Policies

Room Reservations & Special Events at the Library

A variety of rooms are available for use at the library. Before requesting a reservation, please familiarize yourself with the following general information, as well as the specific details concerning the room you wish to reserve.

The library has defined two types of use of library spaces: academic use and special event use. We define academic use as any use of library space affiliated with a credit-bearing class at Loyola College or College of Notre Dame of Maryland. (Examples include film screenings for film and literature classes, professors who would like to have one or more of their regular class meetings in a library space.) Scheduling for academic uses of the library is primarily handled by the Customer Services Department. Reservations for academic uses of the library are generally not taken more than one semester in advance, and must be made by the faculty member teaching the course.

Special event use is defined as something that is unaffiliated with a credit-bearing class at Loyola or Notre Dame. (Examples include committee meetings, receptions, panel discussions and film screenings sponsored by an academic or administrative department at one of the colleges.) Scheduling of special events is primarily handled by Alison Cody, Public Relations/Instruction Librarian.

In general, reservations for special events are taken as follows:

• Fall semester: Starting August 1
• Spring semester: December 1
• Summer (June – August): May 1

Please note that the library administration reserves the right to approve any type of use of library rooms on a case-by-case basis.

Auditorium

The auditorium is on the Lower Level and seats 100. Technology capabilities include showing DVDs and VHS tapes, projection from a laptop and microphones (hand-held and lapel) for lectures. Some acceptable uses of the auditorium include media screenings, lectures, meetings and special events:

• associated with a Loyola College or College of Notre Dame of Maryland class and organized by the instructor;
• sponsored and organized by an academic or administrative department at one of the colleges;
• sponsored and organized by an official student club/association based at one of the colleges;
• sponsored and organized by a resident assistant at one of the colleges and intended to be a floor event.

The auditorium may not be reserved for personal use, and may not be reserved outside of normal library hours without special approval. Classes and other Loyola and Notre Dame groups will be given priority. Groups outside the two college communities whose intended use is in keeping with the educational mission of the Library may request the use of the auditorium. Decisions about use by outside groups will be made by the library administration on a case-by-case basis.

Please note: The Library must ensure that all media screenings taking place in the auditorium are in compliance with copyright law. Such screenings will be approved on a case-by-case basis.

If you wish to reserve the auditorium as part of a credit-bearing class at Loyola or Notre Dame, please fill out the Academic Use Form. If you wish to reserve the auditorium for any other use, please fill out the Special Events Form.

Gallery

The Gallery is on the Main Level of the Library, just inside the two entrance doors. Its primary purpose is the display of art created by Notre Dame and Loyola faculty and students, though it may also be scheduled for special events planned by faculty, administration or staff of the two institutions. The Gallery is not available for use by groups not affiliated with the colleges. Arrangements for the provision of food and drink, as well as tables, microphone and other special equipment are the responsibility of the group holding the event. The Gallery may not be reserved past 11pm or outside of normal library hours without special approval.

As events held in the Gallery are disruptive for students and others who use the space for academic purposes, the library administration reserves the right to limit the number and nature of events held in the Gallery. These limitations are based on the amount of academic use the library as a whole sees at various points in the semester (final exams & study periods, etc.), and approvals for use of this space are made by the library administration on a case-by-case basis.

If you wish to reserve the Gallery, please fill out the Special Events Form.

Level 1 Seminar Room

The Seminar Room on the Main Level provides seating for 16 around a long table. Available technology includes a table-top projector that can be used with a laptop. It is intended primarily for faculty use as a classroom, but other meetings of Loyola and Notre Dame campus groups may be scheduled. The seminar room may not be scheduled for use outside of normal library hours or past 11pm, whichever is earlier. Food and drink are permitted.

If you wish to reserve the Level 1 Seminar Room as part of a credit-bearing class at Loyola or Notre Dame, please fill out the academic use form. If you wish to reserve the room for any other use, please fill out the special events form.

Instructional Labs

The library has two instruction labs on the Main Level. Lab A has 20 PC workstations and Lab B has 30 – 15 PCs and 15 iMacs. The Loyola/Notre Dame Library is the primary campus venue supporting information literacy education. During the first half of each semester, priority scheduling for the Instruction Labs is given to librarian-led instruction sessions requested by teaching faculty. Faculty who wish to teach a class in one of these labs may submit a reservation request; Students may not reserve the instructional labs.

Faculty who wish to request a library instruction session, or who wish to use one of the labs to teach a class, should fill out the Instruction Request Form. This form may also be used to request instruction sessions to be held outside of the library.

The instruction labs are also available, on a limited basis, for faculty and staff at the colleges who are arranging training sessions or workshops. The Research & Instruction Department will approve this type of use on a case-by-case basis, depending on the number of library instruction sessions and credit-bearing classes already scheduled. Any faculty or staff member wishing to request this type of use should fill out the Request for Instruction Form.

Faculty/Graduate Student Study Room

The Faculty/Graduate Student Study Room is on the Main Level and provides four study spaces (carrels) with lockable cabinets and drawers. The primary purpose of the room is to provide Loyola and Notre Dame faculty and graduate students who are working on long-term research projects (e.g. books, theses, dissertations) a space to work and store their research materials. No computer workstations are provided in this room (laptops may be checked out from the Circulation desk). Library materials that are stored in this space must first be checked out.

The carrels are available for the length of a semester or summer period, and may be renewed up to two times for a maximum total time of one calendar year. Requests for reservations for a semester or summer may be made no earlier than one month prior to the start of the semester or summer. Individual faculty and graduate students needing a quiet place to study may also use the Faculty/Graduate Student Study Room on a walk-in or appointment basis when not in use. The study room may not be scheduled for use outside of normal library hours.

Faculty or graduate students who wish to reserve the study room should fill out the Academic Use Form. For walk-in use of the study room, please visit the Circulation Desk.

Digital Lab

The Digital Lab is located on the Lower Level of the Library. It is for making audio, video, and other multimedia presentations. The space is by appointment only. Staff, faculty, and students need to have an orientation with library Digital Services Staff before their first use of the space, after which they may work independently. If you wish to reserve the Digital Lab fill out the Digital Lab Reservation Form.

Group Study Rooms

Several group study rooms are available on the second floor. These rooms are primarily intended for groups (3 or more) of Loyola & Notre Dame students. These rooms may not be scheduled in advance. During times of heavy use (final exam period, etc.) single students using a Group Study Room may be asked to move to make room for groups practicing presentations or collaboratively studying or working on a project.