43.15(1)(a)
(a) Have a population of 100,000 or more. If, because of the withdrawal or realignment of participating counties, a public library system has fewer than 3 participating counties and a population under 200,000, the remaining parts of the system shall realign with an existing system within 2 years after the date on which the population falls below 200,000.
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 and the county boards of the participating counties.
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, or from providing remote access to a library's electronic database only to its residents.
43.15(4)(c)5.
5. The total amount of funding received from its governing body or, for a joint public library, its governing bodies, is not less 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 who is certified as a public librarian by the department and whose employment requires that he or she be present in the library for at least 10 hours of each week that the library is open to the public, less leave time.
43.15(4)(c)7.
7. Beginning in 2008, annually is open to the public an average of at least 20 hours each week except that for a library in existence on June 3, 2006, annually is open to the public an average of at least 20 hours or the number of hours each week that the library was open to the public in 2005, whichever is fewer.
43.15(4)(c)8.
8. Beginning in 2008, annually spends at least $2,500 on library materials.
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(5)
(5) Capital costs excluded. For the purpose of determining the amount of financial support required under
subs. (2) (b) and
(4) (b) 2. and
(c) 5., amounts spent for capital projects shall be excluded.
43.15(5m)
(5m) Limit. A public library system may not be established if its establishment would cause the number of public library systems to exceed the number in existence on June 3, 2006.
43.15 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also s.
PI 6.06, Wis. adm. code.
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 employees. 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 employee of a participating employer under the Wisconsin retirement system becomes, by virtue of the establishment of a public library system, an employee 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 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. A federated public library system whose territory lies within 2 or more counties may obtain a state trust fund loan to accomplish any of its purposes, but the outstanding amount of a federated public library system's state trust fund loans, together with all other indebtedness of the system, may not exceed an amount equal to the system'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, in the most recent year in which the public library honored such cards, the total amount of the reimbursement received by the public library 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 the cards.
43.17(11)(c)
(c) For purposes of
par. (b), the adjusted cost shall be calculated by determining the actual cost for each loan incurred by the public library honoring the cards for a given year in the manner provided by the rules promulgated by the department under
s. 43.24 (2) (n) and multiplying that amount by the remainder calculated by subtracting 500 from the total number of loans made in that year by the public library to borrowers from the adjacent public library system. For purposes of this paragraph, a renewal of a loan constitutes a separate loan.
43.17(11)(d)
(d) Any reimbursement made by a county under
par. (b) may not result in a reduction in the level of support for public library services provided by that county to residents of that county.
43.17(11)(e)
(e) If a public library in a given public library system refuses to honor the valid borrowers' cards from an adjacent public library system, annual meetings shall be held between representatives of the affected public library systems to discuss the resulting lack of services to the affected borrowers and the costs of providing such services. The affected public library systems shall provide the division with written minutes of these meetings.
43.18
43.18
Withdrawal, abolition and expulsion. 43.18(1)(ag)(ag) In this subsection, "participating municipality" means a municipality that operates a public library and is a member of a public library system.
43.18(1)(am)
(am) Not less than 3 years after affiliating with a public library system, a participating municipality or a county may withdraw from the system by adoption of a resolution by a two-thirds vote of its governing body under
pars. (ar) and
(b), if the resolution is adopted at least 6 months prior to the close of the system's fiscal year. The resolution shall become effective at the close of the system's fiscal year.
43.18(1)(ar)
(ar) With the approval of the governing bodies of participating municipalities 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, a county may withdraw from a federated public library system whose territory lies within 2 or more counties.
43.18(1)(b)
(b) A participating municipality may withdraw from a federated public library system.
43.18(2)
(2) Abolition. A county may abolish a public library system whose territory lies only within that county, except that a county containing a 1st class city may abolish such a public library system only with the consent of the municipalities within the system.
43.18(2m)
(2m) Expulsion. With the approval of the division, a public library system may expel, or reduce aids or services to, a municipality or county that fails to meet the requirements under
s. 43.15 (2) or
(4).
43.18(3)(a)(a) Prior to taking any action to abolish or withdraw under this section, the county board or other municipal governing body shall hold a public hearing on the proposed action and shall publish a class 1 notice, under
ch. 985, of the hearing. Notice of the hearing also shall be given by registered mail not less than 30 days prior to the hearing to the governing body of every other municipality and county participating in the public library system, to the public library system board and to the division.
43.18(3)(b)
(b) A municipality or county withdrawing or expelled under this section from a public library system is responsible for its allocated share of the outstanding liabilities of the system on the effective date of its withdrawal or expulsion.
43.18(3)(c)
(c) Upon taking final action under this section to withdraw from or abolish a public library system, the county board or other municipal governing body shall give notice, by registered mail, of the action taken to the governing body of every other municipality and county participating in the public library system, to the public library system board and to the division.
43.18(3)(d)
(d) Prior to expelling a municipality or county from a public library system, the system board shall notify the municipality or county and the division, by registered mail, of the reason for the action under consideration and shall hold a public hearing concerning the action. The system board shall file a plan for alteration of the system territory under
s. 43.13 (2) by November 15 of the year preceding the year in which the expulsion will take effect under
s. 43.13 (3) and the division shall adjust state aid under
s. 43.24 accordingly.
43.18(3)(e)
(e) A municipality or county that has withdrawn or that has been expelled from a public library system may participate in a public library system only by fulfilling the requirements for initial participation under
s. 43.15 (4) (b) or
(c) and by adopting a new plan of library service for the county.
