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Liberty Lake library trustees order rewrite of meeting‑room policy, weigh rental fees
Summary
Trustees directed staff to merge the meeting‑room policy and the website text, clarify allowable uses and capacity, and return a draft; they discussed whether the library should allow some social rentals and noted any fees would require council approval and a budget amendment.
The Liberty Lake Municipal Library Board of Trustees on Tuesday directed staff to rewrite the library’s meeting‑room policy to match online information and to make explicit what uses are allowed and which are not.
Board members and staff said patrons have been confused by inconsistencies between the policy and the website. Library Director Jandy told trustees the website currently lists prohibited uses — including weddings and birthday parties — that are not clearly spelled out in the formal policy. “We’ve been finding some discrepancies, and patrons have been a little bit confused,” Jandy said.
Trustees spent the bulk of the meeting on details: whether the policy should list permitted activities positively (recommended by one board member), how to describe capacity and reservation limits, and how to prioritize recurring users such as the Friends of the Library. Staff confirmed the meeting room is reserved for library and community events and is not available for walk‑in use during story‑time; study rooms are typically available when not reserved.
Board members discussed the possibility of allowing some social rentals in otherwise unused time slots to generate revenue but repeatedly noted the operational complexity. City Administrator Mark Chen said any fee schedule or custodial charges would need formal council approval and could be introduced via a budget amendment: fees and revenue collection are part of the city’s budget and policy process.
The trustees asked staff to produce a single, editable policy document that aligns with the website, includes a clear list of permitted uses and capacity, and outlines reservation procedures. Jack (trustee) agreed to take the first pass at a draft and return it to the board for review before the next meeting.
Procedural notes: the board approved the meeting agenda and the October minutes earlier in the session and adjourned at the meeting’s end.
