Marathon County Public Library

ITEM NUMBER: 4.07 a-c

CHAPTER 4: Library

Statements

CODE: Policy

COMPUTER ID: LS-7



Title: Meeting Rooms, Exhibit Spaces and Bulletin Boards,

An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights.

Effective Date: 11-24-86

Authorized By: Library Board of Trustees

Date of Last Review: 7-2013



EXHIBIT SPACES AND BULLETIN BOARDS



Libraries often provide exhibit spaces and bulletin boards. The uses made of these spaces

should conform to the LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS: Article I states, "Materials should not

be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their

creation." Article II states, "Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of

partisan or doctrinal disapproval." Article VI maintains that exhibit space should be

made available "on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals

or groups requesting their use."



In developing library exhibits, staff members should endeavor to present a broad spectrum

of opinion and a variety of viewpoints. Libraries should not shrink from developing exhibits

because of controversial content or because of the beliefs or affiliations of those whose

work is represented. Just as libraries do not endorse the viewpoints of those whose works

are represented in their collections, libraries also do not endorse the beliefs or viewpoints of

topics which may be the subject of library exhibits.



Exhibit areas often are made available for use by community groups. Libraries should

formulate a written policy for the use of these exhibit areas to assure that space is provided

on an equitable basis to all groups that request it.



Written policies for exhibit space use should be stated in inclusive rather than exclusive

terms. For example, a policy that the library's exhibit space is open "to organizations

engaged in educational, cultural, intellectual, or charitable activities" is an inclusive

statement of the limited uses of the exhibit space. This defined limitation would permit

religious groups to use the exhibit space because they engage in intellectual activities, but

would exclude most commercial uses of the exhibit space.



A publicly supported library may designate use of exhibit space to strictly "library-related"

activities, provided that the limitation is viewpoint neutral and clearly defined.



ITEM NUMBER: 4.07b





Libraries may include in this policy rules regarding the time, place, and manner of use of

the exhibit space, so long as the rules are content neutral and are applied in the same

manner to all groups wishing to use the space. A library may wish to limit access to exhibit

space to groups within the community served by the library. This practice is acceptable

provided that the same rules and regulations apply to everyone, and that exclusion is not

made on the basis of the doctrinal, religious, or political beliefs of the potential users.



The library should not censor or remove an exhibit because some members of the

community may disagree with its content. Those who object to the content of any exhibit

held at the library should be able to submit their complaint and/or their own exhibit proposal

to be judged according to the policies established by the library.



Libraries may wish to post a permanent notice near the exhibit area stating that the library

does not advocate or endorse the viewpoints of exhibits or exhibitors.



Libraries that make bulletin boards available to public groups for posting notices of public

interest should develop criteria for the use of these spaces based on the same

considerations as those outlined above. Libraries may wish to develop criteria regarding

the size of material to be displayed, the length of time materials may remain on the bulletin

board, the frequency with which material may be posted for the same group, and the

geographic area from which notices will be accepted.





Adopted July 2, 1991, by the ALA Council;

amended June 30, 2004





MEETING ROOMS





Many libraries provide meeting rooms for individuals and groups as part of a program of

service. Article VI of the LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS states that such facilities should be

made available to the public served by the given library "on an equitable basis, regardless

of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use."



Libraries maintaining meeting room facilities should develop and publish policy statements

governing use. These statements can properly define time, place, or manner of use; such

qualifications should not pertain to the content of a meeting or to the beliefs or affiliations of

the sponsors. These statements should be made available in any commonly used

language within the community served.



ITEM NUMBER: 4.07c





If meeting rooms in libraries supported by public funds are made available to the general

public for non-library sponsored events, the library may not exclude any group based on the

subject matter to be discussed or based on the ideas that the group advocates. For

example, if a library allows charities and sports clubs to discuss their activities in library

meeting rooms, then the library should not exclude partisan political or religious groups

from discussing their activities in the same facilities. If a library opens its meeting rooms to

a wide variety of civic organizations, then the library may not deny access to a religious

organization. Libraries may wish to post a permanent notice near the meeting room stating

that the library does not advocate or endorse the viewpoints of meetings or meeting room

users.



Written policies for meeting room use should be stated in inclusive rather than exclusive

terms. For example, a policy that the library's facilities are open "to organizations engaged

in educational, cultural, intellectual, or charitable activities" is an inclusive statement of the

limited uses to which the facilities may be put. This defined limitation would permit religious

groups to use the facilities because they engage in intellectual activities, but would exclude

most commercial uses of the facility.



A publicly supported library may limit use of its meeting rooms to strictly "library-related"

activities, provided that the limitation is clearly circumscribed and is viewpoint neutral.



Written policies may include limitations on frequency of use, and whether or not meetings

held in library meeting rooms must be open to the public. If state and local laws permit

private as well as public sessions of meetings in libraries, libraries may choose to offer both

options. The same standard should be applicable to all.



If meetings are open to the public, libraries should include in their meeting room policy

statement a section which addresses admission fees. If admission fees are permitted,

libraries shall seek to make it possible that these fees do not limit access to individuals who

may be unable to pay, but who wish to attend the meeting. Article V of the LIBRARY BILL

OF RIGHTS states that "a person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged

because of origin, age, background, or views." It is inconsistent with Article V to restrict

indirectly access to library meeting rooms based on an individual's or group's ability to pay

for that access.





Adopted July 2, 1991, by the ALA Council.