Use FAQS:
The Community Room is available for use:
• Monday thru Friday 9AM to 9:30 PM
• Saturday 9AM to 5:30PM
• Sunday 1PM to 4: 30 PM
Please note that the library closes at 6PM on Friday evenings. To reserve the room for Friday nights after 6 pm until 9:30 pm, arrangements must be made for a representative of the User group to be at the library before 5:30 pm to obtain a key for the Community Room for meetings that begin after 6 pm.
The room seats a maximum of 120 people. Reserving Users are responsible for setting up any tables and chairs and returning them to their original position at the end of the meeting. Note: moving tables and stacks of chairs will require at least two persons.
The Community Room has a galley kitchen where light refreshments may be prepared and served. Reserving Users are responsible for bringing their own preparation and serving utensils. Users are also responsible for bringing their own plastic trash bags, cleaning the kitchen and removing all uneaten food and drink, garbage, and trash from the Library.
Under NO circumstances are uneaten food or drink to be left in the refrigerator or in the trash receptacle in the kitchen.
The Community room has a built-in video screen which operates by a wall switch. No other AV equipment will be available to Users.

Reservation Procedures:
Saratoga Library’s use policies for its Community Room are intended to support activities that provide an open forum to the general public.  Users reserve the Community Room on a first come, first served basis. With the exception of Library related Users in Groups A or B, no Users or potential Users may expect or may assume they will be able or entitled to use the Community Room at the same date and time on each occasion they reserve the room.

Further, Users’ advertisements or flyers or other forms of communication to its membership or the public may not state or imply that the Saratoga Library or its Community Room is the location for its regular or monthly meetings. Neither may the Library’s name or telephone number be cited or named as “contact information” or as a “sponsor” of Users’ event without prior written arrangements with the Community Librarian.      

• On the first day of booking, Users may only reserve the Community Room in person and on a first come first served basis.  On the next day and following days, the Library will accept reservations by Users either in person or by phone, 408-867-6126 weekdays during its open hours until 5 PM.  Internet or electronic mail reservations cannot be accepted at this time.   

The Library accepts bookings by Group C civic, school and nonprofit groups, for dates in the upcoming quarter as follows: 

Feb. 1, 2010 1-5 p.m. for dates through June, 2010

May 3, 2010 1-5 p.m. for dates through September, 2010

Aug. 2, 2010 1-5 p.m. for dates through December, 2010

Nov. 1, 2010 1-5 p.m. for dates through March, 2010

The Library will accept bookings by Group D and other groups not included in A, B, C, up to two weeks in advance of the date of the reservation.

A group may use the Community Room only once per month. Users and potential Users should note that the Community Room is intended as part of the Santa County Library System’s commitment to supporting open forums promoting knowledge, ideas, and cultural enrichment. To that end, the Community Room is for the use of a group or meeting of at least 10 people and up to a maximum seating of 120 people.  Failure to observe these minimum and maximum numbers of people may result in cancellation of the reservation.

Note: for meetings for groups of ten or fewer, the Library Conference Room may be available on a limited basis. Please ask the library staff for more details.

The Library confirms Users’ reservation when it receives a completed application and payment of the fee.  
Users will note that any hours reserved for using the Community Room must include room setup and cleanup. Users may set up the room only during the hours they have reserved the room.
A representative of the User group must read the Meeting Room Policy, complete the application and indicate they have read the Policy, and pay the fee. The User’s representative commits the organization or group to following this Policy and assumes responsibility for any damages to the library.

The User group representative who signs the application must be present at the meeting.  If that representative is unable to attend, another User representative must read the rules and sign the application well in advance of the meeting.

The Library will give the name and phone number of the User representative and group making the reservation to anyone inquiring about the meeting.
The Library grants permission to use the Meeting Room on the condition that all rules and policies are followed. The Library also reserves the right to cancel a reservation for any reason with reasonable notice to a User group or potential User group.

Rules and Policies for use of the Saratoga Community Room:
The Library reminds the Users and potential Users of the Community Room of the following rules and policies that help to ensure a clean and well-maintained facility. 

Please remember these basic facts:

• Meetings are free and open to the public.
• Users leave the room clean, put away chairs and tables, and remove all trash and garbage from the Library.
• Users agree to follow the rules and the instructions of the Librarian-In-Charge.

Users will not do, permit or encourage the following in the Library:

• Solicitation, sales, collecting fees or requesting donations for any entity or person: (Exceptions: Organizations may collect a nominal amount to cover refreshment costs (but not admission) and they may collect dues from their members. However, neither reimbursement for refreshment costs nor collection of dues can be required for attendance.
• Smoking or use or consumption of alcoholic beverages anywhere inside or outside of the Community Room, including the patio.
• Burning anything, including candles, sealing wax, papers or other objects for any reason;
• Placing nails, screws, thumbtacks, staples, tape, adhesives or signs on the walls or doors unless advance approval is given by the Community Librarian.
• Copying copyrighted software.
• Using or installing high voltage equipment
• Using decibel (noise) levels inappropriate to the library.
• Citing the name of the Saratoga Library in any newspaper, newsletter, magazine or electronic communications as the contact information, or in any way that states or implies the library is the regular or traditional meeting place for the User organization, or a sponsor of the Users’ events.

Specific directions for using and exiting the Community Room

• The room must be left clean and in the same or better condition in which it was found. Library staff checks the Community Room before and after each event to insure that it is clean and in good condition before the next Users’ event.
• Set up and clean up are the responsibilities of the organization using the Community Room, not the Library staff.  Furniture or items must not block doors and walkways which must always remain clear during and after the meeting or event.  Chairs and tables should be returned to their original setup in the Community Room.  Users must wipe clean the sink and counter tops and use the carpet sweeper (hanging in the galley kitchen) to sweep the carpet.
• Light refreshments may be served, but Users must bring their own plastic trash bags and remove all uneaten food and drink, garbage, papers and any thing used for their event from the Library. Under no circumstances are uneaten food and drink to be left anywhere in the kitchen, community room or trash receptacles. 
• Any publicity for programs must include the contact information for the group, not the Saratoga Library.

NOTE: Telephone calls and messages cannot be relayed to Users or potential Users at anytime.

Procedures
*For meetings starting and ending during Library open hours:
The User group representative

• Notifies the Checkout Desk that the group has arrived and is beginning to set up.  If the Community Room is locked, Library staff will unlock the room.

• When all User participants have cleaned up and vacated the room, notify staff at the Checkout Desk.

*For meetings that start before library open hours:

• The User who made the booking or the User group representative

• Arrives first and knocks on the front door to be admitted by Library staff (or User representative may pre-arrange to enter through staff door).
• Notifies meeting attendees that they will enter by the side Community Room door.

For meetings that end after the library has closed

• After hours meeting attendees enter and exit by the side Community Room door facing the patio no later than 9:30 pm on week nights to prevent the building alarm from summoning the Sheriff.
• Prior to 9:30, end the meeting, clean the Community Room, including the adjoining galley kitchen, and replace all furniture as the room was found.
• Make sure that no one is left anywhere in the Community Room wing of the library (restrooms, kitchen, etc.)
• Check that front double doors have remained locked.
• Leave the Community Room key on top of the refrigerator in the galley kitchen.

• The last User out of the Community Room should turn off the lights.
• Depart through the side door facing the patio; stop and make sure it is closed and secure.
• Make sure that the entire User group and visitors are out by 9:30 PM. 
• A security system will alarm if these procedures are not followed.  If the alarm sounds due to Users’ failure to follow procedures, a substantial fee will be assessed to the User group.
• Please note: Only groups which have made advanced arrangements will be allowed to remain in the building after closing.

Updated January 2009

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