42.1-1 - The Library of Virginia.
§ 42.1-1. The Library of Virginia.
The Library of Virginia is hereby declared an educational institution and aninstitution of learning. The Library of Virginia shall be the library agencyof the Commonwealth, the archival agency of the Commonwealth, and thereference library at the seat of government. It shall have the followingpowers and duties:
(1) [Repealed.]
(2) To accept gifts, bequests and endowments for the purposes which fallwithin the general legal powers and duties of The Library of Virginia. Unlessotherwise specified by the donor or legator, the Library may either expendboth the principal and interest of any gift or bequest or may invest suchsums as the Board deems advisable, with the consent of the State Treasurer,in securities in which sinking funds may be invested. The Library shall bedeemed to be an institution of higher education within the meaning of §23-9.2;
(3) To purchase and maintain a general collection of books, periodicals,newspapers, maps, films, audiovisual materials and other materials for theuse of the people of the Commonwealth as a means for the promotion ofknowledge within the Commonwealth. The scope of the Library's collectionsshall be determined by the Library Board on recommendation of the Librarianof Virginia, and, in making these decisions, the Board and Librarian ofVirginia shall take into account the book collections of public libraries andcollege and university libraries throughout the Commonwealth and theavailability of such collections to the general public. The Board shall makeavailable for circulation to libraries or to the public such of its materialsas it deems advisable;
(4) To give assistance, advice and counsel to other agencies of theCommonwealth maintaining libraries and special reference collections as tothe best means of establishing and administering such libraries andcollections. It may establish in The Library of Virginia a union catalogue ofall books, pamphlets and other materials owned and used for referencepurposes by all other agencies of the Commonwealth and of all books,pamphlets and other materials maintained by libraries in the Commonwealthwhich are of interest to the people of the whole Commonwealth;
(5) To fix reasonable penalties for damage to or failure to return any book,periodical or other material owned by the Library, or for violation of anyrule or regulation concerning the use of books, periodicals, and othermaterials in custody of the Library;
(6) To give direction, assistance and counsel to all libraries in theCommonwealth, to all communities which may propose to establish libraries,and to all persons interested in public libraries, as to means ofestablishment and administration of such libraries, selection of books,retrieval systems, cataloguing, maintenance, and other details of librarymanagement, and to conduct such inspections as are necessary;
(7) To engage in such activities in aid of city, county, town, regional andother public libraries as will serve to develop the library system of theCommonwealth;
(8) To administer and distribute state and federal library funds inaccordance with law and its own regulations to the city, county, town andregional libraries of the Commonwealth; and
(9) To enter into contracts with other states or regions or districts for thepurpose of providing cooperative library services.
Wherever in this title and the Code of Virginia the terms "State Library"or "Library" appear, they shall mean The Library of Virginia.
(Code 1950, § 42-33; 1970, c. 606; 1984, cc. 389, 734; 1986, c. 565; 1987, c.458; 1994, c. 64; 1998, c. 427.)