A UM student seated at a study desk between library bookshelves in the Mansfield Library on the University of Montana campus in Missoula, MT, using a laptop with a coffee cup nearby.

Mansfield Library

Classroom and Meeting Space Reservation and Use Policy

The Mansfield Library facilitates the intellectual and creative pursuits of all members of the University of Montana (UM) community and supports their information, education and cultural development in part by providing spaces within the library for study, collaboration, production and presentation.

The Mansfield Library is a public building which includes classrooms and other designated spaces that may be reserved for use by UM students and employees. Meeting and event spaces may also be available for use by Affiliated Users and Non-affiliated Users in accordance with UMs Facilities Use and Access Policy and Facilities Use and Access Procedure. Based on the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, and Code of Ethics, the Mansfield Library does not restrict room use on the basis of subject matter or the meeting/event sponsor’s beliefs or affiliations.  The content of meetings, events, and exhibits held in the library do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Mansfield Library employees.   

This document outlines policies and procedures for the use of Mansfield Library classroom, studio and meeting rooms and spaces. Exceptions to these policies and procedures must be approved by the Dean of Libraries.

The five categories of library rooms and spaces that can be reserved for use by the UM community are:

Group Study Rooms

Group study rooms are available at Mansfield Library on the UM Mountain campus and at the Payne Family Library at Missoula College. Most group study rooms accommodate 2-10 people. All group study rooms have outlets and a whiteboard and some have special equipment. Find a group study room and reserve it now.

Group Study Rooms at the Payne Family Library and on levels 2 and 5 of the Mansfield Library are available for reservation by University of Montana students and employees.

  • Group study rooms may be reserved in advance once per day for up to three hours.
    • Consecutive and same-day renewals will be allowed if the room is not reserved by another person. (With the exception of the Veteran’s Study Room – see below.)
    • Renewals must be made in person, after the first reservation has expired, at the Information Center Checkout Desk.
    • After the first three consecutive hours, if the room is requested by another person and no other rooms are available to accommodate that person, the original user may be asked to vacate.
  • Rooms may be reserved up to two weeks in advance using the room reservation system as well as at the Information Center Checkout Desk.
    • The online room reservation system requires users to log in using their NetID. Information Center personnel will not make reservations over the phone but instead will direct UM employees and students to the room reservation website.
  • Room keys are available at the Information Center Checkout Desk. GrizCard or photo identification is required.
  • Reservations will be held for up to 30 minutes into the reservation time period before the room will become available for a subsequent reservation.
  • Fines will be assessed at $.50 per hour for the late return of keys and $65 for a lost key replacement.
  • The individual named on the reservation is responsible for securing the room during their reservation and locking the room when they exit.
  • The individual named on the reservation is responsible for any individuals, and the actions of those individuals, invited into the space while the room is checked out in their name.
  • All personal belongings are the sole responsibility of the owner.

Veterans Study Room

  • Reservations for and use of the Veterans Study Room (Level 4, Room 407) follow the procedures noted above for Group Study Rooms, with the following exceptions:
    • The Veterans Study Room may only be reserved in advance by veterans who are students or employees of the University of Montana. Veterans will receive the room reservation password from the UM VETS Office.
    • Consecutive and same-day renewals will be allowed by veterans if the room is not reserved by another person. Renewals by veterans must be made in person, after the first reservation has expired, at the Information Center Checkout Desk.
    • Non-veterans may make a same-day reservation for the Veterans Study Room, when it is available, at the Information Center Checkout Desk. Non-veterans may reserve the room once per day for up to 3 hours. There are no renewals for non-veterans.

Accessible Technology Room

The Accessible Technology Room (level 2, Room 209) can accommodate one to three people and is intended for quiet, distraction free study or use by persons who require the specialized assistive technologies housed in this location.

  • Room keys are available at the Information Center Checkout Desk. GrizCard or photo identification is required.
  • Technical support for equipment is provided by Accessible Technology Services.
  • For training in the use of any of the assistive technologies (hardware and/or software) please submit a help ticket to UM IT.

Studio Spaces

The Mansfield Library has multiple types of studio spaces available for reservation by University of Montana employees and students:

The following rules and procedures apply to these studio spaces:

  • Each person may reserve studio space for up to three hours per day.
    • Consecutive and same-day renewals will be allowed if the room is not reserved by another person.
    • Renewals must be made in person, after the first reservation has expired, at the Information Center Checkout Desk.
    • After the first three consecutive hours, if the room is requested by another person and no other rooms are available to accommodate that person, the original user will be asked to vacate.
  • Rooms may be reserved up to two weeks in advance using the room reservation system.
    • The online room reservation system requires users to log in using their NetID. Information Center personnel will not make reservations for users.
  • A key is required to access the Studio Spaces. The key can be checked out at the Library’s Checkout Desk directly before your scheduled reservation. The key will be checked out only to the individual under whose name the reservation was booked. GrizCard or photo identification is required. The key must be returned to the Checkout Desk immediately when the reservation expires.
  • The individual named on the reservation is responsible for securing the room during their reservation and locking the room when they exit.
  • The individual named on the reservation is responsible for any individuals, and the actions of those individuals, invited into the space while the room is checked out in their name.
  • Reservations will be held for up to 30 minutes into the reservation time period before the room will become available for a subsequent reservation.
  • Fines will be assessed at $.50 per hour for the late return of keys and $65 for a lost key replacement.
    • Returning the key or room equipment late, wherein it impacts other reservation holders, may be grounds for loss of studio privileges and may result in other disciplinary actions.
  • All personal belongings are the sole responsibility of the owner.
  • The room is not to be used for studying, editing, or other uses that and not in keeping with the purpose of the room such as capturing audio and/or video content.
  • The following procedures are expected of all users of studio spaces:
    • Food and beverages are not allowed in the studio spaces.
    • Do not touch the camera, lights, microphone, change any settings, or attempt to adjust projection/camera angles or unplug, modify, touch or troubleshoot any equipment in the studio.
    • Do not affix anything to the curtains, green or blue screen, or walls.
    • Do not lean on, push or move the control center table.
    • Return chairs to designated location and leave the room clean and ready for the next user.
    • Report if the door was unlocked when you entered and please lock the door when finished.
    • Altering the studio or leaving it in a condition not usable for the next patron will be grounds for loss of studio privileges and may result in other disciplinary actions.

Classrooms

The Mansfield Library has two rooms which are used for the majority of library-related instruction:

  • Student Learning Center (SLC) (Level 2, MLIB 283)
  • Buckhous Immersive Learning Space (Level 2, MLIB 284)

Use of the SLC is intended primarily for individuals providing library-related instruction and for library-related and library-sponsored events. The SLC is also available to UM faculty and staff, including teaching assistants, and to UM students during evenings and weekends. Use of the Buckhous Immersive Learning Space is intended for UM faculty, staff and students engaging in immersive learning instruction and learning.

Student Learning Center (SLC) (Level 2, MLIB 283)

The Student Learning Center is an active learning classroom designed for instruction, collaboration, and peer-to-peer learning. The room contains six active media tables, each with five chairs, as well as a presenter podium with a computer connected to two large wall monitors. Each table is equipped with an integrated monitor which can be raised and lowered based on classroom needs and connects to a wide range of technologies via Bluetooth. The room has six dedicated laptops which can be connected to the active media tables.

Additional laptops for instruction can be requested through Presentation Technology Services. Technical support is provided by the UM IT Classroom Technology team.

The following rules and procedures apply to this classroom:

  • Mansfield librarians can reserve the room for their own instruction on a first-come, first-serve basis.
  • University of Montana faculty and staff, including teaching assistants, can reserve the classroom during all library open hours; UM students can reserve the classroom during evenings (after 5pm) Monday-Friday and on weekends.
  • Reservations for the room can be made for up to three hours per day. Requests must be submitted at least one week in advance using the online booking form and are subject to approval. Confirmation will be sent within two business days.
  • For reservations needed within one week, including same-day requests, any library staff or faculty member can reserve the room for an eligible user if the room is available.
  • Email library.slc@umontana.edu with any questions about the booking process or about your reservation.
  • Requests for recurring use of the room will be reviewed and may be approved by the Dean of the Library.
  • A key is required to access the Student Learning Center. The key can be checked out at the Library’s Checkout Desk directly before the scheduled reservation. The key will be checked out only to the individual under whose name the reservation was booked. A GrizCard or other form of photo identification is required. The key must be returned to the Checkout Desk immediately following the reservation. The individual named on the reservation is responsible for locking the room any time the room is empty.
  • All personal belongings brought into the room are the sole responsibility of the owner.

Buckhous Immersive Learning Space (Level 2, MLIB 284)

Buckhous is an immersive learning lab designed for virtual reality (VR), extended reality (XR) and/or augmented reality (AR) use. The room is an open space with individual “pods” marked out on the floor. It also contains tables and chairs along the walls, as well as a presenter podium with a computer connected to two large wall monitors.

The library has 39 Meta Quest 2 VR headsets available for batch and individual checkout, and users are also welcome to bring their own VR equipment. VR headsets can be requested by emailing library.vr@umontana.edu.

Technical support for VR equipment is provided by the Program Manager for the 3D Lab, Studios, & Innovative Spaces. Technical support for the presenter podium is provided by UM IT.

The following rules and procedures apply to the Buckhous Space:

  • Mansfield librarians can reserve the room for their own instruction on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • University of Montana students, faculty and staff can reserve the space during all library open hours.
  • Reservations for the room can be made for up to three hours per day. Requests must be submitted at least one week in advance using the online booking form and are subject to approval. Confirmation will be sent within two business days.
  • For reservations needed within one week, including same-day requests, any library staff or faculty member can reserve the room for an eligible user if the room is available.
  • Email library.buckhous@umontana.edu with any questions about the booking process or about your reservation.
  • Requests for recurring use of the room will be reviewed and may be approved by the Dean of the Library.
  • A key is required to access the Buckhous Space. The key can be checked out at the Library’s Checkout Desk directly before the scheduled reservation. The key will be checked out only to the individual under whose name the reservation was booked. A GrizCard or other form of photo identification is required. The key must be returned to the Checkout Desk immediately following the reservation. The individual named on the reservation is responsible for locking the room any time the room is empty.
  • All personal belongings brought into the room are the sole responsibility of the owner.

Franke Global Leadership Initiative (GLI) Classroom

The Franke GLI classroom (MLIB 417) is available for reservation during normal library hours when it is not in use by GLI seminars or capstone teams. Please email gli@umontana.edu to make a reservation. In your email, please include the date, time, and purpose of the reservation together with the name, affiliation, and contact information of the reservation’s point person.

Meeting and Event Spaces

The library has four areas which can be converted from their primary use as library study spaces into special purpose meeting and event spaces:

  • East Faculty Office Area
  • Theta Rho Room
  • Library Commons Presentation Area
  • Poetry Corner

The library’s meeting and event spaces may be used for library-sponsored events, library-related events and UM-related teaching, research and creative work. Meeting and event spaces may also be used by Affiliated Users and Non-affiliated Users in accordance with UMs Facilities Use and Access Policy.

The following rules and procedures apply to these spaces:

  • University of Montana students and employees may request to reserve these meeting and event spaces for one-time (non-recurring) use by submitting a request to a library administrative staff member not more than 12 months or less than 7 working days in advance. Requests for recurring use of these spaces will be reviewed and may be approved by the Dean of the Library.
  • Mansfield Library faculty and staff may reserve a meeting or event space for one-time (non-recurring) use for themselves, or as a library sponsor of a non-library-related activity, by inquiring with administrative staff.
  • If room set up is required, a reservation for a meeting or event space must be made at least 1 working day in advance.
  • To maximize available study space within the library, the use of these spaces for meetings or events will not be allowed immediately before or during finals week.
  • Display cases will remain in place during events. Care must be taken to protect them and their contents.
  • A sign will be placed outside the room or space on the day of the scheduled event indicating the time the space is reserved for use.
  • Food and drink may be allowed during meetings and special events in accordance with University Catering Services policy. A $75.00 cleanup fee will be charged when food is served.
  • All personal belongings are the sole responsibility of the owner.
  • Patrons are responsible for taking trash and recycling with them, and sorting appropriately in one of the hallway waste stations. A trash bin may be placed as part of the room setup, on request.