Chap. 350.—An ACT to appropriate certain funds for State aid in the development
of certain public library services, particularly for rural communities, and to
prescribe the powers and duties of the State Library Board and of certain other
persons with respect to the expenditure of such funds and of similar future
appropriations. [S B 51]

Approved March 31, 1942

I. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, as follows:

Section 1. In order to provide State aid in the development of pub-
lic library service throughout the State, particularly in rural communities,
there is hereby appropriated to the Virginia State Library, out of the gen-
eral fund of the State treasury, in addition to any other funds appro-
priated for library purposes, the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,-
000.00) for each year of the biennium beginning July first, nineteen hun-
dred and forty-two. It is hereby provided, however, that this appropria-
tion of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) for each year of the biennium
beginning July first, nineteen hundred and forty-two shall not become
available for expenditure unless and until the Governor has certified
in writing to the Comptroller that in his judgment the said appropriation
can be paid out of the current revenues to be collected and paid into the
general fund of the State treasury during the biennium which ends June
thirtieth, nineteen hundred and forty-four without creating or adding to a
deficit in such current revenues for the said biennium, and that the pay-
ment of the said appropriation will not reduce the general fund surplus.

Section 2. The State Library Board shall use such part of the funds
hereinabove appropriated, and such funds as may be appropriated for
like purposes in the future, to provide county and regional free library
systems, established subsequent to the date when this act becomes effec-
tive pursuant to the provisions of section three hundred and sixty-five of
the Code of Virginia, with minimum collections of books necessary to
undertake county-wide or region-wide library service (construed as one-
fourth (14) book per capita of the rural inhabitants of the county or
region, as shown by the last preceding United States census, at one dollar
and seventy-five cents ($1.75) net per book) ; provided the amount of
State aid from this appropriation for any county free library system shall
not exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000.00), and for any regional free
library system shall not exceed fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00).
Not more than one library in a county or region shall receive aid under
this act and such library shall serve as an administrative center for coun-
ty or regional free library service to the whole county or region; pro-
vided that in the case of a contract for library service between the board
of trustees of a county or regional free library system and an adjacent
city, town, or State-supported institution of higher learning in the county
or region, or with a library not owned by a public corporation but main-
tained for free public use, as provided in section three hundred and sixty-
five of the Code of Virginia, such aid shall be given to the library contract-
ing to give such service, which library shall then be the administrative
center for a county or regional free library system.

Section 3. The obligations of the county or regional free library
system, or contracting library, shall consist in supplying adequate quar-
ters, personnel, equipment, supplies, and means of distribution, in accord-
ance with standards set up by the State Library Board; provided that a
bookmobile for the distribution of books in all sections of the county or
region may be supplied from State aid funds in lieu of an equal cost of
books; and provided further that personnel standards shall conform to
the provisions of section three hundred and sixty-three of the Code of
Virginia for the certification of librarians, and with rules and regulations
prescribed by the State Board for the Certification of Librarians in ac-
cordance with said section.

Section 4. In the case of any qualified county free library system
established prior to the date when this act becomes effective, or of any
qualified municipal library system, State aid shall be made available by
the State Library Board in an amount equal to that expended by any
such library system in its current fiscal year for books, or a bookmobile,
or additional personnel, as approved by the State Library Board, but
not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), to any one library sys-
tem in any one year. Any municipal library system contracting for library
service, as provided in sections three hundred and sixty-four and three
hundred and sixty-five of the Code of Virginia, may qualify separately
for State aid, as provided herein.

Section 5. As the joining of two or more counties to establish and
maintain a regional free library system enables rural inhabitants to pro-
vide the necessary and satisfactory facilities for library service at less
cost per capita, regional free library systems are to be encouraged, espec-
ially to include counties having less than ten thousand (10,000) rural
inhabitants. To this end, contiguous counties combined or combining for
regional free library systems, as approved by the State Library Board,
shall be allotted their respective parts of State aid (construed as one-
fourth (4%) book per capita of the rural inhabitants of the county or re-
gion, as shown by the last preceding United States census, at one dollar
and seventy-five cents ($1.75) net per book), but not to exceed fifteen
thousand dollars ($15,000.00) for any regional free library system.

Section 6. The State Library Board shall establish standards under
which library systems shall be eligible for State aid and may require re-
ports on the operation of all libraries receiving State aid.

Section 7. As long as funds are available, grants shall be made to the
various library systems or contracting libraries applying for State aid in
the order in which they meet the standards established by the State
Library Board. Not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars
($2,500.00) per annum of this appropriation may be used by the State
Library Board to defray the expenses of administering the provisions of
this act.

Section 8. All proposals for books and bookmobiles to be pur-
chased with State aid funds shall be submitted for approval to the State
Library by the Library systems or contracting libraries applying for
State aid, in form prescribed by the State Library Board, and those ap-
proved may be ordered by the library systems, or contracting libraries,

which shall, after receipt, certify the invoices of such books and bookmo-
biles to the State Library Board, with bills for same rendered to the State
Library. Payments and disbursements from the funds herein appropriated
cHS. 350, 351] ACTS OF ASSEMBLY 525

shall be made by the State Treasurer upon warrants of the Comptroller
issued upon vouchers signed by the duly authorized representative of the
State Library Board. The State Library Board shall act to obtain the best
prices and most advantageous arrangements in securing all books and
bookmobiles purchased through State aid. All books and bookmobiles pur-
chased with State aid funds shall become the property of the Virginia
State Library in the case of any library system not meeting one or more
of its obligations or not maintaining the standards established by the State
Library Board.
Section 9. The service of books in library systems receiving State
aid shall be free and given to all parts of the county, region or munici-
ality. ,
° "Sectist 10. The term “books” as used in this act shall be inter-
preted to mean books, magazines, newspapers and other printed library
matter. . |