Chap. 13.—An ACT to authorize counties to establish county free libraries and
reading rooms, and to provide for their operation and maintenance. [8 B 51]

Approved February 13, 1924.

1. Be it enacted by the gencral assembly of Virginia, That the
board of supervisors of any county shall(have the power td appropriate
from the general funds of the county a sum sufficient for the establish-
ment and maintenance of a county free library for the use and benefit
of the residents of such county; or, upon petition of five per centum of
the qualified voters of the county, may levy a tax for the establishment
and maintenance of such county free library. All funds of the county
free library, whether derived from taxation or otherwise, shall con-
stitute a separate fund to be called ‘“‘the county free library fund,” and
shall not be used for any purposes except those of the county free h-
brary.
2. When any county shall have decided to establish and maintain
such county free library or reading rooms, a board of five directors shall
be appointed by the judge of the circuit court of such county, chosen
from the citizens at large with reference to their fitness for such office,
one of whom shall be the superintendent of the public schools of said
county.

3. Said directors shall be appointed for one, two, three and four
years, and annually thereafter the judge shall appoint one director to
take the place of the retiring director, who shall hold office for four
years. The judge may remove any director for misconduct or neglect
of duty. Vacancies on the board shall be filled in like manner, and no
director shall receive compensation as such.

4. Said directors shall, immediately after appointment, meet and
adopt such by-laws, rules and regulations for their own guidance, and
for the government of the county library and reading rooms, as may be
expedient. They shall have control of the expenditures of all moneys
credited to the county free library fund under this act.

5. The said board of directors shall have the right to accept dona-
tions and bequests of money, personal property or real estate for the
establishment and maintenance of such county free libraries and reading
rooms, or endowments for same.

6. Where such county free libraries are established, the board of
directors shall have the power to enter into contracts with the cities and
towns in the county to provide county library service on such terms and
conditions as shall be mutually acceptable; or two counties may con-
tract for joint service.

7. Every library and reading room established under this act shall
be forever free to the use of the inhabitants where located, but shall
always be subject to such reasonable rules and regulations as the board
of directors may adopt, and the said board may exclude from the said

library and reading rooms any and all persons who shall wilfully violate
such rules.