frances crowe community meeting room
The Media Education Foundation (MEF) welcomes the use of the Frances Crowe Community Meeting Room (FCCMR) by non-profit organizations engaged in civic, cultural, educational, and public information meetings. As a progressive non-profit organization, MEF is committed to supporting other similarly minded organizations. The community room is located on the lower floor of MEF in the historic firehouse at 60 Masonic Street in Northampton, MA. Click here for a map.
Click here for the Friday Night Free Films schedule, organized by the Northampton Committee to End the War in Iraq.
Reservations
Beginning September 1, 2012, the FCCMR will be available for use by pre-approved groups only. Applicants have already been accepted for the Spring 2013 use period (January 1 – June 30, 2013). To apply to use the room for Fall 2013 use period (July 1 – December 31, 2013), please fill out and return the application (Adobe Acrobat Reader or Pro required) to MEF by May 15, 2013. Completed applications may be e-mailed to kelly@mediaed.org; faxed to 586.8398; mailed to MEF, 60 Masonic St., Northampton, MA 01060; or dropped off at MEF in-person. We will notify all applicants by June 1 to inform them of their eligibility to use the room.
MEF meetings and activities have priority use over the community meeting room and MEF reserves the right to cancel an existing reservation if the room is required MEF use. Groups meeting on a regular basis may schedule up to four months in advance, but may only have 4 reservations on the calendar at a time. Cancellations must be made a minimum of 24 hours in advance. When booking the community room, please allow enough time for set-up and clean-up. The doors to the building cannot be opened prior to 8 am and will automatically lock at 10 pm. Key cards are only active from 8 am to 10 pm. Please come to front office at least 30 minutes prior to your event between 9 am and 4:30 pm to receive your key card. Keys will be given out no more than 1 week in advance.
Fees
* The FCCMR is available to not-for-profit organizations and groups at no cost, though donations are welcome and appreciated.
* There is a $20 fee per event for groups to use the media equipment, which includes: the wall-mounted digital projector; DVD player; CD player; wireless internet; and laptop connections.
* There is a $20 fee per event for groups to use the media equipment, which includes: the wall-mounted digital projector; DVD player; CD player; wireless internet; and laptop connections.
Care and Use of the Facility
Since MEF allows groups to use our room at no cost, we expect mutual respect in return. Please note the following regulations for the care and use of the community room.
- Groups may rearrange the room in any way while using the space. Groups will then return furniture to original set-up when complete. (Fold up chairs behind the curtain, set up tables in the center of the room, etc. Please see the diagram behind the curtain.
- MEF employees will not assist with any set-up.
- Please leave the carpet free of all debris. There is a vacuum cleaner located behind the black curtains, which groups should use after each use.
- Groups cannot exit out of the emergency exit door (unless it is an emergency). The door will set off an alarm. Groups will pay the police response fee.
- There is a trash bin located in the community room. Groups must empty the trash when the receptacle is 3/4 full and bring it to the green dumpster located in the parking lot. Trash bags can be found in the sideboard drawer in the room.
- There is also recycling receptacle in the room. The bins are appropriately labeled. Please use care to see that waste is disposed of correctly.
- Equipment, supplies, or personal items may not be left in the meeting room before or after the scheduled meeting. This includes flyers and literature. MEF is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
- Nothing may be hung, taped, attached, adhered, fastened, etc. to the walls.
- Attendance at meetings must be limited to a capacity of 70. Any capacity larger than this will be in violation of fire code.
- Meetings must take place between the hours of 8am to 10 PM. Use outside of these hours must be explicitly approved by MEF staff ahead of time.
- People attending meetings should take care not to disturb customers or employees of Woodstar café.
- No flames of any kind are permitted, including lit candles and Sterno cooking fuel.
- No alcoholic beverages are permitted.
- Groups may not post signs advertising their event on any doors or walls of the building. Flyers may be posted on the bulletin board outside of Woodstar Cafe. You may also bring a flyer to the MEF front office and we will, at our discretion, feature it on our Community Room bulletin board on the outside of the building.
- Organizations using the room may not charge admission or solicit sales. Fundraising events, however, are acceptable, as is collecting donations to cover the cost of the event. Please approve all fundraising or donation activities with MEF staff ahead of time.
- Groups must return the key card immediately after their event to the key card drop-off box located at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the front office. A fee of $20 will be charged if a key is lost.
- Neither group organizers nor event attendees may park in the MEF parking lot. Any car parked there will be towed at the owner’s expense. On-street parking (as well as a nearby lot) is available.
- Groups will be responsible for covering the costs for any damage to the meeting room that requires replacement or professional cleaning. This does not include normal wear and tear, but it does include any damage that MEF will need to repair, such as broken table legs, damage to walls, etc..
- When advertising events, groups shall advertise their events as being held at “The Frances Crowe Community Meeting Room”. Please also include contact info for your group, so as to minimize inquiry phone calls to MEF. Please do NOT list “The Media Education Foundation” on any promotional materials.
- No bikes inside the building. There is a bike rack in the front of the building.
- No pets.
- No smoking on MEF property.
- On the rare occasion that MEF needs the room for an event, we reserve the right to cancel a reservation, and we will do so with at least two weeks advance notice.
- Groups may not actively campaign for a political candidate in the room as this could jeopardize MEF’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.
- Please report any problems or damages to the community room to MEF front office staff or call 413-584-8500.
- No exceptions will be made to these terms.
Donations
MEF is committed to providing the community room to not-for-profit groups at little to no cost. We do, however, gladly accept donations to help us with the upkeep of the room and equipment maintenance. If you would like to make a donation, please either put it in the key return box or contact Sut Jhally, Executive Director, at 413.584.8500 x2203 or donations@mediaed.org. Alternatively, you can drop off a check, made out to the Media Education Foundation, at the front office.
