[Michlib-l] Alcohol @ Library Events - Follow Up

Tue Nov 15 13:11:20 EST 2022

Hi again,

Thank you so much to everyone who responded to my last email! Your help is much appreciated 🙂

There were a bunch of requests to share the information I gathered, so here is a compilation of all the answers I received:

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I have previously had wineries provide wine at a fundraiser and that was greatly appreciated by attendees that had paid for tickets. We had caterers at the event so they were licensed to pour which was helpful. I did pay for additional insurance for the evening as well as a special license from the state of Michigan.

Here in Charlevoix, we hosted a “learn to brew your own beer workshop” and the master brewer that taught it brought samples of his own home brew. Attendees were able to indulge in very small samples and seemed to appreciate that as well. I did not buy additional insurance or a license for that.

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We have done it a couple of times. The liquor license application is quite extensive and time consuming. Our Friends group submitted the application it because it should be submitted by a 501c3, which BTPL is not. We only served wine. Some make a rule about no red wine because of stains be we went for it and it was fine. It certainly classes up an event and I think it is a draw. You’ll need staff or volunteers to be bartenders and you should go over the rules with them. The local police might show up and check on your permit – they did that to us both times – so have it displayed prominently.
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It is my understanding that if you are giving it away at a free event, there isn't much you need to worry about. We've done this for a "Senior Day," had wine tasting. For our annual fundraising event though, we do get a liquor license from the state.

https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/lcc/faq/non-profit-special-license-information
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You can only do this if it's not open to the public (or you have a liquor license to do it), and there's no sale of anything.

We've done the liquor license route many times and we're working to modify policies to allow private events (someone rent's library for a party for example).

Generally has always worked well, but it's been coordinated and we know the people there arent going to get hammered.

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We served alcohol for a few events.

At our annual Oktoberfest fundraiser we serve beer and wine and we get an event liquor license from the state for that day only.

We have served wine at some of our adult summer reading programs and do not get a liquor license and have had no issues. This is usually a small group of 15 or 20 people.

I believe the liquor license is only required if you are selling it which we are at our Oktoberfest.
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We have had educational wine tasting programs led by the owner of a local winery. I was not involved in the program, and the staff member who was isn't here anymore. But I remember that it was a multistep process to get the one day license. The board had to make a resolution, our local police department had to sign off on the application, then the application went to the state. We might have had to get a rider on our insurance policy too. Another library in our county (Clinton Macomb) does an annual fundraiser on their premises which serves alcohol. The rules might be different for a fundraiser than for a free program, so if that is your intent you might want to ask them.
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Our policy says basically no alcohol without board permission. We have only asked for permission once, for a Friends fundraiser for a baby grand piano.

I also suggest checking with your insurance company (since this is out of the ordinary), to make sure that you are covered.
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Make sure you have a TIPS or equivalently trained person do to liabilities
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I have done this a few times as part of a library fundraiser. You should plan to start the process a few months in advance of your event date as you need approval from LARA. I believe that the application for the permit needs to be reflected in minutes of a Library Board meeting as well. We connected with a local Budweiser distributor who would deliver a considerable amount of wine and beer and whatever we didn't use at the event would be picked up the following day. We were only billed for what was used. It has been a few years since I was involved with this but I also recall we needed specific signage and drink tickets per LARA, meaning you can't have an open bar.
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We do a BYOB occasionally for a book club or a crafting event. We don't advertise it, though.
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You may already know this but if you're selling you need to get a liquor license from the state. It's some paperwork and a fee but it isn't terrible. If you're giving it away, you don't have to worry about any of that. I did a cocktail class at Ferndale a few years ago and it went really well. No license needed. The bartender taught us how to make drinks and everyone got to have a sample.

I would also recommend not letting folks serve themselves. Just so that you have control over the situation.
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Some years back, we had a big evening event and served alcohol.  Because we charged  - it was a ticketed event, we charged $$ - and there was food along with the alcohol - we had to get a liquor license AND get permission from the Presbyterian Church across the street.

From my recollection, the church's permission was required because we were serving alcohol with so many feet of a church, and the license was because we were charging $$$.  If the alcohol had been free, we wouldn't have needed the license.
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We just hosted our Friends big fundraiser at the library and it went really well. One of the benefits is that we attracted all ages – 30’s on up, even a few in their 20s. It was a wonderful way for people that don’t normally visit, to “explore” the library.

We did have paid security, though he was not really needed.

Plan a clean up crew right after the event. My staff and I ended up staying late to take the trash out and mop floors and tidy up the bathrooms.

We definitely will do this again.

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 I also ended up calling the MLCC (link to website<https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/lcc/faq/non-profit-special-license-information>) and here is what I was told:

  *   If the event is open to the public, you DO NEED a license
     *   Loophole: If people have to register and the event is only open to those people that are registered, it could be considered private.
        *   In the hypothetical situation I threw at the poor man on the phone, I was closing registration early & sending a confirmation email that could be considered an invitation as a CYA measure, and he was happy with that.
  *   If the event is private, you might not need a license
     *   If there is a cost to attendees, you DO NEED a license
        *   This does not just mean selling drinks or drink tickets - this could be an entrance fee, fundraising taking place at the event, even just accepting donations.
     *   If the event is private and free, you DO NOT NEED a license
  *   They do not care who serves and you can buy from any licensed seller
     *   Your library may have different rules on this though!

Hope this helps everyone that asked for follow up! And thanks again to everyone that responded!!

Jamie Purdue

Adult Services // FCL Farmington

Email: jamie.purdue at farmlib.org<mailto:jamie.purdue at farmlib.org>

Tel: (248) 473-3117  x224

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