Chap. 253.—An ACT to provide for the maintenance and management of the State
library.

Approved May 15, 1903.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That there
shall be maintained at the State capital a State library, consisting of
books, papers, records, portraits, and other works relating to the his-
tory of the State, science, literature, law, and general history. It shall
be suielabied and conducted as a library ‘of reference.

. The State library shall be managed hy a board of directors, con-
sivting of five members, to be appointed by the State board of eduea-
tion, and to be known as the Library Board, under such rules and reeu-
lations as shall be prescribed by Jaw, but the supreme court of appeals
shall have the management of the Jaw brary, and the appointment
of the librarian and other emplovees.

3. The State board of education shall. before July first, nineteen hun-
dred and three, appoint the Library Board. The terms of the diree-
tors first appointed shall be one, two, three, four, and five vears, re-
spectively, from July first, nineteen hundred and three, and therea fter,
upon the expiration of the term of a member, his successor shall be ap-
punted for a term of five years. Appointments to fill other vacancies
shail be for the unexpired term.

4. On July first, nineteen hundred and three, or as soon thereafter
as may be practicable, the Library Board shall meet and organize by
eecung one of its number chairman. It shall appoint a librarian and
curkeeper and such other emplovees as shall be authorized by law.
The term of office of the brarian and door-keeper shall be at the pleas-
ure of the board. .

The Library Board shall keep complete minutes of all its proceed-
ings, ‘neatly recorded in a substantial book, which shall be signed by
the chairman and secretary, and a record of all receipts and disburse-
ments, all of which shall be preserved as public records.

It shall, from time to time, acquire by gift or purchase, books, maps,
partraits, and records pertaining to the history of the State and her
citizens, to science, literature, and Jaw, and shall edit, or cause to be
edited, arranged, and published the State records now or hereafter de-
posited in the library.

It shall make rules and regulations, not inconsistent with law, for
the use of the library bv the people, and specifving the character of the
books which may not be removed from the library, see that the library
is properly and neatly kept for the reception of the public, and that
its contents are properly preserved and cared for.

5. The records of the several departments of the State government,
which may be considered of historical value, shall, with the consent of
the head of such department, be deposited and preserved in the State
lisrarvy, and all such records now or hereafter so deposited shall be
deemed to be in the custody of the officers, from whose possession they
were transferred, who shall have free access thereto. None of said re-
cords so deposited shall be removed from the library, except by the offi-
cer entitled to the custody thereof under this section.

6. The Library Board shall annually procure such books in law,
literature, science, and the arts, and such maps and charts as may seem
to the board desirable.

It shall especially cause to be procured, from time to time, as op-
portunity may olfer, a copy of any book, pamphlet, manuscript, work
of art, or relic, relating to the history of Virginia, not now in the li-
brarv, which can be obtained on reasonable terms, and mav cause to
be printed any manuscript relating to the history of Virginia, which
has not been published, including such portions of the executive jour-
nals and letter-books, and of the legislative papers, as the board may
deem proper to print in the calendar of State papers, and shall cause
the legislative papers so to be printed to be arranged for that purpose,
anil preserved for reference; and shall cause the records pertaining to
the revolutionary war, the war of eighteen hundred and twelve, the
Mexican war, and the civil war, to be edited, arranged, and published
co as to show the service of citizens of the State in such wars.

7. The Jabrary Board shall arrange for the exchange of the Vir-
ginia publications with as many of the States and institutions as pos-
sible, with the general government. and with other governments; with
socictics and others, as it sees fit, placing all exchanges received in the
State library, except that all statutes and Jaw books received shall be
transferred to the law hbrary.

It may send to any university, college, publie library, or societies copies
of State publications.

It shall superintend and direet all expenditures of library funds.

8. The Library Board shall annually make a report to the governor
of all receipts and expenditures, and of the condition of the hbraryv,
and all other matters in relation thereto, that if may deem expedient
for the information of the general assembly; and such report shall be
transmitted by the governor to the general assembly.

The librarian shall give bond to the State in the sum of two
thos and dollars, with sureties approved by the Library Board, for the
faithful discharge of his duties and the delivery over to his successor
of all the property of the State in his possession. The doorkeeper shall
be required to give a like bond to the State in the sum of five hundred
dollars. These bonds shall be recorded by the secretary of the Common-
wealth, and deposited with the auditor of public accounts.

10. The librarian shall have charge of the State library, giving his per-
sonal attention and attendance to it and carrying out and enforcing the
rules and regulations made therefor by the general assembly and the
Library Board.

He shall be secretary of the Library Board, and shall perform all the
duties belonging to that position.

He shall keep a neat and accurate record of all proceedings of the
board, an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements, and an
itemized memorandum of all purchases or contracts for purchases made,
and of all hooks and documents given or received as gifts or in exchange.

11. The doorkeeper of the library shall assist the librarian in the dis-
charge of his duties, and shall discharge such other duties as may be re
quired of him by the board. He shall, under the direction of the eeeratary
of the Commonwealth, attend to the care, shipment, and sales of State
publications, and shall receive a salary of thirty dollars per month for all
of his services as such doorkeeper.

12. All books and maps published by the State, and not otherwise dis-
posed of by law, shall be sold and the proceeds thereof shall constitute a
library fund for the support and improvement of the library and the pub-
lication of records.

Such books and maps shall be delivered to the secretary of the Com-
monwealth, who, after disposing of and preserving the number of copies
as required by law, shall deliver to the order of the Library Board such
copies as may be needed for gifts and for exchanges, and shall sell the
remaining coples at such prices as may be fixed by the Library Board,
with the consent of the secretary of the Commonwealth, subject to the pro-
visions of an act approved April second, nineteen hundred and two, rati-
fying the contract between the joint library committee of the general
assembly of Virginia, dated February twenty-first, nineteen hundred, and
the Michie Company, and to provide for similar contraets with other per-
sons,
The secretary of the Commonwealth shal] turn over to the treasurer
othe State all securities and money now or hereafter in his hands be-
wneing to the brary fund. which money and securities shall be held by
tie treasurer as a separate fund for the benefit of the library, to be paid
mt is is heremafter directed.

The library fund shall be paid out by the treasurer on warrants
Crawn by the auditor of public accounts. such warrants to be drawn by the
awitor on the order of the Library Board, signed by the chairman of the
ward and attested by the secretary.

1S. Of the moneys and securities belonging to the brary fund now in
‘die hands of the secretary of the Commonwealth and transferred to the
tveasurer, the Library Board is authorized to expend a sum not exceed-
ing the sum of four thousand dollars per annum in editing, arranging,
aid publishing the records pertaming to the Instory of the colony and
Sateof Virginia, and to the service of citizens of the State in the wars
of the revolution, of eighteen hundred and twelve, the Mexican war, and
tee civil war.

The treasurer shall sell said securities on the order of the board when
nvessary to meet the expenditure hereby authorized. Such sale may be
made to the board of sinking fund cominissioners.

16. The salaries of the Hbrarian and doorkeeper shall be paid from
aypropriations out of the publie treasury for that purpose.

17. The library shall be kept open every day in the vear (except Sun-
dave and holidays) from nine o'clock ante-meridiem until five o'clock
post-emeridiem, and such other hours as the library board may direct

Is. The judges of the supreme court of appeals. the governor, licuten-
ant-vovernor, reporter of court of appeals, members of the general assem-
my, during the sessions thereof. and other State officers at the capitol,
and such other persons as the Library Board may deem fit. shall be
atowed to use the State brary under such rules and regulations as the
hoare shall adopt: provided, that no manuscript, or record of any kind,
and no book, portrait, or relic of rare or historical value, shall be taken
from the library room by any one, and no books of anv kind shall be
taken out of the city of Richmond. and that no book shall be kept out of
the Library for more than ten days.

THE LAW LIBRANY.

19. There shall be a State law library at Riehmond, with branches
thereof at Wytheville and Staunton, maintained as at present, which
shall be managed by the supreme court of appeals. The said court shall
appoint the librarian and other emplovees, to hold office during the pleas-
ure of the court.

The State law library shail consist of the books new in the law Hbraries
at Richmond, Staunton, and Wytheville, with such additions as may be
made thereto.

20. The supreme court of appeals shall. from time to time, make addi-
tions to the State law library by purchases made with funds at their dis-
pesal for that purpose, and may cause books to be transferred from one
law library to another. All law books acquired by the State by gift, o
by exchange, from the United States, or other States and countries, shal
be placed in said library. The secretary of the Commonwealth shall hav
placed in the law library at Richmond, Staunton, and Wytheville a cop:
of every law book which may be hereafter published for the Common
wealth.

21. The governor, lieutenant-governor, attorney-general, and othe:
State officers at the capitol, reporter of court of appeals, members of thi
general assembly, during the session thereof, Judges of courts, and prac.
ticing attorneys in good standing, and such other persons as the supreme
court of appeals shall designate, shall have the use of the State lav
library under such rules and regulations as the supreme court of appeal:
shall make.

22. The supreme court of appeals shall have power to make and en.
force such rules and orders for the regulation of the State law library
and the use thereof, as may to it seem proper, so that they be not incon-
sistent with the provisions of law on the subject: provided, that the
library shall be kept open from nine o’clock ante-meridiem to five o’clock
post-meridiem.

23. If the members of the bar practicing in any county or corporation
of the Commonwealth shall procure by voluntary contribution a law
library of the value of one hundred dollars, at the least, for the use of
the courts held in such county or corporation, and of the bar practicing
therein, it shall be the duty of the cireuit court of such county or cor-
poration to require its clerk to take charge of the hbrary so contributed,
and to keep the same according to rules to be prescribed by the bar and
approved by the court.

The observance of the rules so prescribed and approved may be en-
forced by the circuit court by such summary process and judgment as
shall be provided by such rules.