Effective Date: 11/03
Reviewed and Revised: 1/22
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, employees, and independent contractors, subject to time, place and manner regulations set forth herein, which are necessitated due to the limited resources available and due to the fact that Library patrons include minors. The Library hereby declares that the Ela Area Public Library and its environs are NOT a public forum except for the specifically designated limited public forum areas within the Library or outdoor areas owned by the Library set forth herein, which are intended to be used narrowly for the purposes described in this policy.
Community Bulletin Boards
The Library provides the opportunity for individuals, groups, and non-commercial organizations to temporarily post, make available for handout or display items in designated limited public forum 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 and for for-profit businesses are not permitted.
All items should be suitable for viewing by patrons of all ages. The presence of postings, displays, and collections does not constitute an endorsement of its content or purpose by the Library.
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. The Library further believes that the dissemination of such information must be managed as to its time, place and manner due to the limited resources available and due to the fact that the Library’s constituents include minors.
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.
No editorials or editorial content may be posted, even by organizations that meet the criteria for use listed above. 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 sponsored activities 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.
- Items provided for approval/posting are not returned and are considered property of the library. When approval of an item is questionable the Programs and Publicity Department forwards the item to Administration for final decision.
- Items approved for display are posted at the direction of the Programs and Publicity Department.
- All posters and handouts become property of the Library.
- 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. However, the display cases and exhibition spaces are not public forums, and the Library reserves the right to select exhibits in its sole discretion.
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 attached Display, Exhibits, Charitable Collections and Public Outdoor Space Policy.
- Displays are scheduled according to space availability.
- The individual or group providing the display is responsible for set up and removal of the display materials.
- 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, at no library liability, if exhibitors do not remove display as required.
- The artist 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 artist is responsible for set up and removal of the work.
- 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 Ela 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 Request to Display form.
- All requests to collect charitable items should be forwarded to the Programs and Publicity Department . Any handouts that will part of the display must be attached to the completed application.
- Displays must meet the criteria established by the Display, Exhibits, Charitable Collections and Public Outdoor Space Policy.
- The contact person who completes the application must be an Ela 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.
Policy
Outdoor space in a limited public forum area
The Library designates certain Library-owned public outdoor space outside of the Library generally described as the sidewalk and paved plaza immediately south of the Library and north of the parking lot, but excluding any driveway or parking area, landscaped islands located within the parking area, and the sidewalk running along the east side of Old Rand Road (the designated outdoor area shall be known as the “Outdoor Limited Public Forum”) for the conduct of charitable, religious or political speech or expressive conduct, parades, walks, meetings, demonstrations or other public assemblies, or distributing non-commercial printed or written material (cumulatively, “First Amendment Activity”), subject to the time, place, manner and safety limitations set forth herein.
First Amendment Activity, in consideration of all other contemporaneous Library activity, shall not obstruct any public sidewalk or ingress or egress to any place or building on Library property by hindering or impeding or tending to hinder or impede the free and uninterrupted passage pedestrians thereon or therein. No person shall upon or in connection with any Library property:
- Engage in any disorderly conduct, or act in any manner so as to disturb the peace. Loud playing of record players, televisions, radios, tape recorders, noisemakers, CD players, sound equipment, musical instruments, fighting, quarreling, or wrangling with loud voice or shouts, use of profane or abusive language, threatening violence to the Person or Property of others, or engaging in riotous clamor or tumult are violations of this provision.
- Engage in solicitation from persons on Library property, except for First Amendment Activity in areas specifically described in this policy as a designated limited public forum.
- Obstruct or impede pedestrians or vehicles or the entrance to any building or vehicle; touch another person without that person’s consent; harass Library visitors with physical contact, persistent demands from a person after that person has refused an earlier request, or follow or remain alongside a person who walks away after being solicited; misrepresent his or her affiliations; misrepresent what the solicited funds will be used for; or interfere, interrupt, or engage in conduct incompatible with the purpose of any program, activity, function, and/or special event conducted, sponsored, licensed or otherwise permitted by the Library; make any statement, gesture or other communication that would cause a reasonable person to feel threatened, coerced, compelled or intimidated into giving money, goods or services; or use any profane or abusive language during or following a solicitation.
- Hold or attempt to hold any First Amendment Activity reasonably expected to involve more than twenty (20) persons or vehicles at any time without the issuance of a permit from the Director or Director’s designate in accordance with the Library’s facility permit or reservation procedures. This section shall not apply to students going to and from school classes or participating in educational activities under the immediate direction and supervision of school authorities or their agents, a governmental agency acting within the scope of its functions, or normal or scheduled Library programs or activities. The Library may impose time, place and manner restrictions upon any First Amendment Activity on any Library Property and all persons shall comply with such time, place and manner restrictions.
- Hold or attempt to hold any sponsored entertainment, social, recreational, or athletic event, without first obtaining a permit from the Director or Director’s designate in accordance with facility permit or reservation procedures.
- Offer or exchange for sale any article of merchandise or food or do any banking, peddling, or solicitation, or buy or offer to buy any article of merchandise or food or take up any collection or solicit or receive contributions of money or articles of value, except when authorized by permit, under contract with the Library or for First Amendment Activity in areas specifically designated as a limited public forum.
Procedures
Outdoor space in a limited public forum area
Requests for use of any outdoor designated limited public forum area on the premises of the Ela Area Public Library shall be made to the Library Director or the Library Director’s designee. Requests will be honored if there is sufficient space and no other logistical impediments to the speech activity and, where required, completion of an application for a permit. Library programming shall have priority over all requests. Secondary priority will be given to collections that support local educational and cultural projects.
Policy
Parking lot
The use of the parking lot serving the Ela Area Public Library shall be limited to parking purposes for motor vehicles used by library patrons and others attending events or activities at the Library. The parking lot shall not be used for loitering or as a public forum for First Amendment Activity. The parking needs of employees and patrons of the Library shall be entitled to first priority for available parking space. Secondary priority is granted to those attending Library-sponsored programs and meetings, and programs and meetings of civic, cultural, educational, or governmental entities.
Request to Display form attached.