Many thanks for the many responses to my query "One of our libraries has been approached by the local U3A group with a request to hire our PN computers when the library is closed in order to run some pc and internet training for their members. We would like to support them, and staff would be in the building so security would not be an issue. 
How do other authorities deal with such requests? Do you make a charge? And if so, on what basis?"

In the end we decided to charge for the space but offer the PC use free of charge. We are currently developing a hire of rooms policy so will be including this aspect in this.

Summary of replies as follows:
Gwynnedd: "silver surfer" taster sessions on PN machines, within and without library opening hours. We don't charge the individuals concerned. We've also allowed the PN machines to be used for training purposes by partner agencies, outside library hours. In such cases, we've charged the training agency which ran the course. The charges are on a par with those which we levy for use of Lifelong Learning Centres (£20.00 per 2-hour session)

Swansea: We are struggling with this as there are issues regarding public liability, insurance etc that seem to have stopped us from progressing. This is partly due to the fact that they want to use the libraries out of hours when we have no staff support for supervision, security etc. In principle if we could get over these problems we would probably offer the facilities free of charge if they were a community group. We have allowed groups on closed days at Killay and Central and some other days but make no charge. We plan to write a charging/hire policy and no doubt will do so in the coming year. On closed days we only allow groups related to library or book topics and there is usually a member of staff on the premises or a city and county of Swansea employee if in a shared facility site. We have had requests from IT tutors to open on closed days but could not manage this at the time because we could not find anyone to open and close.

E Ayreshire: We charge community groups any additional staff costs incurred with the building opening up.

Swindon: We have a policy along these lines - if the organisation is profit-making, then we would charge them for hiring the PN computers at a higher rate.  If they are a not-for-profit group then we charge a lower rate.  If it is outside of normal library open hours, we would also charge for staff time to open and close the building. However if it was an informal self-organising group on an ad hoc basis we would not charge at all. Printing would be at cost.

Coventry: In Coventry we have a long standing agreement with a voluntary group who uses our IT suite totally free of charge, but in the current climate we might not be quite so generous and would have expected them to get funding to be able to give use some rental income. With a partner organisation that provides UK Online etc we have provided free use in the community libraries but may a charge in the Central Library. As a rule of thumb we would look at the benefits for the service - if it adds members, library usage etc  and take that into account.  We would also look at where a group is getting its funding from and see if there is a room hire element to it that we could utilise - after all our sites are quite strategically placed and have no barriers to entry so they are perceived as quite desirable.

Wandsworth: We have a small learning suite of 12 pcs with a tutor's desk, projector and screen at our Tooting Library which was extended and refurbished as part of the BIG Lottery's Community Libraries programme and re-opened last February. We hire it out to community groups or learning providers (who sometimes recoup the costs as part of funding bids e.g. UK Online). We do not charge if these groups are doing something with library staff but charge all the others. The rate is currently £10 an hour when the library is open or £15 an hour if closed to cover caretaking. Likely to go up by 50p from January. These charges are quite low for Wandsworth but deliberately so to allow us to achieve targets which we have to as part of the Lottery funding.

Gloucestershire: We do this (with local providers e.g. college) and do charge. We have found this works well. In some cases the library is not staffed

Essex: We do this regularly and charge £4 per hour per machine (+ printing at the standard rate). If they are working out of hours (i.e. when we do not regularly have a member of staff in) we charge an additional £10/h to cover staffing costs. However it is essential to check with your insurers that any such activity would be covered (most likely issue is your public liability) and it is good practice to have a written agreement in place with the other organisation to avoid inadvertently creating tenancy rights

Bath & NE Somerset: In Bath & North East Somerset we hire out our PN pcs for courses at a cost.

Midlothian: We encourage out of hours use by council run groups especially those involved in literacy.  We don't charge for this.  I would imagine the challenge for you is who is responsible for opening/closing and security. As our groups are council led we provide council workers with security codes, keys etc.

Pembrokeshire: We allow Community Learning to use one of our libraries after opening hours for evening classes.  To be able to print the tutor has to access a staff pc and I have to block book the pcs and override the closing times as we use Netloan.  There are no library staff in the building. We haven't been charging them.  This is the first academic year that we have done it.

Bexley: in Bexley (SE London) we would allow our Adult Ed free use of IT outside hours, but charge commercial users. We've not had approaches from U3A, but if we did, I think we'd charge them for the actual hire of the building (art community rate rather than commercial), but not fort the IT usage.

Derbyshire: As long as they weren't charging their members we'd allow it free of charge.  If we had to pay staff/caretakers to open and close the building they would have to pay for that.  

Regards

Helen Edwards
Prif Lyfrgellydd/Principal Librarian
Gwasanaeth Llyfrgelloedd, Gwybodaeth ac Archifau/Libraries, Information and Archive Service
Cyngor Sir Powys/Powys County Council
Ffôn/tel: 01597 826864
Ffacs/fax: 01597 826872
[log in to unmask]