Birthday Parties
at DCL
Terms, Conditions, and Common Questions
Terms and Conditions
- One adult chaperone (18 or older) must be present for every four children present.
- Maximum 24 children permitted at each party.
- Reservation requests must be made at least 15 weekdays in advance. Your reservation is not guaranteed until your request has been reviewed and approved.
- Birthday party packages are structured for one birthday girl/boy. To celebrate more than one child at a single party, add $50.
- We accept credit card and personal check payments.
- Inappropriate, unruly, or disruptive behavior is prohibited. Music is not permitted in the library during business hours except with advance written permission from library staff.
- A 50% nonrefundable deposit is due at the time of booking. The remaining balance is due 7 days before your party date. We accept credit card and personal check payments.
- For additional décor, food, and beverage, standard room terms and conditions apply.
- Cancellations may be made 7 days or more before the party and are subject to the 50% nonrefundable deposit. If cancellation occurs less than 7 days from the party, customer is subject to the full birthday party package cost. Date changes are available for an additional transfer fee of $25.
- Outside food is allowed. Service of pre-purchased, ready-to-eat refreshments and/or drop-off catering is permitted. No on-site cooking or food preparation is allowed (Sterno warming excepted). No appliances, including slow cookers, blenders, mixers, or pressure cookers, are allowed to be used on library property.
- Alcohol may be allowed for an additional fee.
- The library does not provide storage facilities. All items used for a birthday party must be delivered/unloaded during library operating hours without interrupting library operations, and removed immediately after the party.
- Additional decorations are allowed. Groups may not display signs of any kind outside of the reserved space. Inside the reserved space, no signs or decorations may be nailed, taped, stapled, or otherwise fastened to ceilings, doors, walls, glass, columns, or painted surfaces. No fog/smoke, bubbles, open flames, confetti, silly string, birdseed, glitter, hemlock, Spanish moss, live Christmas trees, or decorative greens containing pitch or balsam may be used inside or outside the library.
- DCL staff and volunteers are not allowed to accept gratuities. However, an in-kind donation via the library’s welcome desk is acceptable if you think your birthday party coordinator met or exceeded your expectations.
Common Questions
Booking Process:
Currently, parties are only offered on Saturdays from 2:00-4:00 p.m., and Sundays from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 2:00-4:00 p.m. If you’re interested in booking a different day or time, you are welcome to use our spaces to host your own party. Please contact us for more information on our Self-Service and Select Service tiers.
Our parties are popular and tend to book quickly, so the earlier the better! We suggest booking at least 2-3 months ahead to have the most options available.
Reservation scheduling for the following year typically opens up in early November of the current year.
We will send you an invoice for online payment. A 50% nonrefundable deposit is required in order to book the party, with the remaining balance due a week before the party.
A booking confirmation and party invitation will be sent 48-72 hours after your payment is received.
Please let us know as soon as possible if your child is sick and we will work with you to reschedule to the next available date. In the event of inclement weather, the library may implement a delayed start or a full closure. If this occurs, we will notify you by email and phone the morning of the party. Notice of delayed opening or library closure may also be found on our website at DCL.org as early as 6:00 a.m. If you choose to cancel, we will work with you to find an available date and time to reschedule. Your payment will be applied to the new date.
Your assigned party coordinator will reach out to you 1-3 weeks prior to the party to confirm your desired colors and head count for children. These details along with your final payment, including for additional children over the allotted 12, are due 1 week prior to the party date.
Our parties are appropriate for younger kids who are 2-7 years old. Please reach out to us to discuss other options, including hosting your own party. See DCL.org/reserve-a-space for additional details.
What Does the Birthday Package Include?
Our birthday party packages include a wide range of decorations and activities. Not only do we set up and decorate the room for you, but we also host the entire party! We provide about 90 minutes of fun crafts and activities, including a 30-minute interactive Storytime. We also provide goodie boxes with the toys used in Storytime, two individually wrapped snacks, a mini bottle of water with a customized label, and a lollipop bouquet with individually wrapped lollipops for the kids attending the party. The birthday kiddo will also receive a gift book from the library.
Unfortunately, we currently do not have the capacity for specially curated parties. However, we try to incorporate your child’s interests into our main crafts as much as possible. Many parents choose to bring additional freestanding décor, cake, plates and napkins with a specific theme.
We do! We provide black linens, centerpieces, sashes and balloons of your color choice along with table signs, a photo booth and more. Please visit DCL.org/birthday-parties for pictures of our party decorations. You can also bring in additional decorations if you’d like. Standard room terms and conditions apply.
Kids will participate in a fun, interactive Storytime with toys, music, and physical movement. Standard crafts include a wooden picture frame they can decorate and a polaroid picture to take home. The main craft will be selected by your party coordinator based on availability and your child’s age and interests.
Our goodie boxes include two snacks and the items used in Storytime. You are more than welcome to bring your own party favors! Our boxes are smaller so you may want to bring a separate bag for your favors.
Food, Beverages & Treats:
We provide limited storage options in our residential-sized refrigerators, which are located in staff breakrooms. Please keep in mind that space in these refrigerators might not be sufficient for large items like multi-tiered cakes or extensive snack supplies. Your party coordinator will manage the arrangements as customers are not allowed in staff areas.
Yes, absolutely! We’ve found that pizza, sandwiches, and veggie, fruit and meat trays work well. You may also bring a cake or cupcakes for your celebration. Don’t forget the candles and lighter! We do have some restrictions on cooking equipment and appliances. Please see our full terms and conditions here.
No, you will need to provide plates, napkins, and plastic silverware and utensils for any food you bring.
There are additional requirements in order to have alcohol at the library. You will need to upgrade your birthday party package to our Concierge Service for an additional fee of $150 per hour. You will also be required to hire a bartender, secure event insurance, and provide us with a damage deposit of $250.
Guest Count/Pricing:
The party includes 12 kids total (including the birthday child). You may add additional guests for $15 per guest, with a maximum of 24 kiddos permitted.
Our Kids Corners have very limited capacities and most will not accommodate a party that large. Please let us know if you plan to have a large number of parents, friends, family and kids attending and we can host your party in one of our Event Halls instead, if available.
The final head count and additional payment are due a week before the party. This helps ensure that we have enough supplies on hand since we only pack for the number of kids expected.
What if I have an infant and a toddler attending? Do I need to include them in the final head count?
You only need to include the kids who will be participating in the crafts and taking home a goodie box. If a baby, toddler, or older sibling will not be participating, they do not need to be included.
Yes! It is an additional $50 to celebrate a second birthday child.