The Plaza located at Allen County Public Library’s (ACPL’s) Main Library is the open-air concrete and grass space on the east side of the Main Library building, extending from the building itself to the Wayne Street parking lot and Firefighters Museum the east side of the Library property, and from the Washington Street sidewalk on the south to the Wayne Street sidewalk on the north. This Plaza is declared to be a limited public forum and may not be used except for Library-sponsored or hosted activities and uses permitted by the Library pursuant to a rental agreement entered into with the Library and under the circumstances set forth in this policy.

Prohibited uses shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, musical and other artistic events, speeches, rallies, petitions, solicitations and other assemblies, except as set forth herein.

In the event a party wishes to utilize the Plaza for the expression of political speech or other viewpoints, the party shall first contact the Allen County Public Library Events Manager for purposes of notifying the Library of the intentions to utilize the Plaza for said purpose. Said notification shall include information regarding the proposed location within the permitted area of the Plaza where the expressive activity is to occur, the manner of speech expression (approximate number of people participating, method of transmitting message, subject matter), and the day and time of the activity. The Library shall have the right to prohibit or limit any proposed activity that is unlawful or disruptive to the normal use of the Plaza by Library patrons, as determined by the Library in its sole discretion. In exercising its discretion, the Library shall not evaluate, prohibit, or limit the proposed activity based on its subject matter, subject to the terms of this Policy. The requesting party shall sign the Library’s Use Agreement and shall be responsible for any and all damages resulting from said party’s use of the limited public forum zone, as defined below.

Such expressive activity shall be limited to that portion of the Plaza located north of the elevated stage portion of the Plaza area leading to the east entrance of the Library, including the outdoor seating area, but not including the elevated stage area. Said portion of the Plaza area available for such purposes shall extend from the north side of said elevated stage area to the Wayne Street sidewalk and from the Library Building on the west to the east side of the Plaza, not including the landscape areas along the boundaries of the Plaza, the walkway extending from the Plaza to the Wayne Street parking lot, or the Wayne Street parking lot itself (the “Limited Public Forum Zone”). The Limited Public Forum Zone is depicted in bold lines as set forth on the drawing attached as Exhibit “A”.

Exhibit A