Section 3375.40. Board of library trustees - powers and duties

Each board of library trustees appointed pursuant to section 3375.06, 3375.10, 3375.12, 3375.15, 3375.22, or 3375.30 of the Revised Code may do the following:

(A) Hold title to and have the custody of all real and personal property of the free public library under its jurisdiction;

(B) Expend for library purposes, and in the exercise of the power enumerated in this section, all moneys, whether derived from the county public library fund or otherwise, credited to the free public library under its jurisdiction, and generally do all things it considers necessary for the establishment, maintenance, and improvement of the free public library under its jurisdiction;

(C) Purchase, lease, construct, remodel, renovate, or otherwise improve, equip, and furnish buildings or parts of buildings and other real property, and purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire motor vehicles and other personal property, necessary for the proper maintenance and operation of the free public library under its jurisdiction, and pay their costs in installments or otherwise. Financing of these costs may be provided through the issuance of notes, through an installment sale, or through a lease-purchase agreement. Any such notes shall be issued pursuant to section 3375.404 of the Revised Code.

(D) Purchase, lease, lease with an option to purchase, or erect buildings or parts of buildings to be used as main libraries, branch libraries, or library stations pursuant to section 3375.41 of the Revised Code;

(E) Establish and maintain a main library, branches, library stations, and traveling library service within the territorial boundaries of the political subdivision or district over which it has jurisdiction of free public library service;

(F) Except as otherwise provided in this division and only before January 1, 2015, establish and maintain branches, library stations, and traveling library service in any school district, outside the territorial boundaries of the political subdivision or district over which it has jurisdiction of free public library service, upon application to and approval of the state library board pursuant to section 3375.05 of the Revised Code. The board of library trustees of any free public library maintaining branches, stations, or traveling library service, outside the territorial boundaries of the political subdivision or district over which it has jurisdiction of free public library service, on September 4, 1947, may continue to maintain and operate those branches, those stations, and that traveling library service without the approval of the state library board until January 1, 2015.

(G) Appoint and fix the compensation of all of the employees of the free public library under its jurisdiction, pay the reasonable cost of tuition for any of its employees who enroll in a course of study the board considers essential to the duties of the employee or to the improvement of the employee's performance, and reimburse applicants for employment for any reasonable expenses they incur by appearing for a personal interview;

(H) Make and publish rules for the proper operation and management of the free public library and facilities under its jurisdiction, including rules pertaining to the provision of library services to individuals, corporations, or institutions that are not inhabitants of the county;

(I) Assess uniform fees for the provision of services to patrons of the library, but no fee shall be assessed for the circulation of printed materials held by the library except for the assessment of fines for materials not returned in accordance with the board's rules;

(J) Establish and maintain a museum in connection with and as an adjunct to the free public library under its jurisdiction;

(K) By the adoption of a resolution, accept any bequest, gift, or endowment upon the conditions connected with the bequest, gift, or endowment. No such bequest, gift, or endowment shall be accepted by the board if its conditions remove any portion of the free public library under the board's jurisdiction from the control of the board or if the conditions, in any manner, limit the free use of the library or any part of it by the residents of the counties in which the library is located.

(L) At the end of any fiscal year, unless doing so would be contrary to law, set aside any unencumbered surplus remaining in the general or any other fund of the free public library under its jurisdiction for any purpose, including creating or increasing a special building and repair fund, or for operating the library or acquiring equipment and supplies;

(M) Procure and pay all or part of the cost of group term life, hospitalization, surgical, major medical, disability benefit, dental care, eye care, hearing aids, or prescription drug insurance or coverage, or a combination of any of those types of insurance or coverage, whether issued by an insurance company or a health insuring corporation duly licensed by the state, covering its employees, and, in the case of group term life, hospitalization, surgical, major medical, dental care, eye care, hearing aids, or prescription drug insurance or coverage, also covering the dependents and spouses of its employees, and, in the case of disability benefits, also covering the spouses of its employees.

(N) Pay reasonable dues and expenses for the free public library and library trustees in library associations.

Any instrument by which real property is acquired pursuant to this section shall identify the agency of the state that has the use and benefit of the real property as specified in section 5301.012 of the Revised Code.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.140, SB 321, §1, eff. 6/26/2012.

Effective Date: 11-09-2003; 09-29-2005; 2008 SB185 06-20-2008