43.15 Standards for public library systems.

492 words·~2 min read·/wi/chapter-43/43-15-2

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43.15 Standards for public library systems. A public library system shall not be established unless it meets the requirements under this section.

(1)Population. The territory within the system shall:

(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.

(b)After July 1, 1998, no new system may be established unless it serves a population of at least 200,000.

(2)Financial support. 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).

(3)Territory included.

(a)A consolidated system shall consist of one county only. A federated system shall consist of one or more counties.

(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.

(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.

(4)Method of organization.

(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.

(b)A county may participate in a federated public library system if it does all of the following:

1. Adopts and maintains the plan of library service submitted and approved under ss. 43.11

(3)and 43.13

(1).

2. Provides the financial support for library services required under sub.

(2).

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.

(c)A municipal, county or joint public library may participate in a public library system if it meets all of the following requirements:

1. Is established under this chapter. A tribal college-county joint library under s. 43.57

(2m)is a library established under this chapter.

2. Is located in a county that participates in a public library system.