Title XVI, Libraries

I. A town desiring to permit its library to retain money received from its income-generating equipment under RSA 202-A:11-a may have the question placed on the warrant for a town meeting at which town officers are elected in the manner provided in RSA 39:3. Such question shall be…

Every library regularly open to the public, or to some portion of the public, with or without limitations, whether its ownership is vested in the town, in a corporation, in an organization or association, or in individuals, shall make a written report to the town or city at the c…

Any public library holding funds in trust shall report to the office of the attorney general, annually at the conclusion of each fiscal year, the information required by RSA 202-A:12(a) through (d).

The library trustees shall also have the following powers: I. To authorize the payment from library funds for the necessary expenses of library staff members attending library courses and meetings for professional advancement; II. To extend the privileges and use of the library t…

No trustee of any public library shall receive any compensation for any services rendered as such trustee, unless compensation is stipulated in the terms of the bequest or gift establishing the library. Trustees may be reimbursed, however, for necessary travel expenses to attend …

The librarian shall have education of sufficient breadth and depth to give leadership in the use of books and related materials. The librarian shall be appointed by the board of library trustees for a term of office agreed to at the time of employment and may serve until a succes…

In addition to any other duties which the librarian may be delegated from time to time, the public librarian shall: I. Serve as the administrative officer of the public library; II. Recommend to the board of library trustees the appointment of all employees.

No employee of a public library shall be discharged or removed from office except by the library trustees for malfeasance, misfeasance, or inefficiency in office, or incapacity or unfitness to perform the employee's duties. Prior to the discharge or removal of any such employee, …

Any town now maintaining a public library established by expenditure of town funds may by majority vote at a regular town meeting discontinue said library. In case of such discontinuance, the library property of the town may be loaned or disposed of by the library trustees, subje…

When a public library in any town shall, as such, cease to function, all books or other property given by the state for the use of said library or purchased with state funds shall be returned to the state by the selectmen of said town, delivery to be made to the commissioner of n…

As used in this chapter the following words shall be construed as follows unless the context clearly requires otherwise: I. "Public library" shall mean every library which receives regular financial support, at least annually, from public or private sources and which provides reg…

Any town clerk, board of selectmen, or others having custody of the books, pamphlets, and public documents that have been sent to the towns by the departments of state government may, with consent of the librarian, transfer these publications to the public library, upon condition…

Any town or library official violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Trust funds given to towns and cities for the use of a public library shall be held in the custody and under the management of the trustees of trust funds. The entire income from such funds shall be paid over to the library trustees. Payment of such income shall be made by the tr…

Nothing in this chapter shall preclude the library trustees from accepting, receiving, investing, and administering directly any trust funds and donations when so specified by the donor. Library trustees administering and investing such special funds shall be governed by the prov…

Any person who shall wilfully or maliciously deface, damage or destroy any property belonging to or in the care of any gallery or museum or any state, public, school, college, or other institutional library, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any such person shall forfeit to or fo…

Any person who willfully detains any book, newspaper, magazine, manuscript, pamphlet, publication, recording, film, or other property belonging to or in the care of any gallery or museum of any state, public, school, college, or other institutional library, may be given written n…

Any town may establish a public library by majority vote at any duly warned town meeting. Any town may vote in the same manner to accept a public library which has been provided, in whole or in part, by private donation or bequest and may accept any bequest, devise or donation fo…

A public library established or accepted by a town or city shall be deemed a "public agency," and the library trustees a "public body," for purposes of RSA 91-A, and they shall be subject to all applicable provisions of that chapter; provided, however, that any books, documents, …

Any city or town having a public library shall annually raise and appropriate a sum of money sufficient to provide and maintain adequate public library service therein or to supplement funds otherwise provided.

Any public library may join library cooperatives consisting of public libraries, or of public and other than public libraries including school, college and university, and special libraries. Towns are authorized to raise and appropriate sufficient money for participation in coope…

Any town may contract with another town or city, or with an institution or other organization, for any library service. If a town meeting votes to enter into such a contract, the town shall raise and appropriate sufficient money to carry out the contract.

I. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any town at an annual meeting may adopt an article authorizing indefinitely until specific rescission of such authority, the public library trustees to apply for, accept and expend, without further action by the town …

I. Any town at an annual meeting may adopt an article authorizing the public library trustees to accept gifts of personal property, other than money, which may be offered to the library for any public purpose, and such authorization shall remain in effect until rescinded by a vot…

Every public library shall remain forever free to the use of every resident of the town wherein it is located.

The library trustees shall have the entire custody and management of the public library and of all the property of the town relating thereto, including appropriations held pursuant to RSA 202-A:11, III, but excepting trust funds held by the town. Any town having a public library …

In any town where a public library has been acquired by the town, in whole or in part, by donation or bequest containing other conditions or provisions for the election of its trustees or other governing board, which conditions have been agreed to by vote of the town and which co…

The trustees of a public library in a city shall be elected as provided in the city charter. In case of trustees of a city library acquired by a city in whole or in part, by donation or bequest containing other conditions or provisions for the election or appointment of trustees,…