43.11(3)(c)
(c) The plan of library service for a county, whether for a single county or a multicounty system, shall provide for library services to residents of those municipalities in the county not maintaining a public library under this chapter. The services shall include full access to public libraries participating in the public library system and the plan shall provide for reimbursement for that access. Services may include books-by-mail service, bookmobile service, the establishment of additional libraries or other services deemed appropriate by the committee. Services may be provided by contracting with existing public libraries in the county or in adjacent counties or with the public library system or by creating a county library organization under this chapter. The plan of library service for a county may provide for improving public library service countywide and in municipalities that have libraries. The plan shall specify the method and level of funding to be provided by the county to implement the services described in the plan, including the reimbursement of public libraries for access by residents of those municipalities in the county not maintaining a public library.
43.11(3)(d)
(d) The plan of library services for a county may include minimum standards of operation for public libraries in the county. The county shall hold a public hearing on any standards proposed under this paragraph. The standards shall take effect if they are approved by the county and the public library boards of at least 50% of the participating municipalities in the county that contain, according to the most recent estimate prepared under
s. 16.96, at least 80% of the population of participating municipalities in the county.
43.12
43.12
County payment for library services. 43.12(1)
(1) By March 1 of each year, a county that does not maintain a consolidated public library for the county under
s. 43.57 and that contains residents who are not residents of a municipality that maintains a public library under
s. 43.52 or
43.53 shall pay to each public library in the county an amount that is equal to at least 70% of the amount computed by multiplying the number of loans reported under
sub. (2) by the amount that results from dividing the total operational expenditures of the library during the calendar year for which the number of loans are reported, not including capital expenditures or expenditures of federal funds, by the total number of loans of material made by the public library during the calendar year for which the loans are reported.
43.12(2)
(2) By July 1 of each year, each public library lying in whole or in part in a county shall provide a statement to the county clerk of that county that reports the number of loans of material made by that library during the prior calendar year to residents of the county who are not residents of a municipality that maintains a public library under
s. 43.52 or
43.53 and the total number of loans of material made by that library during the previous calendar year.
43.12(3)
(3) A county may enter into an agreement with its participating municipalities or with a public library system to pay no less than the amounts determined under
sub. (1) to the public library system for distribution to the public libraries that participate in that system.
43.12(4)
(4) Upon request of a county clerk, a public library shall provide access to all books and records used to determine the amount computed under
sub. (2).
43.12(5)
(5) Nothing in this section prohibits a county from providing its own additional funding for shared services. A library board may elect to have this funding credited to such shared services rather than to receive it as direct reimbursements.
43.12(5m)
(5m) Nothing in this section prohibits a county from providing its own additional funding for capital expenditures.
43.12(6)
(6) The county library board or, if no county library board exists, the county itself, shall either distribute the aid provided by the county to the public libraries, as provided in the plan prepared under
s. 43.11, or shall transfer the aid for distribution to the public library system in which it participates.
43.12(7)
(7) This section does not apply to a county having a population of 500,000 or more.
43.12 History
History: 1997 a. 150.
43.13
43.13
Division review. 43.13(1)(a)(a) No public library system may be established without the approval of the division. In reviewing final reports submitted by county library planning committees, the division shall consider, in addition to the standards set forth in
s. 43.15, the proposed system territory, organization and financing, initial and long-range plans for library services, the role of existing multi-jurisdictional service programs in the territory and plans for cooperation with adjoining systems and with other kinds of libraries in the territory.
43.13(1)(b)
(b) If the division approves a final report, it shall report such approval to the appropriate county boards and county library planning committees. Upon acceptance by the county boards, the division shall certify to the appropriate county boards the establishment of the public library system proposed by the report, specifying the effective date of the establishment of the system.
43.13(2)
(2) A public library system board may submit to the division a plan for the alteration in the territory included within the system or for a change in system organization from a federated to a consolidated system or vice versa. If the change proposed by the plan is approved, the division shall certify such fact to the system board, specifying the effective date of the change.
43.13(3)
(3) The effective date of the establishment of a system under
sub. (1) or of a change under
sub. (2) shall be January 1 of the year specified by the division, except that the effective date of the establishment of a system approved prior to March 1, 1972, may be either January 1 or March 1, 1972.
43.13(4)
(4) Any decision by the division under this section may be appealed to the state superintendent.
43.15
43.15
Standards for public library systems. A public library system shall not be established unless it meets the requirements under this section.
43.15(1)
(1) Population. The territory within the system shall:
43.15(1)(a)
(a) Have a population of 100,000 or more. If, because of the withdrawal or realignment of participating municipalities or counties, a public library system has a population under 100,000, the remaining parts of the system shall realign with an existing system within 2 years after the date on which the population falls below 100,000.
43.15(1)(b)
(b) After July 1, 1998, no new system may be established unless it serves a population of at least 200,000.
43.15(2)(a)(a) Each county proposed to be included within a system shall demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the division, its ability to provide adequate funding to implement the plan submitted under
s. 43.11 (3) and the report submitted under
s. 43.13 (1).
43.15(2)(b)
(b) The county shall maintain its support for library services at a level not lower than the average of the previous 3 years.
43.15(2)(c)
(c) If a city, village, town or school district that contributed to the county tax in the previous year is granted an exemption from the county tax under
s. 43.64 (2) for the current year, the 3-year average under
par. (b) shall be calculated as follows:
43.15(2)(c)1.
1. Subtract the previous year's equalized valuation of that portion of the city, village, town or school district that is located in the county from the previous year's equalized valuation of property in the county that was subject to the county tax levied in the previous year.
43.15(2)(c)2.
2. Divide the remainder under
subd. 1. by the previous year's equalized valuation of property in the county that was subject to the county tax levied in the previous year.
43.15(2)(c)3.
3. Multiply the quotient under
subd. 2. by the county's average support for library services for the previous 3 years.
43.15(2)(d)
(d) For the year following the first year for which an exemption is granted under
s. 43.64 (2), the product calculated under
par. (c) 3. shall be the amount used as the annual county support level for the 2 years preceding the first year for which an exemption is granted for the purpose of calculating the 3-year average under
par. (b). For the 2nd year following the first year for which an exemption is granted under
s. 43.64 (2), the product calculated under
par. (c) 3. shall be the amount used as the annual county support level for the year preceding the year for which the exception is granted for the purpose of calculating the 3-year average under
par. (b).
43.15(2)(e)
(e) The division shall adjust the 3-year average requirement under
par. (b) in any year, as necessary, to reflect the cost savings resulting from the consolidation or sharing of library services if the county does all of the following:
43.15(2)(e)1.
1. Demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the division, that the county's support for library services is or will be lower than otherwise required by
par. (b) because library services supported by the county have been or will be consolidated or shared.
43.15(2)(e)2.
2. Submits a plan demonstrating, to the satisfaction of the division, that services to library patrons following the consolidation or sharing of services will be at least substantially equivalent to the services available to patrons before the consolidation or sharing.
43.15(3)(a)(a) A consolidated system shall consist of one county only. A federated system shall consist of one or more counties.
43.15(3)(b)
(b) No more than one system may be established within a single county. If the territory of a municipality lies in 2 or more counties which are not in the same public library system, the municipal library board or, if no such board exists, the municipal governing body shall determine the system in which the municipality will participate.
43.15(3)(c)
(c) If the territory of a joint library lies in 2 or more counties that are not in the same public library system, the joint library board or, if no such board exists, the governing bodies of the municipalities and counties that created the joint library shall determine the system in which the joint library will participate.
43.15(4)(a)(a) A public library system may be organized as a single-county federated public library system, a multicounty federated public library system or a single-county consolidated public library system. Two public library systems may merge with the approval of each public library system board, the county boards of the participating counties and 51% of the participating public libraries in the system.
43.15(4)(b)
(b) A county may participate in a federated public library system if it does all of the following:
43.15(4)(b)2.
2. Provides the financial support for library services required under
sub. (2).
43.15(4)(b)3.
3. Enters into a written agreement with the public library system board to participate in the system and its activities and to furnish library services to residents of those municipalities in the county not maintaining a public library.
43.15(4)(c)
(c) A municipal, county or joint public library may participate in a public library system if it meets all of the following requirements:
43.15(4)(c)2.
2. Is located in a county that participates in a public library system.
43.15(4)(c)3.
3. Is authorized by its municipal governing body or county board to participate in the public library system.
43.15(4)(c)4.
4. Enters into a written agreement with the public library system board to participate in the system and its activities, to participate in interlibrary loan of materials with other system libraries and 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. This subdivision does not prohibit a municipal, county or joint public library from giving preference to its residents in library group programs held for children or adults if the library limits the number of persons who may participate in the group program.
43.15(4)(c)5.
5. Receives funding from the municipal or, for a consolidated county library or a county library service, from the county governing body at a level that is not lower than the average of such funding received for the previous 3 years. The following are not included as funding for purposes of computing the 3-year average:
43.15(4)(c)5.a.
a. Funding received from a state, federal or private source that has been designated as funding for library services.
43.15(4)(c)5.b.
b. Unspent funding appropriated by a municipality or county for library services for a prior year.
43.15(4)(c)5.c.
c. For a municipal or joint public library, funding received from a county.
43.15(4)(c)6.
6. Employs a head librarian holding current public library certification from the department of public instruction.
43.15(4)(d)
(d) A county may establish a consolidated public library system in which the included county and its underlying communities form a single system. The county may, for such purposes, take over and acquire any library property by consent of the authority controlling that property.
43.15(4)(e)
(e) The division shall adjust the 3-year average requirement under
par. (c) 5. in any year, as necessary, to reflect the cost savings resulting from the consolidation or sharing of library services if the municipal governing body or county board does all of the following:
43.15(4)(e)1.
1. Demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the division, that the funding provided by the municipality or county for library services is or will be lower than otherwise required by
par. (c) 5. because library services for which the funding is appropriated have been or will be consolidated or shared.
43.15(4)(e)2.
2. Submits a plan demonstrating, to the satisfaction of the division, that services to library patrons following the consolidation or sharing of services will be at least substantially equivalent to the services available to patrons before the consolidation or sharing.
43.15 Annotation
A county having a population in excess of 85,000 and which does not presently operate and maintain a library but which contains a city of over 30,000 operating a library, can establish a single-county federated library system. Secs. 43.15 (4) (a) and 43.19. 63 Atty. Gen. 142.
43.16
43.16
Resource libraries. 43.16(1)(a)(a) Each public library system shall have at least one system resource library. Annually, prior to the expiration of its agreement with its existing system resource library, the public library system board shall negotiate with the member public library with the largest annual operating budget of all member libraries to serve as a system resource library in the following year. If the board and the proposed resource library are unable to reach an agreement for the following year before the expiration date of any existing agreements with resource libraries, the existing agreements shall be extended for one year or until an agreement is reached with that proposed resource library, whichever occurs earlier. The division shall notify the public library system board, the existing resource libraries and the proposed resource library of the extension and, during the period of extension, shall attempt to mediate an agreement between the public library system board and the proposed resource library. If the division determines that the public library system board and the proposed system resource library are unable to reach an agreement before the end of the one-year period, the division shall propose an alternative agreement, which shall be binding if it is acceptable to the proposed system resource library. If the alternative agreement is unacceptable to the proposed system resource library, the board shall negotiate with the member public library with the next largest annual operating budget of all member public libraries to serve as a system resource library in the following year.
43.16(1)(am)
(am) An existing contract may be extended under
par. (a) only if it was entered into on or after May 8, 1990.
43.16(1)(b)
(b) The procedure under
par. (a) shall be repeated with member public libraries in decreasing order of the size of their annual operating budgets until an agreement is reached with a member public library to serve as a system resource library. Except as provided in
par. (a), no agreement may extend beyond December 31 of any year.
43.16(2)
(2) If the member public library selected to serve as a system resource library under
sub. (1) fails to meet all of the following requirements, the system board shall enter into a supplementary contract with the academic library with the largest operating budget of all academic libraries in the system area, or with a resource library in an adjacent system, that meets all of the following requirements:
43.16(2)(a)
(a) The library has a collection of at least 100,000 volumes.
43.16(2)(b)
(b) The library is open to the public at least 50 hours each week.
43.16(2)(c)
(c) The library employs at least one full-time, permanent reference librarian with a master's degree in library science.
43.16 History
History: 1989 a. 286.
43.17
43.17
Public library systems; general provisions. 43.17(1)(1)
Board terms. Every public library system shall be governed by a board appointed under
s. 43.19 or
43.21. No person employed by a public library that is a member of a public library system may be appointed to the public library system board. Upon the initial establishment of a board, the members shall be divided as nearly as possible into 3 equal groups to serve for terms expiring on January 1 of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th years, respectively, following their appointment. Thereafter, regular terms shall be for 3 years and shall commence on January 1. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as regular appointments are made.
43.17(2)
(2) Board organization and meetings. As soon as practicable after the initial establishment of a system, and thereafter in January of each year, the board shall organize by the election, from among its members, of a president and such other officers as it deems necessary. The board shall meet at least once every 2 months.
43.17(2m)
(2m) Advisory committee. Every public library system may appoint a public library advisory committee to, among other things, advise the system board about the status and needs of libraries in the system, serve as a conduit of information between the system board and individual libraries in the system and make recommendations to the system board relating to libraries in the system.
43.17(3)
(3) Fiscal year. The fiscal year of each federated public library system whose territory lies within 2 or more counties shall be the calendar year.
43.17(4)
(4) System administration. Notwithstanding
ss. 59.17 (2) (br) and
59.18 (2) (b), responsibility for administration of a public library system shall vest in a head librarian who shall be appointed by and directly responsible to the public library system board.
43.17(5)
(5) Annual report. Annually, at the time required by the division, each public library system shall report to the division on its operations, expenditures and territory served during the preceding year, shall submit a plan describing the program for library service to be carried out in the subsequent year and shall furnish such other information as the division requires.
43.17(6)
(6) Cooperative services. A public library system may contract with another such system, or with other libraries, library organizations or resource centers within this state or in adjacent states, to provide or receive library services.
43.17(7)
(7) Existing employes. No person employed by a participating public library at the time of the establishment of a public library system shall lose, because of such establishment, any salary, fringe benefit or other employment rights in existence at that time.
43.17(8)
(8) Retirement. If any employe of a participating employer under the Wisconsin retirement system becomes, by virtue of the establishment of a public library system, an employe of that library system, the library system shall become a participating employer under the Wisconsin retirement system.
43.17(9)
(9) Contracts, bidding and borrowing. 43.17(9)(a)(a) All contracts for public construction, the estimated cost of which exceeds $5,000, made by a federated public library system whose territory lies within 2 or more counties or by a federated public library system whose territory lies within a single county with a population of at least 500,000 shall be let by the public library system board to the lowest responsible bidder in accordance with
s. 62.15 (1) to
(11) and
(14). For purposes of this section, the system board possesses the powers conferred by
s. 62.15 on the board of public works and the common council. All contracts made under this section shall be made in the name of the federated public library system and shall be executed by the system board president and such other board officer as the system board designates.
43.17(9)(b)
(b) A public library system board of a multicounty library system may borrow money to accomplish any of its purposes, but the outstanding amount of such loans at any time may not exceed an amount equal to the system board's receipts for the prior fiscal year.
43.17(10)
(10) Borrowers' cards. Except as provided in
sub. (11), all public libraries in a public library system shall honor the valid borrowers' cards of a public library in an adjacent public library system, other than the Milwaukee county federated library system. The requirement under this subsection does not apply to the Milwaukee county federated library system.
43.17(11)(a)(a) In this subsection, "loan" means a unit of service that involves the checking out of a single item from a library to an individual for use outside the library for a specific period of time.
43.17(11)(b)
(b) A public library in a public library system may refuse to honor valid borrowers' cards of a public library in an adjacent public library system if the total amount of the reimbursement received by the public library for the preceding year from that adjacent public library system, and from counties and municipalities that are located in that adjacent public library system, is less than the adjusted cost incurred for that year by the public library in honoring these cards.
