A. The Stanislaus County Library regulations governing special purpose rooms shall apply to use of the library
facilities listed in Appendix “A” which is incorporated into these regulations and may be amended by
the County Librarian from time to time.
Persons wishing to reserve a special purpose room must pay the following non-refundable fees in advance:
- $10 to reserve the Modesto Library conference room
- $30 to reserve the McHenry Room (the Modesto Library Auditorium)
- $10 to reserve the Patterson Library small conference room
- $30 to reserve the Patterson Library large conference room
- $30 to reserve any other library conference room
B. The Library shall schedule the use of all special purpose rooms. The following must be completed and
submitted by specific deadlines:
- Payment of fees or Fee Waiver Form, if eligible (14 days prior to event);
- Proof of insurance acceptable to county (10 days prior to event);
- Request for Security Staff if necessary, such as when event is held outside of Library’s service
hours (10 days prior to event).
1. Proof of Insurance:
a. Persons or groups using the library facilities must maintain insurance which shall insure Stanislaus County
against any liability arising from use of a room. Individuals or groups must have $1 million General Liability
Insurance naming the county as an additional insured. Applicants must submit proof of insurance to Library
administration.
b. If the applicant cannot submit a separate policy, a certified copy of the organization’s general
liability insurance policy and a separate signed letter from the insurance carrier indemnifying Stanislaus County
must be submitted. Applicants who do not have insurance may purchase a one day insurance policy from Alliant
Insurance Services by calling
(209) 558-7801. Government agencies may submit proof of self-insurance.
c. The Library may, at its discretion, waive the insurance requirement for non-commercial, unincorporated, and
unassociated persons or groups that will not exceed fifteen (15) persons per meeting. The person or group must not
have its own insurance and not have insurance available to it through a sponsoring entity. The group may not use
equipment other than personal electronics (e.g. notebook computers, projector) or library equipment provided in
paragraph L, below; serve food or beverages; or engage in artistic performances or like activities (dance, theatre,
calisthenics, etc.), in order to qualify for an insurance waiver.
d. All groups serving food or beverages must have insurance at the $1 million amount. For caterers working on
site, caterers must submit evidence of insurance at the same amount.
2. Request for Security Staff:
If an event takes place during hours library personnel are not on duty, a county employee must be hired for the
protection of county property. Usually, a security officer would be hired. Time before or after library service
hours is considered overtime for the security officer. The cost of overtime compensation is a four hour minimum at
a rate of $18.00 per hour per officer, which the user must pay to the County 10 days in advance. Library staff will
determine the number of security officers needed based on the size of the event.
C. Rooms are available to cultural, educational, artistic, and government organizations or groups, or
organizations engaged in educational, cultural, intellectual, or charitable activities. County facilities shall not
be used for partisan political meetings/programs. All meetings and programs must be open to the general public. Use
must be consistent with the general use of the Library and cannot interfere with staff or other customers’
use of the Library for its intended purpose. Prohibited use is any behavior that is likely to disturb library
customers, impede library staff, or endanger the library building or collection. The library staff have a right to
reject a reservation request of the community room(s) if the anticipated meeting is likely to be unreasonably
disruptive to regular library functions (e.g. amplified concerts, motorized equipment, loud demonstrations,
etc.)
D. Rooms are available only when there is no library-sponsored activity scheduled.
E. To ensure all organizations or groups an equal opportunity, none may schedule a regular series of meetings,
and no meetings may be scheduled more than two months in advance. Only one meeting may be booked at a time. A
meeting must be held before another by the same organization or group may be booked. Reservations for use of the
meeting rooms must be made at least 14 days in advance. Exceptions to reservation policies may be
allowed by the County Librarian for library-related functions or regular meetings of government legislative
bodies.
F. The meeting room agreement must be signed and the fee paid no less than 10 days before the event or else the
reservation will be cancelled. The person signing the meeting agreement must be at least 18 years of age and an
authorized representative of the organization.
G. All meetings must be held during library open hours, unless excepted pursuant to Paragraph
“B.2.,” above.
H. Youth groups must have adult chaperones present.
I. No admission fee may be charged nor may funds be solicited, and there may be no sales or advertisements of a
commercial nature.
J. No smoking or alcoholic beverages are permitted in the library or meeting rooms.
K. If the room must be opened early before the meeting or kept open after library hours for groups, a library
employee, such as a security officer, must be there at all times for security purposes. Pursuant to paragraph B.2.,
above, the County does not allow organizations to have access to keys or codes to County buildings.
L. The following equipment may be available for use: podium, sound system, piano, and two small tables. All
other items must be furnished by the group.
M. Unlike other library meeting rooms, the portico of the Modesto Library will be available only for
library-sponsored events.
N. Organizations specifically “grandfathered” under the City of Patterson’s rules prior to
January 1, 2012 may be exempt from the fees for reservations of the Patterson Library conference rooms until
December 31, 2013. A list of those organizations may be obtained from the County Librarian.
McHenry Room (Main Library Auditorium) - Special Provisions
1. Room set-up will be done by a designated library employee.
2. Due to the storage of equipment, the lighting booth will no longer be accessible to auditorium renters. The
guard on duty can change room lighting from the lighting booth, if desired.
3. Assistive listening devices and a microphone are available and should be requested when the auditorium is
reserved.
4. The green room, off the stage, will be kept locked at all times, as it is used for children's department
storage.
APPENDIX “A”
LIBRARY FACILITIES AND INFORMATION
1. Modesto Library McHenry Room: (209) 558-7801
(Main Library Auditorium)
1500 “I” Street, Modesto, CA 95354
2. Modesto Library Conference Room: (209) 558-7801
1500 “I” Street, Modesto, CA 95354
3. Empire Library: (209) 524-5505
98 I Street, Empire, CA 95319
4. Newman Library: (209) 862-2010
1305 Kern Street, Newman, CA 95360
5. Oakdale Library: (209) 847-4204
151 South First Avenue, Oakdale, CA 95361
6. Patterson Library: (209) 892-6473
46 North Salado, Patterson, CA 95363
7. Riverbank Library: (209) 869-7008
3442 Santa Fe Avenue, Riverbank, CA 95367
8. Salida Library: (209) 543-7353
4835 Sisk Road, Salida, CA 95368
