43.19(2)(a)(a) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, a federated public library system whose territory lies within a single county shall be deemed an agency of the county and a federated public library system whose territory lies within 2 or more counties shall be deemed a joint agency of those counties. A federated public library system whose territory lies within 2 or more counties constitutes a separate legal entity for the purposes of having the exclusive custody and control of all system funds, holding title to and disposing of property, constructing, enlarging and improving buildings, making contracts and suing and being sued. A federated public library system whose territory lies within a single county with a population of 500,000 or more constitutes a separate legal entity solely for the purposes of having the exclusive custody and control of all system funds, making contracts and providing benefits to its employes under
ch. 40.
43.19(2)(b)
(b) A federated public library system board shall have the powers of a public library board under
s. 43.58 with respect to system-wide functions and services. The local library boards shall retain responsibility for their public libraries in all other areas.
43.21
43.21
Consolidated public library systems. 43.21(1)
(1) In a consolidated public library system, the system board shall consist of 7 or 9 members appointed by the county board. In the initial appointment of a system board, at least 3 members of the system board, at the time of their appointment, shall be active voting members of library boards governing public libraries consolidated into the system. At least one but not more than 2 members of the county board shall be members of the system board at any one time.
43.21(2)(a)(a) A consolidated public library system shall be deemed an agency of the county by which created.
43.21(2)(b)
(b) A consolidated public library system board shall have the powers of a library board under
ss. 43.58 and
43.60 and shall be responsible for the total program of public library service for the system territory.
43.21(3)
(3) If it is consistent with the terms thereof, a gift, bequest or endowment to a public library becoming part of a consolidated public library system may be taken over by the system board. The system board shall maintain the gift, bequest or endowment for the benefit of the library to which it was given.
43.24(1)(1) Each public library system shall be paid state aid for the operation and maintenance of the system. The amount paid to each system shall be determined as follows:
43.24(1)(a)
(a) The total of the following shall be calculated for each system:
43.24(1)(a)2.
2. For each square mile of territory within a system, $7 in the 1993-94 fiscal year and $8 in each fiscal year thereafter in a single-county system, and $19 in the 1993-94 fiscal year and $20 in each fiscal year thereafter in a system containing 2 or more counties.
43.24(1)(a)3.
3. An amount equal to 4% of the total operating expenditures for public library services in territory within the system from local and county sources in the calendar year ending in the fiscal year immediately preceding the fiscal year for which aids are to be paid.
43.24(1)(b)1.1. The total amount calculated for all systems in the state, as determined under
par. (a), shall be subtracted from the amount remaining for public library systems in the appropriation under
s. 20.255 (3) (e) after such aids have been calculated.
43.24(1)(b)2.
2. The result obtained under
subd. 1. shall be divided by the total number of persons residing in territory within all systems in the state.
43.24(1)(b)3.
3. The quotient under
subd. 2. shall be multiplied by the number of persons residing in each system.
43.24(1)(c)
(c) The amounts determined under
pars. (a) and
(b) shall be paid to each system.
43.24(2)
(2) For a public library system to qualify for and maintain its eligibility for state aid under this section it shall ensure that all of the following are provided:
43.24(2)(a)
(a) Interlibrary loan of materials among all participating public libraries, as evidenced by agreements with those libraries.
43.24(2)(b)
(b) Backup reference and interlibrary loan services from the system resource library, including the development of and access to specialized collections, as evidenced by a written agreement with that library.
43.24(2)(c)
(c) The establishment of agreements to provide, to any resident of the system area, the same library services, on the same terms, that are provided to the residents of the municipality or county that established the member library, except for the group programming preference authorized under
s. 43.15 (4) (c) 4.
43.24(2)(d)
(d) Referral or routing of reference and interlibrary loan requests from libraries within the system to libraries within and outside the system, as evidenced by a plan and service program.
43.24(2)(e)
(e) In-service training for participating public library personnel within the system as evidenced by a plan and a service program.
43.24(2)(f)
(f) Rapid and regular delivery and communication systems for participating public libraries as evidenced by a written plan and service program.
43.24(2)(g)
(g) Service agreements with all adjacent library systems as evidenced by the agreements.
43.24(2)(h)
(h) Professional consultant services to participating public libraries and counties as evidenced by a written plan and a service program.
43.24(2)(j)
(j) Continuous planning with the division and with participating public libraries and counties in the area in regard to developing the library materials collection to meet the service needs as evidenced by a written collection development plan.
43.24(2)(k)
(k) Continuous planning with the division and with participating public libraries and counties in the areas in regard to providing service to users with special needs and the coordination and implementation of a plan of service as evidenced by the written plan and documentation of its implementation.
43.24(2)(L)
(L) Cooperation and continuous planning with other types of libraries in the system area, which results in agreements with those libraries for the appropriate sharing of library resources to benefit the clientele of all libraries in the system area and a written plan for furthering cooperative activities among all types of libraries.
43.24(2)(m)
(m) Continuous planning with the division and with participating public libraries and counties in the area in regard to the library automation and technical services as evidenced by a written plan.
43.24(2)(n)
(n) That, if the system reimburses a participating public library for the costs of providing interlibrary borrowing services to an individual who holds a valid borrower's card of another participating public library, the reimbursement shall not exceed the actual costs incurred by the public library in providing such services. The department shall promulgate rules for determining actual costs for the purposes of this paragraph.
43.24(3)
(3) Annually, the division shall review the reports and proposed service plans submitted by the public library systems under
s. 43.17 (5) for conformity with this chapter and such rules and standards as are applicable. Upon approval, the division shall certify to the department of administration an estimated amount to which each system is entitled under this section. Annually on or before December 1 of the year immediately preceding the year for which aids are to be paid, the department of administration shall pay each system 75% of the certified estimated amount from the appropriation under
s. 20.255 (3) (e). The division shall, on or before the following April 30, certify to the department of administration the actual amount to which the system is entitled under this section. On or before July 1, the department of administration shall pay each system the difference between the amount paid on December 1 of the prior year and the certified actual amount of aid to which the system is entitled from the appropriation under
s. 20.255 (3) (e). The division may reduce state aid payments when any system or any participant thereof fails to meet the requirements of
sub. (2). Beginning September 1, 1991, the division may reduce state aid payments to any system if the system or any participant in the system fails to meet the requirements of
s. 43.15 (4).
43.24(3m)
(3m) If the appropriation under
s. 20.255 (3) (e) in any one year is insufficient to pay the full amount under
sub. (1), state aid payments shall be prorated among the library systems entitled to such aid.
43.24(4)
(4) The division shall assure through an annual audit and adjustment of aids, as necessary, that no more than 20% of the funds received by systems are used for administrative purposes.
43.24(5)
(5) Any interest earned from the investment of state aid paid to each public library system under
sub. (3) shall be allocated to the library system receiving the aid payments.
43.27
43.27
Distribution of materials from reference and loan collection to public library systems. The division may disperse to public library systems, without charge, materials from the collection of the reference and loan library that the division determines are not appropriately held in the collection of the reference and loan library.
43.27 History
History: 1979 c. 347;
1993 a. 335.
43.30
43.30
Public library records. 43.30(1)
(1) Records of any library which is in whole or in part supported by public funds, including the records of a public library system, indicating the identity of any individual who borrows or uses the library's documents or other materials, resources or services may not be disclosed except by court order or to persons acting within the scope of their duties in the administration of the library or library system, to persons authorized by the individual to inspect such records or to libraries as authorized under
subs. (2) and
(3).
43.30(2)
(2) A library supported in whole or in part by public funds may disclose an individual's identity to another library for the purpose of borrowing materials for the individual only if the library to which the individual's identity is being disclosed meets at least one of the following requirements:
43.30(2)(a)
(a) The library is supported in whole or in part by public funds.
43.30(2)(b)
(b) The library has a written policy prohibiting the disclosure of the identity of the individual except as authorized under
sub. (3).
43.30(2)(c)
(c) The library agrees not to disclose the identity of the individual except as authorized under
sub. (3).
43.30(3)
(3) A library to which an individual's identity is disclosed under
sub. (2) and that is not supported in whole or in part by public funds may disclose that individual's identity to another library for the purpose of borrowing materials for that individual only if the library to which the identity is being disclosed meets at least one of the requirements specified under
sub. (2) (a) to
(c).
43.30 History
History: 1981 c. 335;
1991 a. 269.
43.52
43.52
Municipal libraries. 43.52(1)(1) Any municipality may establish, equip and maintain a public library, and may annually levy a tax or appropriate money to provide a library fund, to be used exclusively to maintain the public library. The municipality may enact and enforce police regulations to govern the use, management and preservation of the public library. Any municipality desiring to establish a new public library shall obtain a written opinion by the division regarding the feasibility and desirability of establishing the public library before final action is taken. The division shall render its opinion within 30 days of the time the request is received.
43.52(1m)
(1m) On and after April 10, 1986, any town desiring to establish a new public library or participate in a joint library under
s. 43.53 shall in addition to the requirement under
sub. (1) obtain the approval of the county library board, if one exists, and the county board of supervisors before final action is taken. The county library board and the county board of supervisors shall render decisions within 90 days of the request being received.
43.52(2)
(2) Every public library shall be free for the use of the inhabitants of the municipality by which it is established and maintained, subject to such reasonable regulations as the library board prescribes in order to render its use most beneficial to the greatest number. The library board may exclude from the use of the public library all persons who wilfully violate such regulations.
43.52(3)
(3) Any municipality may purchase or acquire one or more sites, erect one or more buildings and equip the same for a public library or any library already established; or may adopt, take over and acquire any library already established, by consent of the authorities controlling the same.
43.52(4)
(4) A municipal library may contract with library organizations within this state or in adjacent states to provide or receive library services.
43.52 Annotation
Library can charge user fees for any services that fall outside of a library's inherent information-providing functions; core "library services" must be provided free of charge to the inhabitants of the municipality.
73 Atty. Gen. 86.
43.52 Annotation
Municipal libraries may not charge fee for lending video cassettes which are part of reasonable permanent collection but may charge for lending additional copies. Municipal libraries may not charge fee for online searching of bibliographic or informational databases.
78 Atty. Gen. 163.
43.53
43.53
Joint libraries. 43.53(1)(1) Joint libraries may be created by any 2 or more municipalities or by a county and one or more municipalities located in whole or in part in the county, by appropriate agreement of their governing bodies.
Section 43.52 applies to joint libraries.
43.53(2)
(2) Joint library agreements under
sub. (1) shall contain provisions necessary to establish a library board under
s. 43.54, perform the duties under
s. 43.58 and own and operate the physical facilities.
43.53(3)
(3) A joint library may not be established unless it includes at least one municipality with a public library established before May 8, 1990.
43.53 History
History: 1971 c. 152 s.
19; Stats. 1971 s. 43.56;
1985 a. 177 ss.
33,
34; Stats. 1985 s. 43.53;
1989 a. 286;
1995 a. 270.
43.54
43.54
Municipal library board composition. 43.54(1)(a)(a) Each public library established under
s. 43.52 shall be administered by a library board composed in each city of the 2nd or 3rd class or school district of 9 members, in each city of the 4th class of 7 members and in each village, town, tribal government or tribal association of 5 members. Two additional members may be appointed to a library board for a village, town, tribal government or tribal association so that the board has 7 members. Members shall be residents of the municipality, except that not more than 2 members may be residents of towns adjacent to the municipality. Members shall be appointed by the mayor, village president, town chairperson, tribal chairperson or school board chairperson, respectively, with the approval of the municipal governing body. Up to 2 additional members may be appointed under
s. 43.60 (3).
43.54(1)(am)
(am) Each public library established in a 1st class city shall be administered by a library board consisting of the president of the board of school directors or his or her designee, the superintendent of schools or his or her designee, a member of the county board of supervisors who resides in the county but outside the city, 3 alderpersons and 6 public members. The county board member shall be appointed by the county executive or county administrator and confirmed by the county board for a 4-year term commencing on May 1. The 3 alderpersons shall be appointed by the mayor on the 3rd Tuesday in April from among those alderpersons serving 4-year terms and shall serve on the library board during their aldermanic terms. The 6 public members shall be residents of the city. Five of the public members shall be appointed by the mayor on the 3rd Tuesday in April to staggered 4-year terms. One of the public members appointed by the mayor under this paragraph shall be designated by the mayor as his or her representative on the board. One public member shall be appointed by the president of the common council on the 3rd Tuesday in April for a 4-year term. The public member appointed by the president of the common council under this paragraph shall be designated by the president of the common council as his or her representative on the board.
43.54(1)(b)
(b) Upon their first appointment, the members shall be divided as nearly as practicable into 3 equal groups to serve for 2-, 3- and 4-year terms, respectively. Thereafter, each regular appointment shall be for a term of 3 years. Vacancies shall be filled for unexpired terms in the same manner as regular appointments are made.
43.54(1)(c)
(c) The appointing authority shall appoint as one of the members a school district administrator, or the administrator's representative, to represent the public school district or districts in which the public library is located. Not more than one member of the municipal governing body shall at any one time be a member of the library board.
43.54(1)(d)
(d) No compensation shall be paid to the members of a library board for their services, except as follows:
43.54(1)(d)1.
1. Members may be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in performing duties outside the municipality if so authorized by the library board.
43.54(1)(d)2.
2. Members may receive per diem, mileage and other necessary expenses incurred in performing their duties if so authorized by the library board and the municipal governing body.
43.54(1)(e)
(e) A majority of the membership of a library board constitutes a quorum, but any such board may, by regulation, provide that 3 or more members thereof shall constitute a quorum. For library boards organized under
par. (am), 7 members constitute a quorum.
43.54(1m)(a)1.
1. Consist of 7 to 11 members and be representative of the populations of the participating municipalities.
43.54(1m)(a)2.
2. Be appointed by the head of the municipal governing body of each participating municipality and county board chairperson of the participating county.
43.54(2)
(2) As soon as practicable after the first appointments, at a date and place fixed by the appointing officer, and annually thereafter within 30 days after the time designated in this section for the beginning of terms, the members of the library board shall organize by the election, from among their number, of a president and such other officers as they deem necessary.
43.54(3)
(3) In any city of the 2nd or 3rd class, the common council may, by a two-thirds vote, provide for the reduction of the number of appointive members of the library board to 7. Thereupon, whenever a term expires or a vacancy occurs, no appointment shall be made until the number of such members has been so reduced, whereupon the remaining members shall be by lot divided by the common council into 3 classes, 3 to serve for 3 years, 2 to serve for 2 years and 2 to serve for one year, respectively, from the date of such completed reduction, and thereafter each regular appointment shall be for a term of 3 years, from the succeeding July 1.
43.57
43.57
Consolidated county libraries and county library services. 43.57(1)(1)
Consolidated county libraries. 43.57(1)(a)(a) A county board may establish and maintain a consolidated public library for the county, and may for such purpose adopt, take over and acquire any libraries already established, by consent of the authorities controlling those libraries.
43.57(1)(b)
(b) If it is consistent with the terms thereof, a gift, bequest or endowment to a public library becoming a part of a consolidated county library may be taken over by the county library board. The county library board shall maintain the gift, bequest or endowment for the benefit of the library to which it was given.
43.57(1)(c)
(c) A consolidated county library may become part of a federated multicounty system organized under
s. 43.19.
43.57(1)(d)
(d) A consolidated county library may contract with library organizations within this state or in adjacent states to provide or receive library services.
43.57(2)
(2) Joint libraries. A county board may authorize the formation of a joint library under
s. 43.53 and may participate in a joint library board under
s. 43.54.
