Baby Showers
at DCL
Terms, Conditions, and Common Questions
Terms and Conditions
- Reservations must be made at least 15 business days before the requested event date.
- Reservations/room uses are limited to library operating hours. 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 when booking your baby shower. The remaining balance, including fees for additional guests, is due seven (7) days out from your shower date. We accept credit card, personal check, and cash as forms of payment.
- Cancellations can be made seven (7) days or more out from the shower and are subject to the 50% nonrefundable deposit. If cancellation occurs less than seven (7) days from the shower, customer is subject to the full baby shower package cost. Date changes are available for a transfer fee of an additional $25.
- DCL staff and volunteers are not allowed to accept gratuity. However, should you think your baby shower coordinator met or exceeded your expectations, an in-kind donation through the front desk of the library is acceptable.
- 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 baby shower must be delivered/unloaded during library operating hours without interrupting library operations on the day of the shower, and removed immediately after the shower.
- 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.
Common Questions
Booking Process:
Currently, showers 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 shower. Please contact us for more information on our Self-Service and Select Service tiers.
Our DCL packages 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.
Once you submit your request online, we will send you an invoice for online payment. A 50% nonrefundable deposit is required in order to book the shower, with the remaining balance due a week before the shower.
A booking confirmation and shower invitation will be sent 48-72 hours after your payment is received.
Please let us know as soon as possible if you get 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 this website 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 2-3 weeks prior to the shower to confirm details and the final head count of guests. These details along with your final payment, including for additional guests over the allotted 20, are due 1 week prior to the shower date.
What Does the Shower Package Include?
Our baby shower package includes a digital invitation, setup, cleanup, and a dedicated party coordinator. We provide 20 party favors for you and your guests along with water, sparkling cider, and a charcuterie board. Note: An optional Add-on Package is available for an additional $200 and includes a photobooth with access to the digital gallery, one standard craft, and three standard activities.
We do! We provide white linens, centerpieces, sashes, and a themed backdrop. You can also bring additional decorations if you’d like. Standard room terms and conditions apply.
You can arrive 30 minutes prior to the shower time to bring in any extra decorations and/or food.
Activities include the Price is Right game, What Am I? game, Don’t Say Baby game, and a wooden block craft. We also provide a photobooth with access to the digital gallery for your keepsake memories.
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 provide water, sparkling cider, and charcuterie board with plates and napkins. We do have some restrictions on cooking equipment and appliances. Please see our full terms and conditions.
We provide cocktail plates and napkins for the charcuterie board, but you will need to provide plates, cups, napkins, and plastic silverware and utensils for any additional food you bring.
There are additional requirements in order to have alcohol at the library. You will need to upgrade your baby shower 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 shower package includes up to 20 guests total (including the mom or parents-to-be). You may add additional guests for $15 per person, with a maximum of 40-50 guests depending on your selected branch location. Please let us know if you plan to have a large number of guests attending and we can host your shower in one of our Event Halls instead, if available.
The final head count and additional payment are due one week before the shower. This helps ensure that we have enough supplies and can work with the caterer to increase guarantees for your food.
Food and drinks are at a per-person cost. Please be sure to include any children who plan to partake in eating as well as the crafts/activities and party favors. Babies and toddlers do not need to be included.
DCL staff and volunteers are not permitted to accept gratuity. However, should you think your event coordinator met or exceeded your expectations, an in-kind donation through the library’s front desk is acceptable.