Tutoring/Study Rooms

PURPOSE
In addition to the larger meeting rooms, Mahopac Public Library has two smaller rooms (Tutoring Rooms 1 and 2) that are available during the hours the Library is open, until fifteen (15) minutes before closing. These rooms are available to Literacy Volunteers of Putnam County tutors and their students on an as-requested basis. These rooms also may be used by same-age, small study groups and individuals on an as-available basis for educational, recreational, business, and civic purposes in accordance with the provisions of this policy. After-hours use of these rooms shall be governed by the general provisions of the Mahopac Public Library Meeting Room Policy. In order to provide guidance for the use of these tutoring/study rooms, the Trustees of Mahopac Public Library have adopted the following Policy that defines the conditions and limits of use.
Failure to comply with any part of this policy may result in future denial of tutoring/study room use.

USE
Literacy Volunteers of Putnam County tutors and their students have priority in the use of these rooms. Tutors may reserve the rooms in advance by submitting their request to the Literacy Volunteers coordinator. Tutor reservations will be held for 15 minutes past the reserved time, unless the tutor has notified the library that s/he will be late, after which time the room will be available to others. Tutors must sign-in at the Reference Desk on the second floor by presenting their Literacy Volunteers of Putnam County identification card.
Tutoring rooms are available for individual study and for same-age, small group study and/or meetings on a first-come, first-served basis, when not reserved by Literacy Volunteer tutors. Users should verify the availability of these rooms at the Information Desk on the first floor. If a room is available, then eligible users must sign in at the Reference Desk on the second floor and leave a security/identification item such as a driver’s license or keys.
There is a two-hour limit on the use of the rooms if others are waiting to use them. If no one is waiting, then a patron may use the room for up to another two (2) hours.
Children under the age of 18, accompanied by adults, may not use these rooms.
Fees may not be charged by tutors using these rooms. Use of the tutoring rooms by for-profit tutors/trainers is prohibited.
The number of attendees shall be limited to the posted maximum occupancy.

GUIDELINES
Library staff will have access to these rooms at all times.
Priority will be given to Literacy Volunteers of Putnam County and their tutors.
No food is permitted in these rooms.
Smoking is prohibited in the Library and in those areas adjacent to the Library where tobacco smoke may accumulate or drift back into the building. [See Mahopac Public Library Policy on Smoking.]

Users will not leave library materials or personal belongings unattended in these rooms (except for very short trips to the book stacks or the restrooms).

All members of the group are expected to abide by the Mahopac Public Library Code of Conduct and its emergency procedures. Users must vacate these rooms in the event of a fire alarm or other emergency.

The rooms must be returned to their original condition and vacated 15 minutes prior to Library closing times.

EQUIPMENT USE
The Library is not responsible for providing any special equipment for a tutor’s use. Literacy Volunteers of Putnam County has its own audio-visual equipment. If a group wishes to use Library-owned audio-visual equipment, then it must make arrangements at least one week in advance. (Please request an equipment list and associated fees.)

LIABILITIES
The Library allows the use of its facilities with the understanding that the Library accepts no responsibility for the personal safety of any person, either inside or outside the building, during that use. The Library is not responsible for damage, loss, or theft of personal property.

All users agree to hold the Library harmless from any loss, damage, liability, costs and/or expense that may arise during or to be caused in any way by such use of the Library facilities.

All groups agree to compensate the Library for any damages to the tutoring room(s) or other property of the Library caused by, or resulting from, the use of the tutoring room(s).

Policy Adopted: July 12, 2006
Revised: February 28, 2007

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