Exhibit Case Policy and Rules

The library has first priority to reserve exhibit cases. Any exhibit space remaining will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis to not-for-profit groups located within the Barrington Public Library District, local artists and craftspersons, residents with collections they are willing to show, and local profit-making institutions which provide informational displays. Exhibitors must be Barrington Area Library cardholders and submit a completed exhibit case application to Administration.   Reservations for the forthcoming calendar year may be made beginning July 1 of the current year or the nearest weekday when July 1 falls on a weekend. 

Due to demand, each group or individual will be restricted to one reservation (one month) per year for exhibit cases and one month every other year for the hobby case in the Young People's Services Reference Desk.

The library endorses ALA’s statement on "Exhibit Spaces and Bulletin Boards." Contents of exhibits are not meant to reflect the views of the Barrington Area Library, its trustees, or its staff.

All displays are to be of a general educational or cultural nature, suitable for viewing by patrons of all ages. They may not be used to express one side of any political or religious issue. Prices may not be displayed.

Displays must be installed and removed by the individual or organization that reserved the space. Library staff is not available to assist in organizing, installing, or removing exhibits.

Any library books used in exhibits must be checked out before placing in the exhibit cases.  The library reserves the right to remove library materials if the need arises.

All materials included in an exhibit are subject to review. Material may be removed by the executive director and retained for the exhibitor.

Insurance on Exhibits

The library carries insurance, up to a maximum of $10,000, for all materials loaned to the library for display purposes at any one time. For certain exhibits, the Board of Library Trustees may obtain additional insurance for the duration of the display.

Community Bulletin Board

Publicity announcing programs sponsored by nonprofit organizations will be placed on the bulletin board as space allows. Publicity items are to be delivered to the Administration Office for approval and posting. The maximum size of an announcement approved for posting will be 8.5 X 14 inches.

Community Information Center

Pamphlets that describe activities of local not-for-profit organizations will be placed in the Community Information Center as space allows. Items are to be delivered to the Administration Office for approval and placement in the display racks.  

Exhibit Spaces and Bulletin Boards: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights

Adopted July 2, 1991, by the ALA Council.

Libraries often provide exhibit spaces and bulletin boards. The uses made of these spaces should conform to the Library Bill of Rights: Article I states, "Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation." Article II states, "Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval." Article VI maintains that exhibit space should be made available "on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use."

In developing library exhibits, staff members should endeavor to present a broad spectrum of opinion and a variety of viewpoints. Libraries should not shrink from developing exhibits because of controversial content or because of the beliefs or affiliations of those whose work is represented. Just as libraries do not endorse the viewpoints of those whose works are represented in their collections, libraries also do not endorse the beliefs or viewpoints of topics which may be the subject of library exhibits.

Exhibit areas often are made available for use by community groups. Libraries should formulate a written policy for the use of these exhibit areas to assure that space is provided on an equitable basis to all groups which request it.

Written policies for exhibit space use should be stated in inclusive rather than exclusive terms. For example, a policy that the library's exhibit space is open "to organizations engaged in educational, cultural, intellectual, or charitable activities" is an inclusive statement of the limited uses of the exhibit space. This defined limitation would permit religious groups to use the exhibit space because they engage in intellectual activities, but would exclude most commercial uses of the exhibit space.

A publicly supported library may limit use of its exhibit space to strictly "library-related" activities, provided that the limitation is clearly circumscribed and is viewpoint neutral.

Libraries may include in this policy rules regarding the time, place, and manner of use of the exhibit space, so long as the rules are content-neutral and are applied in the same manner to all groups wishing to use the space. A library may wish to limit access to exhibit space to groups within the community served by the library. This practice is acceptable provided that the same rules and regulations apply to everyone, and that exclusion is not made on the basis of the doctrinal, religious, or political beliefs of the potential users.

The library should not censor or remove an exhibit because some members of the community may disagree with its content. Those who object to the content of any exhibit held at the library should be able to submit their complaint and/or their own exhibit proposal to be judged according to the policies established by the library.

Libraries may wish to post a permanent notice near the exhibit area stating that the library does not advocate or endorse the viewpoints of exhibits or exhibitors.

Libraries which make bulletin boards available to public groups for posting notices of public interest should develop criteria for the use of these spaces based on the same considerations as those outlined above. Libraries may wish to develop criteria regarding the size of material to be displayed, the length of time materials may remain on the bulletin board, the frequency with which material may be posted for the same group, and the geographic area from which notices will be accepted.