Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
General Statement
The Library is frequently asked to distribute posters, flyers, brochures and other miscellaneous announcements of community events. As part of its public service and information mission, the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County does distribute materials that publicize activities of a civic, cultural, educational, or recreational nature produced by non–commercial groups located in Hamilton County. Based on the appearance, contents, timeliness, local interest, and general suitability of the announcements, the Head of Public Relations, operating under the delegated authority of the Director/Clerk–Treasurer, approves the distribution and posting of such items. Unauthorized material will be discarded.
Guidelines
- Items announcing and promoting Library programs will take precedence over other community information.
- All dated items should be removed on a timely basis. Items provided as handouts or for posting will be made available for periods no longer than four weeks.
- All items must be approved by the Public Relations Department; do not post or distribute anything without gaining approval from the Public Relations Department. Approved items will be date–stamped.
- Generally, items will be approved if they do not seek to persuade politically or religiously; if they have not been printed primarily for the purpose of soliciting members, requesting donations, raising funds or selling merchandise, except for those materials produced for the Friends of the Public Library or the Anderson Library Committee and, if the poster, flyer or brochure is professionally and neatly done. All activities and events noted in the materials for distribution and display must be open to all.
Materials from an individual or a for–profit group, company, or organization (including for–profit nursery schools and job announcements) will not be accepted for posting or distribution. Exception: Community newspapers – newspapers, produced by for–profit organizations but distributed free of charge, with or without advertising, that contain news and feature articles relevant to the community (i.e. Downtowner, The Prime Edition, All About Kids, etc.) are accepted for distribution. - The Library distributes political campaign literature when the material contains information about all candidates. Materials on individual candidates are not distributed or displayed in the Public Library. All campaign literature must be submitted to the Head of Public Relations for distribution at the Main Library and to the branch libraries.
- Each item is approved or disapproved on a case–by–case basis; approved items will be stamped accordingly.
- The availability of space in a particular agency may of itself limit the posting of announcements and distribution of materials. Items may be refused because of their size if at the time there is no available space to distribute or post them. In general, items accepted will be no larger than 8 1/2" x 11".
- The saving of posters for later distribution to individual patrons is not permitted.
- The display and distribution of non–Library materials does not constitute endorsement of the materials' content by the Public Library.
- Final authority for all materials displayed and distributed on Library property rests with the Library Director, who administers under the authority of the Board of Trustees, but is delegated operationally to the Head of Public Relations.
