After seeing these Frequently Asked Questions, and reading the Bristol Public Library System’s Meeting Room Policy, if you still have unanswered questions about the meeting rooms at the Main Library, please submit your question, below, or contact the Library’s Programming / Public Relations Manager, Teresa Goulden, at either 860-584-7787 ext. 2007 or teresagoulden@bristolct.gov.
What if I’ve made a mistake when using the Online Room Use Request system?
If you just need to make a minor time adjustment, or change something like the number of tables and chairs you will need, you can leave a message at 860-584-7787 ext. 2007, or email teresagoulden@bristolct.gov. If you made your request for the wrong day or the wrong room, go ahead and submit another Room Use Request for the reservation you do need, and then leave a message at 860-584-7787 ext. 2007, or email teresagoulden@bristolct.gov explaining which request needs to be taken out of the system.
Can I cancel my Main Library Meeting Room reservation online?
Sorry, but no. You’ll have to leave a message at 860-584-7787 ext. 2007, or email teresagoulden@bristolct.gov.
Why is it that when I look at the “Main Library Calendar of Community Meeting Room Reservations“ it looks like the room I want isn’t being used when I want to use it, but when I go into the “Room Use Request System“ the time slot isn’t available?
This is because the purpose of the “Main Library Calendar of Community Meeting Room Reservations” is to make it easy for event organizers to see what arrangements have already been made for their organization’s use of the Main Library’s meeting rooms, and to be able to share this information with other members of their group. It can’t be used to check for open times because this calendar doesn’t display library sponsored events, nor events that have been scheduled but haven’t been confirmed; nor does it show when a room is undergoing necessary maintenance work. It’s just to check for what has already been reserved for your group or organization, so that you don’t end up with two meetings scheduled in different rooms, or meetings the same day at different times, or on an alternate date because it looks like the space isn’t available, when in fact, someone else from your group has already reserved it. (It’s not fail-safe, as it isn’t possible to immediately confirm every request as soon as it’s received, but I will try to confirm requests as quickly as I can, to avoid the scenarios just described.)
What if I want to see if there’s a room available on more than one date, before I decide when to make my reservation?
If you want to see if more than one possible date and time is available, or if you wish to schedule a series of events or meetings, you should go into the “Online Room Use Request System,” and then go back and forth between Steps 3 and 4 to view availability at the different dates and times matching your needs. This should be done BEFORE completing any further steps in the Room Use Request process.
What happens if the weather is bad the day of my reservation?
If you need to cancel your event due to bad weather or some other emergency situation, please leave a message at 860-584-7787 ext. 2007, or email teresagoulden@bristolct.gov. (Emergency cancellations are not counted as part of the 12 times per year a group can use the library’s meeting rooms.) The library rarely closes due to weather conditions. Should the library need to close unexpectedly, a staff member will try to reach the person from your organization who was responsible for making the reservation. In either case, if the library still has power and internet access, the closing information will be posted on the Main Library Calendar of Community Meeting Room Reservations, and at BristolLibraryRooms.org.
If Bristol Schools are closed, will the library close, too?
Not usually. Again, the library rarely closes due to bad weather.
Does the library have a projector and a laptop we can use for our event?
While the Main Library does have the built-in, drop down projection screens in each room, meeting room users need to provide their own projector and laptop or other media playing device if needed.
(More questions to be added over time.)
