Library's Controversial 'No Business' Policy to Begin March 1

The Ridgewood Library Board of Trustees approved the from public sections while charging for use of a cordoned off space last week. The policy is scheduled to run as a pilot for three months starting on March 1, after which it will be reevaluated, library officials say.

The idea, Library Director Nancy Greene said, was to open up the public tables tutors and other assorted businesses had been holding for long periods of time, so the general public can again fully utilize the public spaces. Residents had complained that some had been using spaces as home offices, she said.

"Our goal remains to ensure that our community has full use of public areas while also accomodating the apparent strong interest in space to hold for two-person meetings," Library Public Relations Director Barbara Hand said in an e-mail to Patch.

The board approved the proposed policy to register and charge all private enterprise businesses a specified fee for its new Private Business Center–a section containing rooms for rent and tables.

However, as to how the library can identify and determine who is operating as a private business; the library also came under fire for reportedly targeting tutors.

Greene said in a previous interview that the eyeball test often does a good job of spotting who's operating as a private business and who isn't, although it's by no means an exact science.

"You can tell if it's a business meeting," the director said. "They have work spread out, they're conversing back and forth. If it's two students, you can tell they're two students."

Greene disputed charges put forth by The Record that the new policy specifically targeted tutors. The library director told Patch there was no disciminatory intent and tutors will need to comply as any other business–library staff have been approaching individuals believed to be operating as a business and having them register for a table, though fees had not been doled out and won't until March 1. Those found breaking the policy, officials say, will be asked to leave.

Starting March 1, those looking to rent a daily table pass could do so for $10 a day or $50 per month, according to the resolution passed by the board of trustees. "We want to make it affordable," Greene said.

Thirty-five individuals have registered for tables, Hand said. Fees range from conference rooms for rent of over $200 an hour down to $75 for smaller rooms.

Village Attorney Matt Rogers said at a recent council meeting that although enforcement is still a question, he believes the policy is good law. A similar policy was redacted a few years ago in Teaneck in response to legal concerns.