Humboldt County Municipal Code Ch. 2 Regulation of the Use of the County Library

Sections: Prohibitions. Use. Admission Fees. Application for Use. Priority of Uses. Extended Workday. Penalty. 272-1. Prohibitions. No person shall ignite or smoke a cigarette, cigar, pipe or other similar object or device in any of the areas open to the public within the Main County Library located at 1313 Third Street in Eureka, California. Signs which are clearly visible and legible shall be posted in the Main Library notifying the public that smoking is prohibited. (Ord. 1571, § 1, 12/21/1982; Ord. 2211, § 1, 4/18/2000) 272-2. Use. (a) The Library and all of its branches shall be open during the hours of the week that are set by the Board of Supervisors. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/05/95; Ord. 2211, § 2, 4/18/2000) The meeting room in the Main Library shall be under the supervision and control of the Librarian and/or her/his designee. Except as provided herein, they shall be used solely for the transaction of public business. If not required for such use by the Library, the Librarian may permit their use by agencies of the Federal, State, County, City or District Governments for the transaction of public business, and by groups, societies or organizations for public, literary, scientific, recreational or educational meetings, or for the discussion of matters of general or public interest to the citizens of the County, other than for religious or social purposes. No political parties shall be allowed use of Library facilities for strictly partisan political purposes. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/5/1995; Ord. 2211, § 2, 4/ 18/2000) (b) A portion of the Main Library, called the Large Meeting Room, shall be available for meetings of the nature described under section (a) of this chapter. Such meetings may extend beyond the Library’s regularly scheduled closing time with permission of the County Librarian. The meetings must begin while the Library is open to the public and may not extend beyond 11:00 p.m. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/5/1995; Ord. 2211, § 2, 4/18/2000) 272-3. Admission Fees. No person or groups granted use of Library meeting room shall charge an admission fee, solicit any offering or collection, or use said meeting room for any profit-making or commercial purpose, except as otherwise provided in this section. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/05/95; Ord. 2211, § 3, 4/18/2000) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the Library or Library sponsored groups from using the meeting places for fund-raising activities to benefit the Library. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/05/95) Persons or groups using the Large Meeting Room shall be charged a fee as approved from time to time by the Board of Supervisors. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/5/1995) 272-4. Application for Use. (a) Application for the use of the meeting room in the Library shall be made to the Librarian in such manner as may be prescribed by her/him. The Librarian shall give preference to use pursuant to Section 267-1 of this chapter. Each person or group requesting the use of the premises shall, at a condition for the issuance of the permit, file the following statement: (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/05/95; Ord. 2211, § 4, 4/18/2000) “The undersigned states that, to the best of his knowledge, the property for the use of which application is hereby made will not be used for the commission of any act which is prohibited by law, or for the commission of any crime including, but not limited to, the crime specified in Sections 11400-11401 of the California Penal Code. I certify or declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.” (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/05/95) (b) Permission to use the Library as provided in this chapter shall be evidenced by a written permit signed by the Librarian and showing the name of the organization granted such a permit and the date and times when use of the Library by such organizations is permitted. Any permission granted for use of Library meeting places may be canceled or rejected by the Librarian when necessary for the protection of County property, the preservation of order or other sufficient reason. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/5/1995)

272-5. Priority of Uses. The following lists of priorities shall be used by the Librarian in determining assignment of meeting places: (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/05/95) (a) Board of Supervisors. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/5/1995) (b) Library or library-related groups. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/5/1995) (c) Any commission, committee or other advisory group appointed by the Board of Supervisors. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/5/1995) (d) The governing body of any Federal, State, City or District entity, or any commission, committee or other advisory group appointed by any governmental entity. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/5/1995) (e) Any department of the County or any County employee’s association. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/5/1995) (f) The Central Committee of any recognized political party, notwithstanding the provisions of section 8922 of the Elections Code of the State of California. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/5/1995) (g) Any organization conducting meetings or conferences for public, literary, scientific, recreational or educational purposes, or for the discussion of matters of general or public interest to the citizens of the County. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/5/1995) (h) Any nongovernmental group for informational purposes only. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/5/1995) 272-6. Extended Workday. Nothing in this chapter shall prevent or prohibit any County officer or employee who was in the Library during regular working hours from remaining in the Library after closing hours on a regular work day for the purpose of performing his or her duties. Access to the Library after closing hours on those occasions which are not covered by the preceding sentence shall be as provided in Section 267.2 of this chapter. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/5/1995) 272-7. Penalty. (a) It shall be unlawful and a misdemeanor for any person to be in any portion of the Library in violation of this chapter. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/5/1995) (b) Every person convicted of such a misdemeanor shall be punished upon a first conviction by a fine not exceeding Fifty Dollars ($50.00) or by imprisonment in the County Jail for not exceeding five (5) days for a second conviction within a period of one (1) year by a fine of not exceeding One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or by imprisonment in the County Jail for not exceeding ten (10) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment and for a third or any subsequent conviction within a period of one (1) year by a fine of not exceeding Five Hundred Dollars

($500.00) or by imprisonment in the County Jail fee not exceeding six (6) months or both such fine and imprisonment. (Ord. 2098, § 1, 12/5/1995) § 273-1. § 273-2. § 273-3. § 273-4. § 273-5.