frances p. crowe community room
The Media Education Foundation (MEF) welcomes the use of the Frances P. Crowe community meeting room by non-profit organizations engaged in civic, cultural, educational, recreational, 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.
Fees
The community room is available to non-profit organizations at no cost, though donations are welcome and appreciated. Groups may use the wall-mounted digital projector, DVD player, CD player, or laptop connections for $20 per event. Businesses will be charged a fee of $100 for meetings less than four hours in duration or $200 for meetings more than four hours in duration. Businesses may use the room for non-commercial meetings only. MEF reserves the right to refuse the use of the room.
Reservations
Meeting room use is by reservation on a first come, first serve basis. We cannot guarantee the availability of the room. Please make a reservation with Kelly Marciano or call 413.584.8500 x2201. 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. A minimum of 24 hours is necessary for the cancellation of a booking, or that group may have restrictions placed on future reservations. When booking the community room, please take into consideration allowing 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.
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. 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 full (or almost full) and bring it to the green dumpster located in the parking lot. Trash bags can be found behind the black curtains.
- Equipment, supplies, or personal items may not be left in the meeting room before or after the scheduled meeting.
- Nothing may be used to attach items to the walls which will damage the walls in any way.
- 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.
- 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 gladly feature it on our Community Room bulletin board on the outside of the building.
- MEF is not responsible for lost or stolen items from the community room.
- 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.
- 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 will be charged for replacing keys.
- Guests may not park in the MEF parking lot. Cars parked there will be towed at the owner’s expense. On-street and nearby lot parking is available.
- Groups will be responsible to cover 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.
- When advertising events, groups shall advertise their events as being held at “The Frances Crowe Community Room”. Please also include contact info for your group, so as to minimize inquiry phone calls to MEF.
- No bikes inside the building. There is a bike rack in the front of the building.
- Groups will be charged $20 dollars if a key is lost.
- No smoking on MEF property.
- On rare occasions, if MEF needs the room for an event, we reserve the right to cancel a reservation with enough advance notice.
- Groups may not actively campaign for a political candidate in the room.
- Please report any problems or damages to the community room to MEF front office staff or call 413-584-8500.
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 contact Sut Jhally, Executive Director, at 413.584.8500 x2203 or donations@mediaed.org, or you can drop off a check, made out to the Media Education Foundation, at the front office.
