1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to libraries; permitting a public library to 
  1.3             operate jointly with a school library in Nashwauk; 
  1.4             establishing a library board; regulating its tax 
  1.5             levies. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [LIBRARY PILOT PROJECT.] 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT.] Notwithstanding law to the 
  1.9   contrary and subject to approvals in subdivision 2, a public 
  1.10  library may operate as a pilot project jointly with the school 
  1.11  library at Nashwauk-Keewatin High School, located in the city of 
  1.12  Nashwauk.  The public library is established to serve persons 
  1.13  within the boundaries of independent school district No. 319, 
  1.14  except the city of Keewatin. 
  1.15     Subd. 2.  [APPROVALS.] Operation of the public library is 
  1.16  contingent upon a resolution approved by the governing bodies of 
  1.17  cities, towns, and unorganized townships within the geographical 
  1.18  boundaries of independent school district No. 319, except for 
  1.19  the city of Keewatin.  For the purposes of this subdivision, the 
  1.20  Itasca county board is designated as the governing body for the 
  1.21  unorganized townships. 
  1.22     Subd. 3.  [BOARD; APPOINTMENTS.] The resolution in 
  1.23  subdivision 2 shall provide for a library board of .. members as 
  1.24  follows:  two members appointed by the school board of 
  1.25  independent school district No. 319, one member appointed by 
  2.1   each town board located within independent school district No. 
  2.2   319 boundaries, one member appointed by the council of the city 
  2.3   of Nashwauk, and one member appointed by the Itasca county board 
  2.4   to represent the unorganized towns within the school district 
  2.5   territory. 
  2.6      Subd. 4.  [BOARD TERMS; COMPENSATION.] The library board 
  2.7   members shall serve for the two-year pilot study.  An appointing 
  2.8   authority may remove for misconduct or neglect any member it has 
  2.9   appointed to the board and may replace that member by 
  2.10  appointment.  Board members shall receive no compensation for 
  2.11  their services but may be reimbursed for actual and necessary 
  2.12  travel expenses incurred in the discharge of library board 
  2.13  duties and activities. 
  2.14     Subd. 5.  [FUNDING.] For taxes payable in 1998 and 1999 
  2.15  only, the library board may levy a tax in an amount up to 
  2.16  $25,000 annually on property located within the boundaries of 
  2.17  independent school district No. 319, except the city of 
  2.18  Keewatin.  The Itasca county auditor shall collect the tax and 
  2.19  distribute it to the library board.  The money may be used for 
  2.20  library staff and for the purchase of library materials, 
  2.21  including computer software.  The levy must also fund the amount 
  2.22  necessary to receive bookmobile services from the Arrowhead 
  2.23  regional library system.  For taxes payable in 1998 and 1999 
  2.24  only, the county may not levy under Minnesota Statutes, section 
  2.25  134.07, for the areas described in this section. 
  2.26     Subd. 6.  [BUILDING.] The school district shall provide the 
  2.27  physical space and costs associated with operating the library 
  2.28  including, but not limited to, heat, light, telephone service, 
  2.29  and maintenance. 
  2.30     Subd. 7.  [ORGANIZATION.] Immediately after appointment, 
  2.31  the library board shall organize by electing one of its number 
  2.32  as president and one as secretary, and it may appoint other 
  2.33  officers it finds necessary. 
  2.34     Subd. 8.  [DUTIES.] The library board shall adopt bylaws 
  2.35  and regulations for the library and for the conduct of its 
  2.36  business as may be expedient and conformable to law.  It shall 
  3.1   have exclusive control of the expenditure of all money collected 
  3.2   for it.  The library board shall appoint a qualified library 
  3.3   director and other staff, establish the compensation of 
  3.4   employees, and remove any of them for cause.  The library board 
  3.5   may contract with the school board, the regional library board, 
  3.6   or the city in which the library is located to provide 
  3.7   personnel, fiscal, or administrative services.  The contract 
  3.8   shall state the personnel, fiscal, and administrative services 
  3.9   and payments to be provided by each party. 
  3.10     Subd. 9.  [CRITERIA] The library shall meet all 
  3.11  requirements in statutes and rules applicable to public 
  3.12  libraries and school media centers.  A media supervisor licensed 
  3.13  by the board of teaching may be the director of the library.  
  3.14  Public parking, restrooms, drinking water, and other necessities 
  3.15  shall be easily accessible to library patrons. 
  3.16     Sec. 2.  [LOCAL APPROVAL.] 
  3.17     Section 1 is effective in the territory located within 
  3.18  independent school district No. 319, except Keewatin, the day 
  3.19  after compliance with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, 
  3.20  subdivision 3, by the last of all the governing bodies for the 
  3.21  cities, towns, and unorganized townships.  For the unorganized 
  3.22  townships, the governing body is the Itasca county board.