The Quiet Study Room Policy is in place to insure fair and equitable Quiet Study Room access to members of the Old Bridge Community. By using a Quiet Study Room, you agree to follow this policy. The Old Bridge Public Library has twelve (12) Quiet Study Rooms with a maximum capacity of four (4) persons per room, and two larger Quiet Study Rooms that seat eight (8) persons. The Quiet Study Rooms are intended to provide a quiet area of study for individuals or small groups.
Acceptable use of Quiet Study Rooms includes: working on homework assignments, study groups, interviews, mentoring and counseling.
An Old Bridge Library Card must be presented when a room is reserved. The cardholder must be part of the group using the room. A valid name and phone number must be given to Library staff when reserving a Quiet Study Room.
Old Bridge Library Card holders may reserve Quiet Study Rooms at the Computer Help Desk for three (3) hour reservations periods. This time may be extended only if there is no demand for Quiet Study Rooms.
If the reservation ends within 45 minutes of the library being closed, the time increment may be extended until the Quiet Study Rooms are closed for the day. Quiet Study Rooms must be vacated 15 minutes before the library closes.
Quiet Study Room patrons who sign up for a new room will be given an open room; if no room is open, they will be given the next room to become available. Quiet Study Room users who have used their room past their reservation period must relinquish the room to new users; those who have spent the most time in a Quiet Study Room on a given day will be the first to give up their room to new room users.
When rooms are not in demand, individuals or groups may continue to use a Quiet Study Room past their reservation period; this extension will automatically occur until room demand increases.
Library Staff will give vacated rooms to Quiet Study Room patrons based on the order in which they requested a room; precedence will be given to individuals who have not yet used a Quiet Study Room on that date; previous Quiet Study Room users will be given a room only if no new users are waiting.
Patrons waiting for Quiet Study Rooms will be notified by phone; if a valid phone number is not left, or if the phone is not answered, the patron will lose his/her turn. After notification, patrons must claim their assigned room within 5 minutes, or it will be reassigned to the next waiting patron.
When a current room user needs to relinquish a room to a new user due to demand, they will be given a five minute warning to vacate the Quiet Study Room.
The Quiet Study Rooms may not be used for commercial or business activities, including any sales, advertising or promotional activity.
While using a Quiet Study Room, patrons must continue to abide by the Library’s Acceptable Behavior Policy and not disturb others or engage in destructive behavior. Failure to do so will result in the patron or patrons’ removal from the Quiet Study Room and/or the Library.
Room capacities must be observed while using the Quiet Study Rooms.
Snack food & drinks are permitted in the Quiet Study Rooms in accordance with the Library’s Acceptable Behavior Policy which states:
“Nonalcoholic beverages in covered containers are permitted only in some areas of the Library. Food and drink are not allowed in computer areas or on computer tables and stands. Consumption of snack food is allowed in all areas of the Library except for the computer areas. It is expected that customers will dispose of litter and debris in trash containers and leave table tops and chairs clean. Meals may not be eaten in the Library. The delivery of food to the Library is not allowed and will not be accepted.”
Quiet Study Rooms that have been vacated for more than fifteen minutes will be reassigned at the discretion of library staff. If Quiet Study Rooms will be vacated for more than 15 minutes, patrons must remove all their belongings from the room.
Patrons are responsible for all personal property brought into a Quiet Study Room. The Library is not responsible for monitoring belongings in Quiet Study Rooms, and shall not be responsible for any loss or damage to any personal items left unattended, damaged, or removed during the course of the use of a Quiet Study Room. Items left unattended for longer than fifteen (15) minutes may be removed by the Library staff. Library staff will place such items at the Circulation desk. Such items will be released to the patron upon identification of the items and presentation of identification. The Library is not responsible for loss or damage to personal items during this process.”
The Quiet Study Rooms are not for social gatherings. Use of the rooms in a manner that is disruptive to other Library users is prohibited. Noise shall be kept to a minimum in these rooms.
Failure to abide by this policy may result in suspension of Quiet Study Room privileges for a period of 3 months.
Approved by the Library Board of Trustees 6/11/2014; revision approved 11/9/2016; 08/09/2017.
