§ 23. Interstate library districts—Article III
(a) Any one or more public library agencies in a party state in cooperation with any public
library agency or agencies in one or more other party states may establish and maintain
an interstate library district. Subject to the provisions of this compact and any
other laws of the party states that pursuant to this compact remain applicable, the
district may establish, maintain, and operate some or all of the library facilities
and services for the area concerned in accordance with the terms of a library agreement.
Any private library agency or agencies within an interstate library district may cooperate
with; assume duties, responsibilities and obligations of; and receive benefits from
the district as provided in any library agreement to which such agency or agencies
become party.
(b) Within an interstate library district, and as provided by a library agreement, the
performance of library functions may be undertaken on a joint or cooperative basis
or may be undertaken by means of one or more arrangements between or among public
or private library agencies for the extension of library privileges to the use of
facilities or services operated or rendered by one or more of the individual library
agencies.
(c) If a library agreement provides for joint establishment, maintenance, or operation
of library facilities or services by an interstate library district, the district
shall have power to do any one or more of the following in accordance with the library
agreement:
(1) Undertake, administer, and participate in programs or arrangements for securing, lending,
or servicing of books and other publications; any other materials suitable to be kept
or made available by libraries; library equipment; or the dissemination of information
about libraries, the value and significance of particular items in libraries, and
the use of items.
(2) Accept for any of its purposes under this compact any and all donations and grants
of money, equipment, supplies, materials, and services (conditional or otherwise),
from any state of the United States or any subdivision or agency of a state, or interstate
agency, or from any institution, person, firm, or corporation, and receive, utilize,
and dispose of the same.
(3) Operate mobile library units or equipment for the purpose of rendering bookmobile
service within the district.
(4) Employ professional, technical, clerical, and other personnel and fix terms of employment,
compensation, and other appropriate benefits; and, where desirable, provide for the
in-service training of the personnel.
(5) Sue and be sued in any court of competent jurisdiction.
(6) Acquire, hold, and dispose of any real or personal property or any interest or interests
in property as may be appropriate to the rendering of library service.
(7) Construct, maintain, and operate a library, including any appropriate branches of
a library.
(8) Do such other things as may be incidental to or appropriate for the carrying out of
any of the powers enumerated in this subsection. (Added 1963, No. 119, § 2, eff. May 28, 1963; amended 2023, No. 85 (Adj. Sess.), § 242, eff. July 1, 2024.)