The county free library is overseen by the board of supervisors. They can set library policies, open library branches and stations based on the county librarian's suggestions, and decide how many employees are needed and their roles.
The county free library is under the general supervision of the board of supervisors, which may:
(a)CA Education Code § 19160(a) Make general rules and regulations regarding the policy of the county free library.
(b)CA Education Code § 19160(b) Establish, upon the recommendation of the county librarian, branches and stations throughout the county and may locate the branches and stations in cities wherever deemed advisable.
(c)CA Education Code § 19160(c) Determine the number and kind of employees of the library.
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(Amended by Stats. 1989, Ch. 406, Sec. 1.)
This law states that the State Librarian is responsible for overseeing county free libraries. The Librarian or an assistant will occasionally visit these libraries to check on them. The travel costs for these visits will be covered by the funds set aside for the California State Library.
The county free libraries are under the general supervision of the State Librarian, who shall from time to time, either personally or by one of his or her assistants, visit the county free libraries and inquire into their condition. The actual and necessary expenses of the visits shall be paid out of the moneys appropriated for the support of the California State Library.
county free libraries State Librarian supervision library visits inspection visiting libraries expenses funding California State Library library oversight condition inquiry library management state funds library expenses library support
(Amended by Stats. 1987, Ch. 1452, Sec. 114.)
The State Librarian is required to organize a yearly meeting for county librarians to discuss how county libraries are managed and any relevant laws or issues. All county librarians must attend this meeting, and their travel and related expenses will be covered by the county library's budget.
The State Librarian shall annually call a convention of county librarians, to assemble at such time and place as he deems most convenient, for the discussion of questions pertaining to the supervision and administration of the county free libraries, the laws relating thereto, and such other subjects affecting the welfare and interest of the county free libraries as are properly brought before it. All county librarians shall attend and take part in the proceedings of the convention. The actual and necessary expenses of the county librarians attending the convention shall be paid out of the county free library fund.
State Librarian county librarians annual convention library supervision administration county free libraries library laws library welfare library expenses county library fund
(Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.)
Every year by August 31st, the county librarian must report to the board of supervisors and the State Librarian about the county library's condition up to June 30th. The report should include various statistics and information as requested by the State Librarian, who can provide instructions or questionnaires to ensure a consistent comparison of library conditions throughout the state.
The county librarian shall, on or before August 31st, in each year, report to the board of supervisors and to the State Librarian on the condition of the county free library, for the year ending June 30th preceding. The reports shall, in addition to other matters deemed expedient by the county librarian, contain such statistical and other information as is deemed desirable by the State Librarian. For this purpose the State Librarian may send to the several county librarians instructions or question blanks so as to obtain the material for a comparative study of library conditions in the state.
county librarian report August 31st deadline board of supervisors State Librarian library condition statistical information comparative study year ending June 30th question blanks library statistics reporting requirements
(Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.)
This law says that a county's board of supervisors can choose to use federal funds received under the State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972 to support their county library. This support can be in the form of setting up, maintaining, or buying property for the library.
The county board of supervisors of any county may in its discretion allocate and appropriate any funds received by the county under the State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-512) for the purpose of establishing, maintaining, and purchasing property for the county free library.
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(Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.)
This law allows county boards to create special areas within the county where additional taxes can be levied to support library services, if it's determined that these areas need extra services or facilities beyond what the county library system normally provides. However, the total taxes from this section and another related section cannot exceed certain legal limits on taxation.
The board of supervisors may create special taxing zones within the territory of the county subject to taxation for county free library purposes for the purpose of levying special taxes within the zones when it is found by the board that the territory within the zones require special services or special facilities in addition to those provided generally by the county free library system and that the special tax levy is commensurate with the special benefits to be provided in the zones.
Taxes levied pursuant to this section, together with taxes levied pursuant to Section 19170, shall not exceed the higher of the limit provided by Section 19170 or the applicable provisions of Section 2263 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
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(Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.)
This law says that the board of supervisors in a county can accept donations, whether they're gifts, bequests (things left in a will), or devises (property transfers in a will), for the county's free library or for any part of it, like a branch or a subdivision.
The board of supervisors may receive, on behalf of the county, any gift, bequest, or devise for the county free library, or for any branch or subdivision of the library.
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(Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.)
This law states that money from the county's general budget can be allocated to help fund the public library in that county, regardless of other laws.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds from the county general fund may be used to support the county free library.
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(Added by Stats. 1978, Ch. 331.)
This law states that any property owned by the county free library is officially owned by the county. The rules for collecting county taxes also apply to collecting taxes for the library. Any money the library gathers, whether through taxes or other means, must be kept by the county treasurer.
The title to all property belonging to the county free library is vested in the county. All laws applicable to the collection of county taxes shall apply to the collection of the taxes provided in Section 19170. All moneys of the county free library, whether derived from taxation or otherwise, shall be in the custody of the county treasurer.
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(Amended by Stats. 1994, Ch. 922, Sec. 32. Effective January 1, 1995.)
Claims made for the county free library fund need approval from the county librarian or their assistant if the librarian is unavailable. Once approved, these claims are processed just like any other county claims.
Each claim against the county free library fund shall be authorized and approved by the county librarian, or in his absence from the county by his assistant. It shall then be acted upon in the same manner as other claims against the county.
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(Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.)
This law allows county supervisors to work with law libraries and county free libraries for cooperative efforts. They can make contracts where county library staff might take on duties of the law library's staff for an agreed payment that will go to the county library's funds.
In any county of this state where a law library exists under the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6300) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, the board of supervisors of the county may enter into contracts, or agreements with the board of law library trustees of the law library for the cooperation of the law library and the county free library, and, in that connection, may contract or agree with the board of law library trustees of the law library that the county librarian and other employees of the county free library perform the duties required to be done or performed by the officers and employees of the law library for a compensation to be named in the contract or agreement, and to be paid into the county free library fund.
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(Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.)
This law allows the board of supervisors to take control of and manage books and other property from school and teachers’ libraries as part of the county's free library system.
The board of supervisors may accept on behalf of the county free library, all books and other property of school libraries and of the teachers’ library, and may manage and maintain them as a part of the county free library.
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(Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.)
This law states that any county library established before April 26, 1911, is still recognized and treated as if it was established under the current chapter. If there's a contract between a county's board of supervisors and a city regarding the library system, it will continue to be valid and follow certain rules until a new county library is set up, unless the contract ends sooner.
Any county library which was established and existed on April 26, 1911, under the provisions of an act entitled “An act to provide county library systems,” approved April 12, 1909, is continued under the provisions of this chapter and shall be considered the same as if established under the provisions of this chapter. If a contract has been entered into between any county board of supervisors and any city pursuant to this article, the contract shall continue in force, and the provisions of Section 19112 shall be applicable thereto, until the establishment and equipment of a county free library under the provisions of this chapter, unless sooner terminated.
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(Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.)
This law allows county supervisors to use county funds to build, repair, or furnish library buildings in areas not entirely served by the county's free library system. The money for these projects can come from the county’s general fund or the employees retirement fund. If the general fund is used, it must be repaid in annual installments over a period not exceeding 20 years. Payments made from the retirement fund must comply with specific conditions outlined in a separate retirement law.
The board of supervisors of any county in which there has been established a county free library which does not serve the entire county may, on behalf of the county free library, construct, build, repair or refurnish buildings to be used for county free library purposes, payment for which may be made from the general fund of the county. If payment is made from the county’s general fund, the county auditor shall each fiscal year thereafter transfer from the county free library fund to the county’s general fund as a prior claim against the county free library fund for as many years as are determined by the board of supervisors but not to exceed 20, an equal annual installment in such amount that over the designated period of years the entire payment from the county’s general fund will be completely repaid. Payment of the costs of the construction of a county free library building may also be made from the employees retirement fund of a retirement system established under the authority of the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 as an investment of that fund and under the conditions specified in that law.
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(Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.)
