181.060. State aid for public libraries--appropriation--distribution--allocation--procedure--require

State aid for publiclibraries--appropriation--distribution--allocation--procedure--require

181.060. 1. The general assembly may appropriate moneys for state aidto public libraries, which moneys shall be administered by the statelibrarian, and distributed as specified in rules and regulations promulgatedby the Missouri state library, and approved by the secretary of state.

2. At least fifty percent of the moneys appropriated for state aid topublic libraries shall be apportioned to all public libraries established andmaintained under the provisions of the library laws or other laws of the staterelating to libraries. The allocation of the moneys shall be based on anequal per capita rate for the population of each city, village, town,township, urban public library district, county or consolidated librarydistrict in which any library is or may be established, in proportion to thepopulation according to the latest federal census of the cities, villages,towns, townships, school districts, county or regional library districtsmaintaining public libraries primarily supported by public funds which aredesigned to serve the general public. No grant shall be made to any publiclibrary which is tax supported if the rate of tax levied or the appropriationfor 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 publiclibrary if a public library tax of at least ten cents per one hundred dollarsassessed valuation has been voted in accordance with sections 182.010 to182.460, RSMo, or as authorized in section 137.030, RSMo, and is duly assessedand levied for the year preceding that in which the grant is made, or if theappropriation for the public library in any city of first class yields onedollar or more per capita for the previous year according to the population ofthe latest federal census or if the amount provided by the city for the publiclibrary, in any other city in which the library is not supported by a librarytax, is at least equal to the amount of revenue which would be realized by atax of ten cents per one hundred dollars assessed valuation if the library hadbeen tax supported. Except that, no grant under this section shall beaffected because of a reduction in the rate of levy which is required by theprovisions of section 137.073, RSMo.

3. The librarian of the library together with the treasurer of thelibrary or the treasurer of the city if there is no library treasurer shallcertify to the state librarian the annual tax income and rate of tax or theappropriation for the library on the date of the enactment of this law, and ofthe current year, and each year thereafter, and the state librarian shallcertify to the commissioner of administration the amount to be paid to eachlibrary.

4. The balance of the moneys shall be administered and supervised by thestate 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 consolidatedlibraries;

(3) Reciprocal borrowing;

(4) Technological development;

(5) Interlibrary cooperation;

(6) Literacy programs; and

(7) Other library projects or programs that may be determined by thelocal library, library advisory committee and the state library staff thatwould improve access to library services by the residents of this state.

Newly established libraries shall certify through the legally establishedboard or the governing body of the city supporting the library and thelibrarian of the library to the state librarian the fact of establishment, therate of tax, the assessed valuation of the library district and the annual taxyield of the library. The state librarian shall then certify to thecommissioner of administration the amount of establishment grant to be paid tothe libraries and warrants shall be issued for the amount allocated andapproved. The sum appropriated for state aid to public libraries shall beseparate and apart from any and all appropriations made to the state library.

(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)

Effective 7-1-93