservation.
The Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library, as a public institution, welcomes the use of its meeting room facilities for educational, cultural, and public information meetings which are of public interest. Use of the meeting room is made available to all groups on a first-come, first-serve basis subject to the requirements in our policy.
Programs sponsored by HEML, the HEML Library Boards, and other Library or Town-related organizations will be given first priority in the use of the meeting room.
Open study space is available in our teen area. Seating is available on a first-come, first-serve basis and is non-reservable. At this time, we do not have private study rooms.
Please review the Meeting Room Policy before reserving a meeting room. For additional questions, email claytonlibrary@townofclaytonnc.org
- A valid, full-privileges Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library card is required to reserve the meeting room. Rooms may only be reserved by adults ages 18+.
- Application to use the meeting room must be made by submitting the attached application form online or in person at least one week prior to the meeting date or at the discretion of the library director. Rooms may be scheduled up to forty-five (45) days in advance.
- Applications will be accepted and scheduled in the order received. In order to ensure the most equitable use of meeting rooms, only one meeting at a time may be scheduled. Following a meeting, a group may schedule another meeting if the room is available at the desired time.
- When booking the space, groups should allow sufficient time before the library closes for set-up, break-down, and clean-up. Meetings must be concluded and rooms must be vacated 15 minutes prior to regular library closing time.
- The number in attendance at a meeting must not exceed the seating capacity of the meeting room. The capacity is set at 60 people.
- Set-up for the meeting room is the responsibility of the group reserving the room. The users will be responsible for arranging the room for the meeting and for leaving the room in the same condition in which they found it.
- All meetings must be open to the public. Public meeting room use does not constitute endorsement of the beliefs or ideas expressed by organizations or individuals using the space.
- An authorized adult representative of the group reserving the meeting room must remain on the premises for the duration of the period for which it is reserved.
- Groups should designate a representative to direct attendees/participants to the meeting space.
- Groups using the library’s meeting rooms may not charge admission or make any monetary collections.
- Partisan political meetings and religious instruction, services or ceremonies are not permitted.*
- Each group is responsible for its own publicity. Publicity must neither state nor imply that the library is sponsoring or endorsing a program; neither shall publicity state nor imply that attendance is limited to group members.
- Any printed publicity needs to include the following statements: “Meeting is open to the public,” and “This program is not sponsored by the Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library – Town of Clayton.”
- Participants may not call or email HEML or the Town of Clayton to register. Materials may not be attached to walls, windows, doors or furnishings. Unauthorized signs will be removed.
- Any user of the meeting room showing a film/video/DVD in the library must adhere to the copyright law. Films/videos/DVDs must have public performance rights in order to be viewed in the Library meeting room.
- Groups using the meeting room must assume all responsibility for any damage to the Library facilities.
- The person reserving the meeting room will be responsible for maintenance of order. Failure of the official contact person to enforce library policies will result in a written warning to the group. A second violation of library policies will be submitted to the library director for resolution and may result in the group being barred from using the library meeting room.
*North Carolina General Statute 163-99 requires that our meeting rooms be made available for political parties' (as defined by NCGS 163-96) annual or biennial precinct meetings and county and district conventions.
- Drugs, alcohol, vaping, and the use of tobacco products
- Disruptive behavior
- Activities that impede the functions of the Library
- The use of any equipment that interferes with Library operations or which creates any losses or liabilities for the Library
- Commercial demonstration and or sales or promotion of products or services
- Private social parties or personal celebrations
HEML assumes no responsibility for lost or stolen items or damage to vehicles in the parking lot. Signing of the application by an individual or any representative of the group and/or organization releases the HEML of any responsibility for damage or loss suffered during the period of agreement. Groups, individuals and/or organizations shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless HEML, Town of Clayton and its officers, agents, and employees from and against any and all claims, suits, actions of any kind, arising and resulting and accruing from any negligent act, omission or error of the group, individual and/or organization resulting in or relating to personal injuries or property damage arising from the organization/group’s use of the library meeting room.
The Library Director and Town Administration have the right to reject any group and/or individual at any time for any present or past guideline violations.