[R.O. 2009 §140.010; CC 1976 §15-1; R.O. 1954 §170]
Pursuant to the provisions of Sections 182.140 to 182.301, RSMo., inclusive, the Mayor and Board of Aldermen shall each year levy a tax as provided by State Statute and City ordinance on the assessed valuation on all property in the City, for the establishment and maintenance of a free public library in the City.
[1]
Cross Reference—Taxation generally, ch. 155.
[R.O. 2009 §140.020; CC 1976 §15-2; R.O. 1954 §171]
The Mayor with the consent and approval of the Board of Aldermen, shall appoint a Library Board, to be composed of nine (9) Trustees, to be chosen from the citizens of the City at large, with reference to their fitness for such office; and no member of the Municipal Government of the City shall be a member of said Board.
[R.O. 2009 §140.030; CC 1976 §15-3; R.O. 1954 §172]
Said Trustees shall hold office, one-third (1/3) for one (1) year, one-third (1/3) for two (2) years, and one-third (1/3) for three (3) years, and annually thereafter the Mayor shall before the first (1st) of July of each year, appoint three (3) Trustees, who shall hold office for three (3) years or until their successors are appointed. The Mayor, with the approval of the Board of Aldermen, may remove any Trustee for misconduct or neglect of duty.
[R.O. 2009 §140.040; CC 1976 §15-4; R.O. 1954 §173]
Vacancies in the Board of Trustees, occasioned by removals, resignations or otherwise, shall be reported to the proper official and be filled in like manner as original appointments, except that if the vacancy is to fill an unexpired term, the appointment shall be made for only the unexpired portion of that term. No member of the Board shall serve for more than three (3) successive full terms and shall not be eligible for further appointment to the Board until two (2) years after the expiration of the third (3rd) term. No Trustee shall receive compensation as such, and no person shall be employed by the Board who is related either by blood or by marriage to any trustee of the Board.
[R.O. 2009 §140.050; CC 1976 §15-5; R.O. 1954 §174]
A. 
The Trustees, immediately after appointment, shall meet and organize by the election of one of their number as President, and by the election of such other officers as they may deem necessary.
B. 
They shall make and adopt such by-laws, rules and regulations for their own guidance, and for the government of the library, as may be expedient, and not inconsistent with Sections 182.140 to 182.301, RSMo.
C. 
They shall appoint a properly qualified librarian who shall be the Chief Executive and Administrative Officer for the library.
D. 
They shall have the exclusive control of the expenditure of all monies collected to the credit of the Library Fund, and of the construction of any library building, and of the supervision, care and custody of the grounds, rooms or buildings constructed, leased or set apart for that purpose. All monies received for the library shall be deposited in the City Treasury to the credit of the City Library Fund, and shall be kept separate and apart from other monies of the City, and drawn upon by the proper officers of the City, upon the properly authenticated warrants of the Library Board.
E. 
The Board, as a body corporate, may sue and be sued, complain and defend, and make and use a common seal, purchase or lease grounds, purchase, lease, occupy or erect an appropriate building or buildings for the use of the Public Library and branches thereof, sell and convey real estate and personal property for and on behalf of the public library and branches thereof, receive gifts of real and personal property for the use and benefit of the public library and branch libraries thereof, the same when accepted to be held and controlled by the Board of Trustees, according to the terms of the deed, gift, devise or bequest of such property.
F. 
The Board may extend the privileges and use of the library to non-residents through agreements with other existing libraries allowing for exchanges of services, upon such terms and conditions as the Boards of the Libraries, from time to time, may prescribe.
[R.O. 2009 §140.060; CC 1976 §15-6; R.O. 1954 §175]
Said library and reading room shall be forever free to the use of the inhabitants of the City, always subject to such reasonable rules and regulations as the Library Board may adopt in order to render the use of said library and reading room of the greatest benefit to the greatest number; and said Board may exclude from the use of said library and reading room any and all persons who shall willfully violate such rules; and said Board may extend the privileges and use of such library and reading room to persons residing outside of the City in this State, upon such terms and conditions as said Board may, from time to time, by its regulations, prescribe.
[R.O. 2009 §140.070; CC 1976 §15-7; R.O. 1954 §176]
The librarian shall make, within eight (8) weeks after the end of the fiscal year of the library, an annual report to the Board of Trustees, stating the condition of the library and its services on the last day of the fiscal year, the various sums of money received from the Library Fund and from other sources, and how the monies have been expended and for what purposes, and such other statistics, information and suggestions as may be of general interest. This report shall be transmitted by the Board to the Board of Aldermen of the City and a copy shall be transmitted at the same time to the Missouri State Library.
[R.O. 2009 §140.080; CC 1976 §15-8; R.O. 1954 §177]
Any person desiring to make donations of money, personal property or real estate for the benefit of such library, shall have the right to vest the title to the money or real estate so donated in the Board of Trustees created under this Chapter, to be held and controlled by such Board, when accepted according to the terms of the deed, gift, devise or bequest of such property; and as to such property the said Board shall be held and considered to be special trustees.