Policies

Any group, regardless of the affiliations of its members, may use the Barbara M. Donnellan Auditorium, provided that the group complies with the policies detailed below, the Rules Governing the Use of the Library. Failure to abide by any of these policies may result in suspension of meeting room privileges. The Library reserves the right to revise these policies at any time.

• To ensure equitable use of the Auditorium, each group’s usage is limited to four (4) uses per calendar year, beginning January 1.
• Events in the Auditorium must be free and open to the public. No fees may be charged to attendees.
• Auditorium reservation is open to the following types of groups:
  • Community Organization: An organization or organization branch whose mission promotes the welfare of the Arlington County community.
  • Non-Profit Organization: An organization tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) which promotes the welfare of the Arlington County community.
  • Local, State, Regional, or Federal Government Agencies or Departments: Any local, state, regional or federal governmental unit, agency, authority, or department.
• Reservations must be made at least 48 hours in advance, but not more than 60 days ahead of time.
• The Auditorium may not be used for personal events (e.g., birthday parties, baby showers, etc.).
• The Auditorium may not be used for commercial interests or electioneering. Except for The Friends of the Arlington Public Library, selling or sales promotions are prohibited.
• The Library reserves the right to cancel or reschedule reservations of the Auditorium at any time or for any reason.
• In the event of a Library cancellation, the Library will make every reasonable effort to accommodate an alternate time or space for the canceled reservation.
• No-shows (reservations that are not canceled at least 48 hours before the requested start time) may result in the reservation being canceled by Library staff and will count toward the group's reservation limit.
• Reservation limits may not be circumvented by different individuals using their names to register the same group, or by a group using different names.
• The Auditorium may only be scheduled for use during regular Library hours and must be vacated 30 minutes before closing time.
• The Auditorium may only be reserved by an adult (18 and older). All group use must be attended and supervised by an adult. Patrons under 18 may reserve the Library’s Large and Small Meeting Rooms.
• Groups using the Library's meeting rooms are responsible for room setup, including arrangement of tables and chairs. All tables and chairs must be returned to the interior of the Auditorium at the end of a group’s use.
• All publicity is the responsibility of groups using the Auditorium and must clearly identify the sponsoring organization. Publicity materials may not imply the Library’s endorsement of the event, nor list Library contact information (email or telephone).
• The Library does not assume responsibility for any private property brought into the Library.
• Groups must leave the Auditorium clean and neat. Repair or replacement costs due to damage of Library facilities, furnishings and equipment will be charged to the program sponsor. Arlington County will be the sole determiner of who does repair to County property.

Guidelines

• The Auditorium is equipped with the following amenities:
  • 6-foot folding tables
  • Chairs
  • Stage
  • Podium with microphone
  • Projector and screen
  • HDMI and VGA hookups
• If needed, groups must supply their own assisted listening devices for Auditorium use.
• Users of Apple laptops must bring their own HDMI or VGA adaptor for visual presentations.
• The Library does not provide on-site audiovisual assistance or support. Groups are welcome to schedule a time to test the Auditorium’s AV equipment. Requests to schedule such an appointment must be made seven (7) days or more in advance of the reservation and are subject to the availability of the Auditorium.
• Room setup and configuration is the responsibility of the group using the Auditorium. A prior group usage may leave tables and chairs deployed in the meeting space; groups are advised to schedule an additional 30 minutes for room setup into their reservation time.
• All parking at the Library has a two-hour limit from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Parking is without restriction at all other times. The Library does not guarantee parking for large groups. Groups are recommended to park in the G2 or G3 levels of the Library’s parking garage (entry from Quincy Street).
• Auditorium HVAC is controlled off-site and cannot be quickly adjusted. If your group expects many meeting attendees, please let Library staff know at least seven days in advance to ensure temperatures can be lowered in advance of the meeting.

For questions or concerns regarding Auditorium use, reservations, policies, or parking passes contact LIB-CentralOperations@arlingtonva.us.