[R.O. 2008 §140.010; Code 1968 §15-1; CC 1988 §16-1]
There is hereby established in the City, in accordance with the result of an election held in the City on Tuesday, March 3, 1903, a free public library and reading room to be maintained by the City by the annual levy and collection of a tax allowed by Statute on all the taxable property within the City. Such tax on all the taxable property within the City shall be levied and collected annually in the same manner as the general revenue of the City is now levied and collected.
[1]
Cross Reference — Taxation generally, §§130.100 et seq.
[R.O. 2008 §140.020; Code 1968 §15-3; CC 1988 §16-2; Ord. No. 14-2024, 7-22-2024]
The free public library shall be forever dedicated to the use of the inhabitants of the City subject, however, to such reasonable rules and regulations as the Library Board of Directors may adopt in order to render the use of the library and reading rooms of the greatest benefit to the greatest number of people. The Board may exclude from the use of the library and reading rooms any person who shall willfully violate such rules. The Board may extend the privileges and use of the library and reading rooms to persons outside of the City, in the State, upon terms and conditions as the Board may from time to time by its regulations prescribe.
[R.O. 2008 §140.030; Code 1968 §§15-2, 15-7; CC 1988 §16-3; Ord. No. 14-2024, 7-22-2024]
A. 
All money received for the Library shall be deposited in the City Treasury to the credit of the Library Fund, shall be kept separate and apart from other money of the City and shall be drawn upon by the proper officers of the City upon properly authorized vouchers drawn by the Library Board of Directors and signed by the President and attested by the Secretary of such Board.
B. 
Bequeathed donations or trust funds shall be deposited into reserve accounts. The principal from these funds shall be used for capital improvements or major repairs of the Library, provided this is permitted by the trust. Any interest earned by these reserve accounts or trusts shall be credited to the Library Fund within the City Treasury, to be used according to the purposes outlined in the trust. These purposes must be documented and recorded.
C. 
All fines collected under this Chapter shall be deposited in the City Treasury to the credit of the Library Fund and for the use of the free public library.
[R.O. 2008 §140.040; Code 1968 §§15-4, 15-5; CC 1988 §16-4]
A. 
A person commits the offense of library theft if, with the purpose to deprive, he/she:
1. 
Knowingly removes any library material from the premises of a library without authorization;
2. 
Borrows or attempts to borrow any library material from a library by use of a library card:
a. 
Without the consent of the person to whom the card was issued;
b. 
Knowing that the library card is revoked, canceled or expired; or
c. 
Knowing that the library card is falsely made, counterfeit or materially altered; or
3. 
Borrows library material from the library pursuant to an agreement or procedure established by the library which requires the return of such library material and, with the purpose to deprive the library of the library material, fails to return the library material to the library.
4. 
Knowingly writes on, injures, defaces, tears, cuts, mutilates or destroys a book, document or other library material belonging to, on loan to or otherwise in the custody of a library.
B. 
It shall be prima facie evidence of the person's purpose to deprive the library of the library materials if, within ten (10) days after notice in writing deposited as certified mail from the library demanding the return of such library material, he/she without good cause shown fails to return the library material. A person is presumed to have received the notice required by this Subsection if the library mails such notice to the last address provided to the library by such person. Payment to the library, in an amount equal to the fair market value of an item of no historical significance shall be considered returning the item for purposes of this Subsection.
[R.O. 2008 §140.060; Code 1968 §15-8; CC 1988 §16-26]
The Mayor shall, with the approval of the City Council, appoint a board of nine (9) Directors for the free public library and shall choose such Directors from the citizens at large with reference to their fitness for such office. No member of the Municipal Government shall be eligible as a member of the Board.
[R.O. 2008 §140.070; Code 1968 §15-11; CC 1988 §16-27]
A. 
The Library Board of Directors shall, immediately after appointment, meet and organize by the election of one (1) of their number as President and by the election of such other officers as they may deem necessary.
B. 
The Board shall make and adopt such by-laws, rules and regulations for their own guidance and for the government of the library and reading rooms as may be expedient and consistent with this Chapter.
[R.O. 2008 §140.080; Code 1968 §15-9; CC 1988 §16-28]
The Library Board of Directors shall hold office for three (3) years from July first (1st). The Mayor shall, before June first (1st) of each year, appoint three (3) Directors. The Mayor may, by and with the consent of the City Council, remove any director for misconduct or neglect of duty.
[R.O. 2008 §140.090; Code 1968 §15-10; CC 1988 §16-29]
Vacancies in the Library Board of Directors occasioned by removals, resignations or otherwise shall be reported to the City Council and be filled in like manner as original appointments. If the vacancy is for an unexpired term, it shall be filled only for the unexpired portion of that term. No member of the Board shall serve for more than three (3) successive full terms and no member shall be eligible for further appointment to the Board until two (2) years after the expiration of the third (3rd) term. No Director 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 Director of the Board.
[R.O. 2008 §140.100; Code 1968 §15-11; CC 1988 §16-30]
A. 
The Library Board of Directors shall have the exclusive control of the expenditure of all money collected to the credit of the Library Fund and of the construction or repair 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.
B. 
The Board shall have the power to appoint a suitable librarian and necessary assistants and fix their compensation and shall also have power to remove such appointees and shall in general carry out the full intent and spirit of this Chapter in the management and control of the library.
C. 
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, issue bonds, secured by a deed of trust on any land which they own, for the purpose of the purchase of ground and for the erection of public buildings and for the improvements of existing buildings, 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 Directors, according to the terms of the deed, gift, devise or bequest of such property.
[R.O. 2008 §140.110; Code 1968 §15-12; CC 1988 §16-31]
A. 
The Library Board of Directors shall make, on or before the second (2nd) Monday of June, an annual report to the City Council stating the following:
1. 
The condition of their trust on May first (1st) of that year;
2. 
The various sums of money received from the Library Fund and from other sources;
3. 
How much money has been expended and for what purposes;
4. 
The number of books and periodicals on hand;
5. 
The number of books and periodicals added by purchase, gift or otherwise;
6. 
The number and general character and kind of books;
7. 
A list of all the property of the library; and
8. 
Such other statistics, information and suggestions as the Board deems of general interest.
B. 
All such portions of the report that relate to the receipt and expenditure of money as well as the account of books purchased, lost or stolen shall be verified by affidavit.