Thank you for your interest in presenting a program with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library! To ensure a positive experience for both you and the library, please review the following guidelines and complete the application form below to help us determine if your program is a fit for our organization.  

Application Guidelines 

As you work to complete your application, keep in mind we are looking for programs that fit a current community need and not all programs of merit will be approved. The application is an important part of this process, as we are looking for strong applications with evidence of planning and preparation. Applications will be reviewed on: (1) Clarity of the application and program plan  (2) Quality of the program descriptions provided  (3) Quality of the attachments and documents provided  (4) Evidence that this program(s) meets a community need. 

Program Guidelines 

Below are a list of guidelines for programs at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and what is allowable for public programs. 

1. Programs must relate directly to the Library’s mission, to improve lives and build a stronger community. Any program offered by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library must fit into at least one of the four following focus areas: 
   • Community Programs that create opportunities for cross-cultural and intergenerational interaction. Discussion groups, current event programs, and more fall under this category. 
   • Creativity Programs that support self-expression in a variety of forms, especially innovative and collaborative problem-solving. Art and innovation programs fall under this category. 
   • Leadership & Life Skills Programs that support personal and professional development for all ages. Workforce and career programs fall under this category. 
   • Literacies Programs that address and develop multiple literacies relevant for each age.  
   • Learning Programs that support peer to peer learning and educational support. 
2. Library programs are provided by the facilitator who can provide the best execution of the program based on expertise, experience, or education. Certain program topics are provided only by library staff or specially approved library partners, including: storytime, digital literacy classes, and book clubs. Please inquire about any additional programs that fall into this category. 
3. Programs providing medical or financial information must be provided by a qualified non-profit entity or other qualified organization unless specifically approved by the Library.  
4. Just as we do not make recommendations about medical, legal, or financial matters at the Library’s Reference Desk, we must be careful about presenting programs on these subjects. The Library may not appear to endorse or promote any one business, product, service, or ideology. 
5. Programs with religious or political content should be presented from a scholarly point of view and avoid praying, proselytizing, recruiting, and/or endorsing particular campaigns or candidates. The Library may not appear to endorse or promote any one belief system, ideology, candidate or political party. 
6. The presenter may not directly promote any for-profit business, product or service to program participants. One exception to this rule is for an author who has specifically been invited by the Library to give a presentation or workshop. Authors can make copies of their books available for sale during or after a program, but they must either work with a bookstore or bring a friend/volunteer to handle these transactions. An author’s time should be devoted to presenting the program and answering questions. 

Books that authors present at a program must be available in the Library catalog. For more information, please visit: https://cmlibrary.org/resources-writers 

If a presenter wants to present an informative program that could indirectly lead to future business for him/her, the Library reserves the right to request that a program include presenters from more than one company/firm to avoid the appearance of promoting any one business. 

Any collection of personal information by the program presenter should be voluntary and only happen with the express permission of each program participant. A written explanation of how the information will be used needs to be provided. For example, a presenter may put out a sign-up sheet that says “Write you email below if you want to subscribe to my e-newsletter.” 

At the conclusion of the program, the presenter may distribute business cards or promotional materials, but only to those who specifically request them. The business cards or promotional materials should not to be displayed or distributed during the program. Agendas, outlines, and copies of the presentation may be distributed or made available at any time but may not include the presenter’s business information. 

It is permissible (and encouraged) for presenters to promote the programs they present at the Library to their own friends, clients, customers and associates. 

The Library does not support stand-alone book signings, regardless of whether the book is published by a mainstream publisher or is self-published. The Library will refer all requests for book signings to local bookstores. 

Please send any questions to [email protected]  

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