Reserving a Meeting Room

Table of Contents

• Meeting Room Policy
• Meeting Room Rules
• Application Procedure and Form
• Available rooms

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The large auditorium at the Palmetto Branch Library. This is one of nine meeting rooms that are available throughout the Manatee County Public Library System. (All locations offer at least one room for public meetings.)

Please note that the operating hours at the Central and Island Libraries recently changed. At the Central Library, all meetings held on Mondays and Wednesdays must end by 7:45 p.m. All Tuesday meetings must end by 5:45 p.m. At the Island Branch Library, all meetings on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays must end by 4:45 p.m. 

View/download the Manatee County Public Library System's meeting room application form. Be sure you have read the complete Manatee County Public Library Meeting Room Policy, including the application procedure and meeting room rules (below) before you complete the form.

Meeting Room Policy

The Manatee County Public Library System is authorized to permit government agencies and community based groups within Manatee County to use library meeting rooms for the purposes of holding a meeting or providing programs benefiting the Library System or providing some other public benefit to a segment of the community.

Florida law prohibits library property such as meeting rooms from being used for for-profit business activities.  Therefore, such activities may not take place within meeting rooms or on library grounds.  Groups utilizing a library meeting room are prohibited from soliciting library patrons who are not attending the group’s meeting. 

Meeting room use approval shall generally be on a first come first served basis.  Use of library-owned equipment such as projectors may or may not be granted, or may be granted for a small fee.  Staff will not operate such equipment however.  However, in no event will a decision whether or not to grant authority to use a library meeting room be made based on the applicant or group membership’s race, sex, religion, national origin, color, disability, age, citizenship or political viewpoints, unless such distinction is authorized by controlling law.

Meeting Room Rules

1. Applicants shall not advertise the library as the location of a meeting until written confirmation of approval has been received.

2. Notice of cancellation of room use should be done as soon as possible, but no later than 24 hours before the meeting is scheduled to take place. Repeated cancellations without notice may cause denial of future use of facilities.

3. To ensure availability of rooms to all applicants, rooms can only be reserved once-a-month.

4. Library programming takes precedence over the use of the room.

5. Meetings may be scheduled during regular library hours. Meetings may be held from the time the library opens, but must end 15 minutes before the facility closes. Applicants are not allowed in the library facility before normal opening time.  Limited exceptions may be made where appropriate staff supervision is able to be present.

6. Refreshments are permitted only in the meeting room/auditorium. Applicant is responsible for clean up.

7. Smoking is not permitted on library property.

8. Hazardous materials are not permitted on library property.

9. The Library’s name and address cannot be used as the official address or headquarters of the scheduling applicant.

10. It is understood that the granting of permission to use the library meeting room does not constitute an endorsement by Manatee County of the applicant or its programs.

11. The applicant is responsible for room set-up.

12. The applicant is financially responsible for any damages to the room or contents and equipment.

13. The applicant is responsible for meeting any ADA or other legal requirements which may apply to it with respect to its meeting or program.

14. All applicants must complete an attendance form and return it to the appropriate library staff at the end of the meeting.

15. The applicant is responsible for providing a trained projectionist. Instruction on the use of library owned equipment is available.

16. All locations have limited parking availability with regard to on-site parking. Meetings expected to draw large crowds may be denied unless the applicant agrees to formulate an off-site parking and/or car pooling plan.

17. If a meeting or meeting attendee engages in conduct which disturbs the normal functions and service delivery of the library, or violates the above policies and rules, permission to use the facility may be withdrawn by library staff and attendees may be asked to leave.  Under extreme circumstances, the Neighborhood Services Director is authorized to cause a trespass warning to be issued to disruptive persons. 

Application Procedure and Form

Applicants shall directly contact the library location where they want to meet to book a meeting room.  (Scroll down for a complete list of the available rooms and contact numbers.) Download an application form or pick up a copy of this form at any library location. Telephone reservations must be confirmed by submitting a written application at least 24 hours prior to the meeting date requested.

The completed application, bearing the approval signature of the Library Manager, or his/her authorized representative, must be on file and approved before the applicant uses the requested facility.  A signed copy will be sent to the applicant.

Available rooms

Please note that all meetings must have a scheduled end-time at least 15 minutes prior to the library closing time. (e.g., 7:45 p.m. if the library closes at 8:00 p.m.)

A note about our room capacities: When two numbers are listed, the first number indicates the capacity of the room set up with chairs only (and/or floor seating), the second number indicates the capacity of the room set up with both tables and chairs.