The Ouachita Parish Public Library has meeting rooms at all Library buildings. These rooms are dedicated first to Library-sponsored meetings. If the Library is not using the rooms, they may be booked by organizations in the following classifications: organizations of a cultural, educational, historical, altruistic, religious, fraternal, professional, horticultural, hobby or similar nature. These are all subject to the approval of the Library Director.

To use the meeting rooms, applications must be made in advance of the meeting date.
An application form may be obtained from any branch or online at this link. Meeting room app and packet.
Please email the completed Meeting room applicaton to meet@oplib.org.

Meeting rooms are to be made available to all. No single group may dominate any room, as meeting rooms are not intended to be permanent or long-term meeting places which would restrict access of others. Therefore, a group may book a meeting room once per month, system-wide, for four months in advance, and thereafter may be preempted by another group wishing to use the room on a one-time basis with one month’s notice. The Library has priority with regard to use of the meeting rooms. With one month’s notice, any group may be moved or re-scheduled should a room be needed by the Library. Groups wishing to use the meeting room must seek prior approval through the Director for room use, as well as any PR materials to be used about the meeting held on Library property.

Only adults may book meeting rooms. If teenagers or children are to be present, an adult must be responsible, in charge of, and present during the entire meeting.

The meeting rooms may not be used for commercial purposes where merchandise is sold but may be used for instruction and education of personnel. Groups using the rooms may not charge an admittance fee.
 
The Library Director may consider each application on its own merits, i.e., governmental agencies.
 
General Instructions
Meetings held must not be allowed or disallowed solely on the basis of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disability, language proficiency, social or economic status, provided the meeting falls into the category of approved type of organization. 
 
Meetings of a disorderly or noisy nature will not be allowed.
 
Organizations renting the rooms must not give the impression in their publicity or signage the Library is sponsoring the meeting. If this occurs, the organization will be notified. A second offense is grounds for refusal to rent the room in the future.
 
The Ouachita Parish Public Library is not responsible for the opinions and beliefs of organizations using the meeting rooms. Allowing a group or club to use the room in no way entails sponsorship of the organization or meeting.
 
If a group or an organization damages the room or causes damage to the Library building, the organization and applicant shall be responsible for payment of repairs. Groups or clubs that abuse meeting rooms or that do not comply with Library rules and policies will be denied further use of the rooms on the recommendation of the Library Director to the Board of Control.
 
Copies of this policy shall be given to each group or person who applies for use of the room.
 
Fees
Fees for the use of the room are:
  • Use of meeting room: $15
  • Room with AV equipment: $20
  • Room with kitchen: $45
  • Room with kitchen and AV equipment: $50
All fees must be paid before access to and use of the room.
 
Refreshments
Coffee or tea may be prepared in Library kitchens/kitchenettes. Alcoholic beverages are not allowed to be served or consumed on Library premises. Other refreshments must be prepared before being brought to the Library. If the kitchen has an oven/stove, it may not be used.  
 
Equipment
The Library is not responsible for the set-up and clean-up of the room.
 
No meeting room equipment is to be loaned for use outside the Library. This applies to all other Library equipment and furniture.
 
Louisiana State Fire Marshal Capacity of Meeting Rooms
Groups which expect to have a larger attendance than the approved capacity should not book the room. If the room exceeds the approved capacity, the Director is authorized not to rent to the group again.
 
Library Sponsored Meetings
Meetings sponsored by the Library, such as story hours, book reviews, etc., shall be open to all citizens of the parish. At the Director’s discretion, authors may sell their works in connection with signings or programs sponsored by the Library or Friends of the Library.
 
Conference Rooms
Small groups may use conference rooms. The conference rooms may be reserved when they are not being used for Library purposes. No more than fifteen people may use the conference room at the Main Library and no more than twelve people at the Ouachita Valley Branch. Arrangements must be made in the same way as booking for the larger meeting rooms. The charge for use of the conference rooms at Main and Ouachita Valley is $15.00.  
 
Study Rooms
Some branches have small study rooms available on a first come, first serve basis. They may not be reserved for any individual or group. The rooms are limited by size. Ask the branch manager for group size limit for that branch. All patron conduct rules apply. Any group that is disruptive or breaking policy may be asked to leave or may be prohibited from room use.
 
The following branches have study rooms available:
 
Piano Recitals
Music teachers or university music majors may book the Louis Lock Room of the Main Branch or the Mrs. Josephine McClendon Faulk Room of the Ouachita Valley Branch for piano recitals under the following conditions:
  1. The recital must be given at the hours specified for regular meetings.
  2. The total of performers and audience shall not be more than 100 people.
  3. A fee of $25.00 shall be charged for the use of the room and the piano. This includes one practice session.
  4. If refreshments are served, the fee will be $30.00.
  5. The teacher is responsible for seeing that the performers do not roam around the Library and disturb Library patrons.
  6. An application must be made to the library Director for each recital planned.
  7. All rules and regulation in the original policy are to be observed.
Music clubs with adult sponsors may book these rooms. The Library Director will determine charges.
 
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhere do I send my completed Meeting Room application?
Please email the Meeting room applicaton to meet@oplib.org when finished filling it out.
 
Will the Library set up the room (i.e. tables and chairs) for my meeting?
No. The Library is not responsible for setting up the meeting room.
 
Can I come in early to set up the room and/or figure out the AV equipment?
You may come in to set up the room and/or the AV equipment at the time you have booked the room. If you need additional time for set up, please include this time when scheduling the room.
 
Can I come in before the Library is open to set up the room?
No. The meeting room is only available during Library hours. This means the meeting room will not be open to you before the Library’s posted operating hours. It also means the meeting room must be cleared and cleaned by your group before the Library closes.
 
What if my meeting runs long?
The meeting rooms are often booked back to back. Therefore, your group must have the room cleared and cleaned by the end of your scheduled time. If you suspect that your meeting may run long or that clean-up may take additional time, please include this time when scheduling the room.
 
When do I need to pay to use the room?
You can pay at any time before the use of the room. Library staff, however, will not open the meeting room doors until payment has been made.
 
Who should I pay for the use of the room?
Payment is to be made at the circulation desk. Payment can be made at any branch. Acceptable forms of payment are cash, check, debit or credit card, money order, or cashier’s check.
 
Will Library staff be available to help with AV equipment?
Library staff are available to unlock the meeting room, kitchen, and AV cabinets. But, staff is not available to operate, set-up, or troubleshoot the AV equipment nor are they available to help with AV problems. If you wish to use AV equipment, we advise you to make an appointment and come to the Library prior to the reservation date to make sure that your equipment and software are compatible with the Library equipment and systems.
 
If my meeting has a small number of attendees, can I book the conference room?
Yes. The conference rooms at Main Branch Library and at Ouachita Valley Branch Library are available to book when not in use by the Library. It is important to note that there is no AV equipment available and no food can be served or consumed in either of the rooms. No more than 15 people may use the conference room at the Main Branch and no more than 12 people at the Ouachita Valley Branch. Study rooms, however, are only available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and therefore cannot be booked.