§ 29-6-2 - Public library services.
SECTION 29-6-2
§ 29-6-2 Public library services. –(a) For each city or town, the state's share to support local public libraryservices shall be equal to at least twenty-five percent (25%) of both theamount appropriated and expended in the second preceding fiscal year by thecity or town from local tax revenues and funds from the public library'sprivate endowment that supplement the municipal appropriation; provided,however, the state in any year shall not be obligated to match any amount fromthe endowment that exceeds six percent (6%) of the three (3) year averagemarket value, calculated at the end of the calendar year, of the investments inthe endowment. The amount of the grant payable to each municipality in any yearin accordance with this section shall be reduced proportionately in the eventthat the total of those grants in any year exceeds the amount appropriated thatyear for the purposes of this section. Provided further, however, that thereference year for the state's share of support to be paid in the year endingJune 30, 2008 shall be the third preceding year.
(b) Those public libraries that do not qualify for aidpursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section may apply forresource sharing grants, to be used exclusively for the purpose of payment ofthe cooperating libraries automated network (CLAN) annual assessment charges.Eligible public libraries shall apply directly to the office of library andinformation services for these resource sharing grants, and the grants shall beawarded to the libraries individually, rather than to the city or town.Eligible libraries must be or become members of the CLAN upon receipt of thegrant, serve municipalities that meet minimum standards for Rhode Island publiclibraries, and meet standards for member libraries of the library of RhodeIsland (LORI) network.
(c) Provided, that notwithstanding any other provisions ofthis chapter to the contrary, the state's share to support local public libraryservices shall also include funding to the Pontiac Free Library in the city ofWarwick for said library's participation in the cooperating libraries automatednetwork (CLAN). Such funding shall be provided regardless of whether the cityof Warwick appropriates funds from local tax revenues to said library. Theamount of said state support shall be equal to the average of the amountappropriated by the city of Warwick to each library in said municipality forparticipation in the CLAN program, in accordance with the provisions of andformulas set forth in subsection (a) herein. Provided, further, that in theevent the city of Warwick appropriates funds from local tax revenues for thePontiac Free Library, then the amount of the state's share to said libraryshall be calculated in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) hereinfor any year in which such calculation is applicable.