by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
May was a record month at the Main Library in terms of the Conference Center’s slogan, “We do more than just books.”
“We had an amazing run in May,” said Conference Center Manager Mitesh Sangani, who added the venue was the site of 12 after-hours events in a 17-day period and four weddings over an eight-day period that included Memorial Day weekend.
“It’s nice to have a break,” he said Tuesday morning. “It gave us a chance to clean the carpets and do some other maintenance.”
The main Library’s Conference Center has a total of 20,000 square feet of flexible meeting space including a 391-seat auditorium, a 5,000 square-foot ballroom and several conference rooms. The venue also includes the courtyard on the second floor, which has proven to be a popular location for weddings and corporate events with its view of the Downtown skyline.
The courtyard space can accommodate as many as 200 people while the largest indoor space in the center can serve 400 people for a reception or 350 people for a seated event.
The Conference Center also has the advantage of extremely competitive rental rates, said Sangani. Rental rates range from $50 for a small meeting room for half a day to $2,500 to use the entire Conference Center for a full day.
“In addition to the rate structure, we also offer the standard amenities at no charge that other venues usually charge for like tables and chairs and set-up,” he said. “We provide a venue community groups could not otherwise afford.”
Sangani also said in addition to private functions, much of the Conference Center’s success can be traced to non-profit organizations and official City events.
Rental rates are reduced by 50 percent for non-profit organizations and those groups account for 65 percent of the Conference Center’s daytime bookings during the week.
City agencies and departments who hold meetings, receptions and other gatherings at the Conference Center also receive the 50 percent discount since the library is part of the City’s budget and the Conference Center is part of the library.
The mayor’s office is also a regular user of the facility. Many events are too large to hold in the Lynwood Roberts Room at City Hall or the meeting room at the Ed Ball Building. Having the Conference Center available a few steps from City Hall has led to it hosting many functions.
“The City uses the venue quite a bit,” said Sangani, who detailed a list of Jacksonville Journey events including with the day Rev. Eugene Rivers attended a day-long seminar to kick off the initiative and several steering committee gatherings. “We’re also having Mayor (John) Peyton’s Seeds of Change summer jobs training program here and the 18th annual Environmental Luncheon.”
Stacie Bucher, marketing communications manager for the Jacksonville Public Library, said the Conference Center also contributes to the city’s overall convention marketing position.
“Having this space can take a load off the local hotels. We can augment their meeting space by taking overflow depending on a group’s itinerary,” she said. “Having the Conference Center here at the Main Library Downtown also gives planners a chance to show off the city’s assets to national and international markets.”
That aspect came into play during the presidential primary campaign when two candidates held rallies at the Conference Center.
“Mitt Romney chose this as where he made his public appearance in Jacksonville and so did Rudy Giuliani. They wanted to be seen here because it is such a unique venue. They can make a public appearance at a shopping center or a union hall anywhere in the country, but in Jacksonville they can do it at the library. Very few cities have something like this available.
“Rudy Giuliani even chose Saturday for his rally because that’s the busiest day at the library,” said Sangani.
Combining offering event space at an affordable rate to the community and providing space at an even more affordable rate, or no cost at all, for City events, the Conference Center is a win-win for the entire community, said Bucher.
“I think we have struck a good balance between generating revenue and maintaining community partnerships,” he said.