Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 11, August 30, 2024
(1)
Public Library: A public
library is a library established in accordance with the Code of
Ala. 1975, for the purpose of providing free public library
service to the population in its legal service area. Public libraries may or
may not have BRANCHES (auxiliary service outlets with quarters separate from
the central library, with no less than a basic collection of materials, a
regular staffing level, and an established service schedule, but without a
separate policy-making board of trustees). The following are types of public
libraries:
(a)
Municipal Public
Library: A public library established and maintained by a city, town, or
other municipality, whose policy-making board of trustees is appointed by the
municipal authority.
(b)
County Public Library: A public library established and maintained
by a county for the use of the whole or a part of a county, whose policy-making
board is appointed by the county commission.
(c)
City-County Public Library:
A public library established and maintained by joint contractual agreement or
joint resolution between county and municipal governments, with a single
policy-making board appointed in accordance with the agreements.
(d)
District Library: A public
library serving a taxing district which has been authorized by legislative
action and created by majority vote of the residents of the district, whose
policy-making board is elected in accordance with the provisions of the
legislative action.
(2)
Public Library System: An organization composed of PUBLIC
LIBRARIES and formed for the purpose of providing library services within a
framework of written contracts; a public library system may also have contracts
with county commissions or municipal governments for the system to provide
library services to county or municipal residents who would otherwise be
unserved.
(3)
System
Headquarters: A site designated through contractual agreement to serve
as administrative center for a PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM. A system headquarters may
serve any function established by contract.
(4)
Legal Service Area: The
legal service area of a library is the population within the boundaries of the
geographic area the library is established to serve. A library may contract, in
writing, to provide service to population outside its legal service area at the
discretion of the library board of trustees of the affected areas. The
following describe legal service areas of different types of libraries:
(a) The legal service area of a MUNICIPAL
LIBRARY is the area within the municipality's corporate limits.
(b) The legal service area of a COUNTY
LIBRARY is the area within the county's geographic borders.
(c) The legal service area of a CITY-COUNTY
PUBLIC LIBRARY is all of the area within the corporate limits of participating
municipalities and within the county's geographic borders.
(d) The legal service area of a PUBLIC
LIBRARY SYSTEM consists of the legal service areas of the public libraries
belonging to the system and any additional areas(s) for which the system
contracts to serve with the appropriate governing body.
(e) The legal service area of a DISTRICT
LIBRARY is the area of the taxing district authorized by legislative action and
approved by majority vote of the population within the district.
(5)
State Aid: Funds
appropriated by the legislature as a supplement to local funds designated for
the provision of library service.
(a) State
aid funds are distributed quarterly by the Alabama Public Library Service on a
per capita basis for the respective legal service areas and any area served
contractually; population figures used are the most recently certified Bureau
of the Census population estimates.
(b) Where legal service areas overlap, as in
the case where there is both a COUNTY LIBRARY and a MUNICIPAL LIBRARY serving
the same population, state aid funds for that part of the population shall be
distributed in accordance with the terms of an annually renewed written
agreement between the library boards. In order for first quarter funds to be
distributed on schedule, a current copy of the agreement must be on file at
APLS by October 1. If no contract has been filed with APLS by the beginning of
the second quarter, all state aid funds for the county population residing
within the municipality will be divided equally between the COUNTY LIBRARY and
the MUNICIPAL LIBRARY, with funds for first and second quarters available for
distribution during the second quarter and with remaining funds distributed on
the regular quarterly schedule.
(6)
Non-Capital Funds:
Non-capital funds are those funds appropriated for normal/routine operations.
They do not include funds specifically designated for the acquisition of and/or
improvement to real property (buildings, land, etc.).
Author: Nancy C. Pack, Director
Statutory Authority:
Code of Ala.
1975,
§§41-8-(1-10).
