Effective - 28 Aug 2011
181.060. State aid for public libraries — appropriation, distribution, allocation, procedure — requirements. — 1. The general assembly may appropriate moneys for state aid to public libraries, which moneys shall be administered by the state librarian, and distributed as specified in rules and regulations promulgated by the Missouri state library, and approved by the secretary of state.
2. At least fifty percent of the moneys appropriated for state aid to public libraries shall be apportioned to all public libraries established and maintained under the provisions of the library laws or other laws of the state relating to libraries. The allocation of the moneys shall be based on an equal per capita rate for the population of each city, village, town, township, urban public library district, county or consolidated library district in which any library is or may be established, in proportion to the population according to the latest federal census of the cities, villages, towns, townships, school districts, county or regional library districts maintaining public libraries primarily supported by public funds which are designed to serve the general public. No grant shall be made to any public library which is tax supported if the rate of tax levied or the appropriation for the library should be decreased below the rate in force on December 31, 1946, or on the date of its establishment. Grants shall be made to any public library if a public library tax of at least ten cents per one hundred dollars assessed valuation has been voted in accordance with sections 182.010 to 182.460 or as authorized in section 137.030 and is duly assessed and levied for the year preceding that in which the grant is made, or if the appropriation for the public library in any city of first class yields one dollar or more per capita for the previous year according to the population of the latest federal census or if the amount provided by the city for the public library, in any other city in which the library is not supported by a library tax, is at least equal to the amount of revenue which would be realized by a tax of ten cents per one hundred dollars assessed valuation if the library had been tax supported. Except that, no grant under this section shall be affected because of a reduction in the rate of levy which is required by the provisions of section 137.073 or because of a voluntary reduction in the levy following the enactment of a district sales tax under section 182.802, if the proceeds from the sales tax equal or exceed the reduction in revenue from the levy.
3. The librarian of the library together with the treasurer of the library or the treasurer of the city if there is no library treasurer shall certify to the state librarian the annual tax income and rate of tax or the appropriation for the library on the date of the enactment of this law, and of the current year, and each year thereafter, and the state librarian shall certify to the commissioner of administration the amount to be paid to each library.
4. The balance of the moneys shall be administered and supervised by the state librarian who may provide grants to public libraries for:
(1) Establishment, on a population basis to newly established city, county city/county or consolidated libraries;
(2) Equalization to city/county, urban public, county or consolidated libraries;
(3) Reciprocal borrowing;
(4) Technological development;
(5) Interlibrary cooperation;
(6) Literacy programs; and
(7) Other library projects or programs that may be determined by the local library, library advisory committee and the state library staff that would improve access to library services by the residents of this state. Newly established libraries shall certify through the legally established board or the governing body of the city supporting the library and the librarian of the library to the state librarian the fact of establishment, the rate of tax, the assessed valuation of the library district and the annual tax yield of the library. The state librarian shall then certify to the commissioner of administration the amount of establishment grant to be paid to the libraries and warrants shall be issued for the amount allocated and approved. The sum appropriated for state aid to public libraries shall be separate and apart from any and all appropriations made to the state library.
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(L. 1945 p. 1132 § 14736a, A.L. 1955 p. 562 § 7, A.L. 1959 S.B. 159, A.L. 1981 S.B. 232, A.L. 1987 H.B. 179 & 307, A.L. 1991 S.B. 197, A.L. 2011 H.B. 161)