Title XIV, Libraries and Archives

(1) As soon as practicable after the passage of the ordinance providing for a free public library, the mayor shall appoint twelve (12) trustees. The appointments shall be made for four (4) year terms except that the original appointees shall be so appointed that the terms of thre…

The board of trustees of the free public libraries in cities of the first class, created or existing under the laws of Kentucky, which have not less than two (2) full time employees, may provide for their retirement with annuities; may adopt the American Library Association retir…

(1) The board of trustees may, in its corporate name: (a) Contract and be contracted with, sue and be sued, and have and use a corporate seal, which it may alter at pleasure; (b) Acquire, by itself or jointly with the city in which the library is located, by gift, purchase or oth…

The board shall meet at least once each month for the transaction of its business. A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum, but no appropriation of money, except for ordinary or current expenditures, shall be made without the affirmative vote of a majority of its member…

The fiscal year of the free public libraries in cities of the first class shall begin on the first day of July of each year and end on June 30 next following.

legislative body. (1) In order to provide funds for the establishment and maintenance of a library established as provided in KRS 173.030, the legislative body of a city of the first class shall annually appropriate from the general fund of the city such sum as in the judgment of…

The board of trustees may, in its discretion, issue bonds in the sum of not over one million dollars ($1,000,000) for the purpose of making improvements or repairs, or paying off any indebtedness it may owe. The bonds may be secured by any or all real or personal property owned b…

(1) If bonds are issued as provided in KRS 173.030 to 173.100, the city in which the library is located may, by ordinance, guarantee the bonds, either as to principal or interest or both. (2) When the ordinance guaranteeing the bonds is enacted by the city, the bonds shall be ind…

All money due the board shall be deposited in a bank, in the city, selected by the board, and funds shall be withdrawn from the bank only on order of the board by check of its treasurer countersigned by its president.

joint department upon establishment of consolidated local government. (1) The fiscal court of any county containing a population of over two hundred thousand (200,000) and a city of the first class, may contract with the board of trustees of the free public library of any such ci…

registering vehicle in county with compact in effect -- Procedure upon establishment of consolidated local government. In a county where the county and a city of the first class have in effect a compact under KRS 79.310 to 79.330 and have created a joint city/county library depar…

first class or consolidated local government. Any library established or maintained pursuant to the provisions of KRS 173.310 to 173.410 shall not, upon becoming a city of the first class, or a consolidated local government, or a county containing a city of the first class, have …

As used in KRS 173.310 to 173.410, unless the context requires a different meaning: (1) "Governmental unit" means any county or city; except a city of the first class and a county containing a city of the first class; (2) "Legislative body" means the governing body of a governmen…

levy on establishment. Any governmental unit may provide library service for its inhabitants according to any one (1) of the following methods: (1) The legislative body on its own initiative may establish an independent library. (2) Upon receipt of a petition signed by a number o…

The establishment of a regional library shall be by contract, in writing, by the legislative bodies of the counties. The expenses of the regional library shall be apportioned between the contracting parties concerned in proportion to the taxable property of each as shown by their…

A contract for library service made pursuant to subsection (4) of KRS 173.310 shall require the existing library to perform all the functions of a library within the governmental unit wanting service. Such contracts shall not be valid nor shall funds be obligated until the contra…

(1) The management and control of a library shall be vested in a board of trustees. In cities and counties, the board shall consist of five (5) members except that in cities with populations equal to or greater than twenty thousand (20,000) based upon the most recent federal dece…

(1) The board of trustees shall constitute a corporate body with perpetual succession. Within ten (10) days after their appointment, the appointive officer shall call a meeting of the library board to organize by the election of such officers as they deem necessary and meet on a …

(1) After the legislative body of a governmental unit has made provisions for library service according to any of the methods set forth in KRS 173.310, the legislative body shall appropriate money annually to furnish such service. In library regions it shall not be less than thre…

At the close of its fiscal year the board of trustees of every library shall make a report to the legislative body of the governmental unit wherein the board serves, showing the condition of its trust during the year, the sums of money received for the library fund, the sums of m…

Every library established or maintained under KRS 173.300 to 173.390 shall be free for the use of the inhabitants of the governmental unit in which it is located, subject to such reasonable rules and regulations the trustees find necessary.

The title to money or property given to or for the use or benefit of a library shall be vested in the board of trustees, to be used according to the terms of the gift. Should a library be closed or services discontinued, it shall be the duty of the governmental unit to hold all l…

city library tax levy -- Transfer of assets. (1) If a public library district is established under KRS 173.450 to 173.800, the legislative body of any city in such county that has established a library under KRS 173.310(1) or (2) may dissolve the city library for the purpose of c…

Any free public library established after June 13, 1944, shall be established as provided in KRS 173.300 to 173.390. Every existing public library which has been heretofore established under provisions of state law except a city of the first class and a county containing a city o…

The governing board of any tax-supported library, created or existing under the laws of Kentucky, which has not less than two (2) full-time employees, may provide for their retirement with annuities; may adopt the American Library Association retirement plan; or make any other pr…

(1) "District" means "public library district"; and (2) "Board" means the board of trustees of a public library district.

All of the territory in a county, or in two (2) or more counties contiguous to each other may be organized into a public library district for the purpose of levying a tax to pay for establishing, equipping, maintaining and administering libraries, or for contracting for library s…

(1) Districts shall be organized in accordance with the procedures of KRS 65.182. (2) A public library district created pursuant to KRS 65.182 and this section shall constitute and be a taxing district within the meaning of Section 157 of the Constitution of Kentucky. In no event…

Libraries and Archives -- Board membership -- Appointment process. (1) Upon the creation of a district, the fiscal court of each county in the district shall at once notify the Department for Libraries and Archives of the establishment of the district and shall forward to the dep…

members -- Advisory board -- Residency requirement. (1) (a) One-third (1/3) of the persons first appointed to the board shall serve for a term of two (2) years, one-third (1/3) for a term of three (3) years and one- third (1/3) for a term of four (4) years. Where the board consis…

Quorum. Each board shall be a body corporate under the name and style of ".... Public Library District Board of Trustees." The members shall, as soon as possible after their appointment, organize by electing a president, a secretary, a treasurer, and other officers as deemed nece…

The members of the board shall not receive compensation for their services, but may be reimbursed for their actual expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties, upon vouchers duly approved by the board, signed by the secretary and countersigned by the presiden…

court, when needed. (1) The board shall establish, equip, and maintain libraries or contract with existing libraries for the furnishing of library service for the district and do all things necessary to provide efficient library service. The board may also enter an agreement purs…

The board shall employ a library director and upon that person's recommendation may employ other staff as it deems necessary. The library director and staff shall be certified in accordance with the provisions of KRS 171.240 to 171.300.

The treasurer of the board shall: (1) Have the custody of all money, securities, and obligations belonging to that district, and shall disburse money only for the uses and purposes of the district and in the manner prescribed by the bylaws on itemized vouchers allowed by the boar…

Every district established under KRS 173.450 to 173.650 shall at all reasonable times keep open for the inspection of the Auditor of Public Accounts all of its records and books of accounts.

The fiscal year of a district shall commence July 1st and close on June 30th.

(1) Within sixty (60) days after the close of each fiscal year the board shall make a written report to the Department for Libraries and Archives. A copy of this report shall be filed with the county clerk of each county within the district. The report shall contain: (a) A statem…

(1) The board may, in its discretion, employ or retain a regularly licensed attorney to advise them on all matters pertaining to their duties and shall have the discretion to delegate such authority to said attorney not forbidden by law. (2) The board may fix the salary or compen…

Public library districts may, in addition to all other methods provided by law, acquire, construct, and improve library facilities through the issuance of revenue bonds under the terms and provisions of KRS 58.010 to 58.140.

Limitation. (1) The special ad valorem tax rate for the maintenance and operation of a public library district created pursuant to KRS 173.470 before July 13, 1984, may be increased or decreased by submission to the voters of the district at a general election and approved by a m…

Counties outside of any existing district, and contiguous thereto, may be annexed to the district in the following manner: (1) Upon filing with the fiscal court of a duly certified petition of one hundred (100) or more qualified voters residing within each county proposed to be a…

A library district established pursuant to KRS 173.470 which has been in existence for at least three (3) years may be dissolved in the following manner: (1) Upon filing of a duly-certified petition of ten percent (10%) or more of the qualified voters in the district or one hundr…

All elections authorized by KRS 173.450 to 173.650 shall be held and conducted in all respects under the general election laws obtaining in this Commonwealth at the time of the election.

The results of the election in each county shall be certified by the county election commissioners to the county judge/executive in each county. When more than one (1) county is involved the county judges/executive shall certify the results in their respective counties to the cou…

(1) "District" means "public library district"; (2) "Board" means the board of trustees of a public library district.