Effective Date: 11/03
Reviewed and Revised: 1/22, 7/25
Policy
General
This policy concerns the dissemination of information and other speech acts on Library property by persons or entities other than the Library and its officers, agents, and employees, subject to time, place and manner regulations set forth herein, which are necessitated due to limited resources and to the fact that Library patrons include minors.
The Library provides the opportunity for individuals, groups, and non-commercial organizations to temporarily post, make available for handout or display items in designated areas. These items should be of local interest and be of civic, cultural, educational, or public informational in nature. Postings and handouts of a personal nature, not related to the above purposes, and for for-profit businesses are not permitted.
The presence of postings, displays, and collections does not constitute an endorsement by the Library of any individual or artist, or the content or purpose of the postings, displays, and collections.
The Library has a dedicated space on the first floor for the purpose of sharing community information in the form of posters and pamphlets. The library believes there are reasonable and desirable needs for public service notices and other information to be disseminated by organizations serving residents of the Ela Area Public Library community.
Therefore, the Library designates this space on the first floor as a limited public forum intended to be used narrowly for the purposes described in this policy. The following postings are allowed in this limited public forum:
- Library required postings and Library announcements;
- Village of Lake Zurich and other local government information and events;
- Ela Area non-profit organizations and events; and
- Local items of interest that are not of a commercial nature.
Postings are displayed on an equitable basis regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of the individual, group, or organization requesting their display. Materials by for-profit groups, companies and organizations, are generally not accepted (an exception might include community newspapers produced by for-profit organizations but distributed free of charge). Business announcements of for-profit groups, individuals, companies and organizations, and notices of garage sales, lost animals, etc., are not accepted.
Library prepared materials have priority when space is limited. Items must fit into the display cases or designated display areas. The Library is not responsible for any damage, loss or theft.
All items to be displayed, posted or made available for handout and all charitable collections in the Ela Area Public Library must receive prior approval from the Library Director or the Director's designee and will follow the following procedures.
Procedures
Postings - Community Bulletin Boards
- Requests for posting materials are made by completing a Request to Display form.
- Only items that meet the criteria defined in the above policy are considered for display on the Community Bulletin Board.
- Items received are to be forwarded to the Programs and Publicity Department. When the Programs and Publicity Department needs clarification on the conformance of materials with this policy, it will forward the materials to the Executive Director for a final decision.
- Items provided for approval/posting are not returned and are considered property of the Library.
- Items approved for display are posted at the direction of the Programs and Publicity Department.
- Outdated items are forwarded to the Programs and Publicity Department for determination of disposal.
Policy
Exhibit Cases and Art Exhibits
The Library has display cases throughout the building and strives to provide a wide range of exhibits to meet the diverse educational, informational, cultural and recreational needs of the community. Reasonable efforts will be made to display balanced collections without favor given to particular causes or viewpoints. The display of exhibits in no way constitutes the endorsement, sponsorship, or adoption of materials. The Library reserves the right to select exhibits in its sole discretion, based on the criterial and considerations provided for in this policy.
Procedures
Exhibit Cases
- All requests for use of display space are referred to the Programs and Publicity Department.
- Display schedules and assignments are maintained by the Programs and Publicity Department.
- Displays must meet the criteria established by the Library's Display, Exhibits, Charitable Collections Policy.
- Displays are scheduled according to space availability.
- The individual or group providing the display (the "Exhibitor") is responsible for set up and removal of the display materials, including all printing and hanging costs.
- Set up is scheduled, in advance, by contacting the Programs and Publicity Department staff once approval is received for the display.
- Reminders to set up or remove displays are NOT sent to Exhibitors. Items may be removed by Library staff without any liability to the Library, if Exhibitors do not remove display as required.
- The Exhibitor may number artwork and provide a corresponding price list to be kept at the Information Desk. No prices should be attached directly to items in the display case.
- Displays can be removed or altered if the guidelines are not followed.
Art Exhibits
- Requests for space to display artwork should be referred to the Programs and Publicity Department for scheduling and approval.
- The Exhibitor is responsible for set up and removal of the work, including all printing and hanging costs.
- The Reference Desk is to notify the Programs and Publicity Department if the exhibit is not taken down on the assigned date.
- The artist may number artwork and provide a corresponding price list to be kept at the Reference Desk. No prices should be attached directly to artwork.
- Handouts are allowed near the display, as well as a sign with the artist's name. All handouts and signs are provided by the artist.
- The artist provides background information to the Programs and Publicity Department for publicity.
Policy
Charitable Collections
As a community service, the Library provides space in designated areas for Library card holders and local non-profit organizations to request donations of items for charitable purposes.
Procedures
Charitable Collections
- Requests for collecting items for charity are made by completing a Charitable Collections Request form.
- All requests to collect charitable items should be forwarded to the Programs and Publicity Department . Any handouts that will be part of the display must be attached to the completed application.
- Displays must meet the criteria established by the Display, Exhibits, Charitable Collections Policy.
- The contact person who completes the application must be a Library cardholder.
- The contact person is responsible for emptying the collection bin on a regular basis (at least once a week).
- The sponsoring organization/individual may state that the Library is a collection point but may not imply that the Library is sponsoring or endorsing the project.
- Typically, only one collection will be allowed at any given time.
- Library collections receive top priority. Secondary priority will be given to collections that support local educational and cultural projects.
- Groups wishing to collect charitable items may be required to use the Library’s collection bin.
- The location of the collection bin will be determined by Library staff and may be moved at the discretion of Library staff.
- No monetary collections will be allowed in the Library.
Request to Display form attached.