The Vigo County Public Library recognizes and supports the public’s rights to free speech that includes presenting speeches, distributing petitions or other information, and advocating views or positions. The Vigo County Public Library also has an obligation to provide library services to the public in an environment where access and privacy are maintained and where safe and unobstructed ingress and egress to Vigo County Public Library property is provided. Therefore, the Vigo County Public Library has established this policy to allow free speech while ensuring that the rights of others to use Vigo County Public Library facilities are not impeded.

Note: This policy pertains to the use of the Vigo County Public Library grounds and not the interior of the Vigo County Public Library facilities. Persons wishing to reserve a designated meeting space on Vigo County Public Library property should refer to the Meeting Room Policy and should contact the Community Services Department.

Regulations

1. Persons wishing to distribute material, canvass, perform, or speak on Vigo County Public Library property must obtain permission in advance from the Library Director.
2. The Library Director will designate an area to speak, canvass, perform, or distribute materials that is safe and ensures that library users will have unobstructed facility ingress and egress.
3. The conduct of persons speaking, canvassing, performing, or distributing information on Vigo County Public Library grounds must be in compliance with Vigo County Public Library policies and federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, and statutes.
4. Distributing materials, canvassing, performing, or speaking may be done only during the operating hours of the Vigo County Public Library location where the approved activity is taking place.

In the library’s aesthetic interest to maintain the premises free of debris and clutter, materials including, but not limited to, posters, flyers, placards, brochures, banners, or signs of any type may not be left unattended on Vigo County Public Library grounds. The Vigo County Public Library will remove and dispose of any unattended materials, including political campaign signs.

Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Vigo County Public Library on the 17th day of December, 2012.