Terms and conditions

General Terms and Conditions

CONTRACT HOLDER: PLEASE READ ALL OF THESE PROVISIONS

The following General Terms and Conditions apply to all Meeting Room Booking Applications at the Ottawa Public Library (“OPL” or “the Library”) and any events subsequently authorized thereunder. By submitting a Meeting Room Booking Application Form (the “Application”), the Applicant is voluntarily assuming the risks and liabilities associated with holding the described event, and is confirming they have read, fully understand, and will adhere to the following General Terms and Conditions.

GENERAL 

1. The Applicant must be at least 18 years old. 

2. The Applicant must have a copy of these General Terms and Conditions readily available during the event. 

3. The Applicant must be duly authorized to submit the Application on behalf of the sponsoring organization, if any. 

4. The Application must be accepted by the Library before confirmation of room is given or access to the facility, premises, and equipment, that are subject to the Application (together, the “Rental Space”) will be denied. 

5. The Applicant and the sponsoring organization, if any, cannot transfer or assign the Application without prior authorization from the Library. 

6. It is the responsibility of the Applicant to make all event participants aware of these General Terms and Conditions, and to provide the participants with a copy of these General Terms and Conditions, if requested by Library staff.  

THE EVENT 

7. The Library requires that discussion topics, names of speakers and their affiliation, draft written signage and posters, any event restrictions (e.g. age limits, ticketing details), and items for sale must be disclosed to the Library at the time of application and cannot be changed without mutual agreement by both parties. 

8. The use of decorations or special effects, not provided by the Library, must comply with public safety and fire regulations, and be authorized in advance by the Library. 

9. Alcohol may be served at events, subject to the Applicant obtaining applicable permits. 

10. Permission to post notices in the Library will be considered according to the Notice Boards Policy. 

11. The Library may seek full restitution for damages caused to the Library facility, premises, or equipment by the Applicant, arising from the use of the Rental Space. The Library may also take such other action as may be deemed necessary to offset any costs incurred by the Library resulting from the use of the Rental Space by the Applicant.  

APPLICATION OF OTHER LAWS 

12. The Applicant must comply with all applicable Federal, Provincial and Municipal by-laws (including but not limited to those relating to smoking, noise, signage, taxes, and copyright fees including public performance rights, SOCAN fees, and other licensing matters) and shall be responsible for any associated taxes, fees, tariffs, and levies that may apply to the use of the Rental Space and function for which these General Terms and Conditions apply.  

13. The Applicant must comply with all applicable rules and regulations, policies and procedures of the Library. 

14. Permission to use Library Rental Space in no way constitutes approval to engage in any unlawful activity or conduct in a manner that would violate any Federal, Provincial or Municipal Law. 

THE FACILITY 

15. The Applicant shall use the Rental Space in a manner consistent with its intended use and the Library’s applicable policies and procedures. 

16. The rental fee covers only the Rental Space itself, which includes the tables, chairs, and equipment permanently installed in the rented meeting room, if any. 

17. The Applicant is responsible for the set-up and arrangement of the Rental Space. The facilities are to be left in their original condition and room arrangement. 

18. Smoking is not permitted in Library facilities or their meeting rooms.  

19. Space may be allocated for the dates and times stated in the Application only. No storage is permitted in the Library branch between rentals. 

20. Only the Rental Space identified in the Application is to be used by the Applicant or sponsoring organization unless prior authorization has been received from authorized Library employees.   

21. All exits in the facilities must be kept free from obstructions in case of fire or other emergencies.  

SAFETY AND RESPONSIBILITY 

22. The Applicant shall ensure all event participants follow the Library’s Code of Conduct.  

23. The Applicant shall attend the event for which the Application was submitted and be responsible for decision making during and in relation to the event. 

24. The Applicant shall provide Library employees access to all rental spaces at all times during the rental period free of charge, in order to confirm compliance with Library policies, federal and provincial legislation and regulations, municipal by-laws, and other legal requirements. 

25. The Applicant shall ensure the physical setting in the rented facility is kept safe for participants and the general public attending the event. 

26. If the Applicant becomes aware of activities or conduct during the use of the facility that could lead to personal injury or property damage, the Applicant shall take immediate and decisive action to prevent participants and the general public attending the event from engaging in these activities or conduct.   

27. The Library may require a security plan to be submitted by the Applicant. The Library may require the presence of police officers or security guards during the event, and may require that the Applicant bear the applicable costs, if any. 

28. Depending upon the nature of the event, the Library may require an event to be restricted to a certain audience (e.g. adults only) or held at a certain time of day, or the Applicant to post a notice regarding the content of an event.  

29. In the event of an incident, the Applicant must follow the Incident Reporting Procedures described below.  An incident includes bodily injury to the Applicant, an event participant, or member of the public, or damage to Library property or third-party property. 

• Call 911, when Police, Ambulance, Fire etc., assistance is required. 

• Immediately advise onsite Library employees of the incident.  If a Library employee is not readily available, call 311 to report and contact Library employees the next working day. 

30. The Applicant, the sponsoring organization, their employees, volunteers and agents, shall cooperate with Library employees, Library representatives, police, investigating authorities and the insurance companies involved in the incident. 

INSURANCE 

31. Applicants and sponsoring organizations renting Library Rental Space to conduct low risk activities must maintain liability insurance coverage to a limit of $1,000,000 inclusive per occurrence for bodily injury, death and damage to property sustained in connection with the rental of Library facilities or premises.
    
    At the discretion of the Library, Applicants or sponsoring organizations renting Library Rental Space to conduct medium or high-risk activities may be required to maintain insurance deemed appropriate by the Library and, if requested by the Library, such insurance shall name the Library as an additional insured thereunder.  The Library may require the Applicant or sponsoring organization using Library Rental Space for medium or high-risk activities to provide a Certificate of Insurance evidencing the applicable insurance coverage prior to holding the described event. 
    
    The Library reserves the right to increase the limit of insurance required. Compliance with the above insurance requirement is the sole responsibility of the Applicant or sponsoring organization. 

INDEMNIFICATION 

32. The Applicant agrees to indemnify and save harmless the Library from all claims, demands, causes or action, loss, costs or damages that the Library may suffer, incur, or be liable for resulting from the Applicant’s negligence, acts or omissions, obligations, or failure to adhere to the General Terms of Conditions related to the holding of the event described in the Application. 

PAYMENTS 

33. The Applicant is responsible for payment due as specified in the Library Meeting Room Policy and any supplemental agreements between the Library and the Applicant, if any. 

CANCELLATIONS/REFUNDS 

34. Applicants must give to the Library five (5) business days notice, in writing, before the day of the event to receive a refund for a cancelled event. Refunds will not be granted once the notification period has expired. 

35. Modifications to the rental Application, if any, will only be authorized and agreed in writing. Subject to any such modifications, these General Terms and Conditions will continue to apply to the Rental Space and are binding on the Applicant. 

36. The Library reserves the right to cancel the Application at any time in the case of emergencies or when unforeseen Library requirements for meeting rooms or unforeseen circumstances arise (for example, a weather event or power outage). In such cases the Library will make every effort to provide the Applicant with 24 hours’ notice of cancellation; however, such notice may not be possible in all circumstances. In the case where the rental period is for more than one day’s use, cancellation may be made for any one or more of the booked dates. The Library will make every attempt to grant the Applicant access to the Rental Space at another time or allow a proportionate rebate for the period of rental time cancelled. 

37. The Library shall have the right to cancel the Application immediately without notice if the Applicant or any person(s) using the Rental Space with the consent of the Applicant, breaches any these General Terms and Conditions, a City By-law, the Library’s Code of Conduct, or any applicable Federal or Provincial law, including the Criminal Code, the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Public Libraries Act, and the common law.  

38.  The Library shall also have the right to cancel the Application immediately without notice if the Applicant or any person(s) using the Rental Space with the consent of the Applicant has misrepresented the purpose of the rental or any details contained in the Application.