CHAPTER 513

An Act to amend and reenact § 42-26, as amended, of the Code of Vir-
ginia, relating to grants to improve the standards of public libraries.

[H 657]
Approved March 29, 1958
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 42-26, as amended, of the Code of Virginia, be amended and
reenacted as follows:
§ 42-26. In order to encourage the maintenance and development of
proper standards, including personnel standards, and the combination of
library systems or libraries into larger and more economical units of
service, grants of State aid may be made by the Board to any qualifying
library system or qualifying library, established in any prior State fiscal
year, which lacks the prescribed ratio of books per capita. Such grants
shall be limited to matching at the ratio of * thirty-five cents of State aid
to one dollar of local funds expended or to be expended, exclusive of State
funds, by county libraries serving less than thirty-five thousand population
up to a maximum of * five thousand dollars of State aid; and at the ratio
thirty-five cents of State aid to one dollar of local funds expended or to be
expended, exclusive of State funds, by a regional library or a county
library serving over thirty-five thousand population up to a maximum of
fifteen thousand dollars of State aid. There may be provided in excess of
the maxima above established State aid for county and regional libraries
or library systems up to an additional twenty cents for each one dollar
of increase in local funds expended or to be expended during the current
fiscal year over the fiscal year immediately preceding. Municipal libraries
serving less than five thousand population may receive in State aid direct
loans of books from the State Library or a minimum of two hundred
dollars; municipal libraries serving over five thousand population may
receive in State aid ten cents for each one dollar of local funds up to a
maximum of one thousand dollars for libraries serving between ten thou-
sand and thirty-five thousand population and a maximum of five thousand
dollars for libraries serving over thirty-five thousand population. Any such
previously established library system or library, contracting for library
service as provided in Chapters 1 and 2 of this title may qualify separately
for State aid as provided herein.