Part 1 - Library Law

24-90-101. Short title. This part 1 shall be known and may be cited as the "Colorado Library Law".

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24-90-102. Legislative declaration. The general assembly hereby declares that it is the policy of this state, as a part of its provision for public education, to promote the establishment and development of all types of publicly-supported free library service throughout the state to ensure equal access to information without regard to age, physical or mental health, place of residence, or economic status, to aid in the establishment and improvement of library programs, to improve and update the skills of persons employed in libraries through continuing education activities, and to promote and coordinate the sharing of resources among libraries in Colorado and the dissemination of information regarding the availability of library services.

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24-90-103. Definitions. As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Academic library" means a library established and maintained by a state-supported institution of higher education primarily for the use of its students and faculty.

(2) "County library" means a public library established and maintained by a county.

(3) "Governmental unit" means any county, city, city and county, town, or school district of the state of Colorado.

(3.5) "Institutional library" means a library, with the exception of a law library, contained within a correctional, residential, or mental health facility operated by the state.

(4) "Joint library" means a library established and jointly funded through an agreement by two or more governmental units or by one or more governmental units and an institution of higher education providing at least two of the following types of library services: Academic, public, or school.

(4.5) "Legal service area" means the geographic area for which a public library has been established to offer services and from which, or on behalf of which, the library derives income. A "legal service area" shall be defined in terms of geographic units for which official population estimates can be obtained or derived annually from the Colorado state data center. Legal service area population estimates shall be collected and reported according to guidelines developed by the state library. "Legal service area" includes any areas served under contract for which the library is the primary provider of library services and for which the library receives funds to serve.

(5) "Legislative body" means the body authorized to determine the amount of taxes to be levied in a governmental unit or in a library district or that undertakes other action on behalf of the governmental unit or library district as specified in this article. Governing bodies to which the term legislative body may apply include but are not limited to a board of county commissioners, a city council, a town board of trustees, or a library board of trustees as the context requires.

(5.5) "Library" means an entity that provides:

(a) An organized collection of printed or other resources or a combination of such resources;

(b) Paid staff;

(c) An established schedule in which services of the staff are available to its clientele; and

(d) The facilities necessary to support such collection, staff, and schedule.

(6) "Library district" means a public library established as its own taxing authority by one or more governmental units or parts thereof. A library district shall be a political subdivision of the state.

(7) "Library network" means libraries or other organizations cooperatively interconnected by communication links or channels which can be used for the exchange or transfer of materials and information.

(8) and (9) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2003, p. 2442, § 1, effective August 15, 2003.)

(9.5) "Metropolitan area" means a geographical area designated as a metropolitan area by the office of management and budget of the United States government.

(10) "Municipality" means any city or any town operating under general or special laws of the state of Colorado or any home rule city or town, the charter or ordinances of which contain no provisions inconsistent with the provisions of this part 1.

(11) "Municipal library" means a public library established and maintained by a municipality.

(12) "Notice" means publication, once a week for two consecutive weeks, in one newspaper of general circulation in the library service area or proposed library service area or by more than one such newspaper if no single newspaper is generally circulated throughout said area. Not less than seven days, excluding the day of the first publication but including the day of the last publication, shall intervene between the first and last publications.

(13) (a) "Public library" means an administrative entity that is:

(I) Operated and maintained for the free use of the public residing within its legal service area;

(II) Operated and maintained in whole or in part with money derived from local taxation; and

(III) Open to the public a minimum number of hours per week in accordance with rules established by the state library.

(b) An administrative entity may provide public library services through a single public outlet or any combination of any of the following types of outlets: A central or main library, branch libraries, or bookmobiles.

(13.5) "Public library services" means services customarily provided by a public library.

(14) "Publicly-supported library" means a library supported principally with money derived from taxation. Publicly-supported libraries shall include all public libraries and may include academic libraries, school libraries, and special libraries.

(15) "Registered elector" or "elector" means a person who is registered to vote at general elections in this state.

(15.5) "Regional library authority" means a separate governmental entity created by an agreement entered into by any two or more governmental units for the purpose of providing and funding public library services to the residents of the governmental units that are parties to the agreement.

(16) "Regional library service system" means an organization of publicly-supported member libraries, established to provide, develop, and coordinate cooperative interlibrary services within a designated geographical area, that is governed by an independent board.

(17) "Resource center" means a library designated through contractual arrangements with the state library to provide specialized, statewide library services.

(18) "School library" means a library established and maintained by a school district for the use of its students and staff as well as for the general public under such regulations as the board of education of the school district may prescribe.

(19) "Special library" means a library established and maintained primarily for the use of a specialized population, including libraries operated by an Indian tribe having a reservation in this state; except that, where the specialized population that is an Indian tribe having a reservation in this state requests classification of a library established and maintained for its use as a public library and the library satisfies the definition of a public library as specified in subsection (13) of this section, the library shall be treated as a public library for purposes of this article.

(20) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2003, p. 2442, § 1, effective August 15, 2003.)

(21) "State library" means the state library created pursuant to section 24-90-104.

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24-90-103.5. Acts and elections conducted pursuant to provisions that refer to qualified electors or registered electors. Any elections, and any acts relating thereto, carried out under this article, that were conducted prior to July 1, 2003, pursuant to provisions that refer to a qualified elector rather than a registered elector and that were valid when conducted shall be deemed and held to be legal and valid in all respects.

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24-90-104. State library created - administration.

(1) The state library is created as a division of the department of education, and its operation is declared to be an essential administrative function of the state government. The state library is a type 2 entity, as defined in section 24-1-105, and exercises its powers and performs its duties and functions under the department of education, the commissioner of education, and the state board of education.

(2) The commissioner of education, as ex officio state librarian, has charge and direction of the state library but may delegate to the assistant commissioner in charge of the state library any or all of the powers given to the state librarian in this article for such periods and under such restrictions as the commissioner sees fit, upon approval of the state board of education.

(3) The commissioner of education shall appoint an assistant commissioner, office of library services, in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of article XII of the state constitution. Said assistant commissioner shall have at least a master’s degree from a library school accredited by the American Library Association and shall have at least seven years of progressively responsible library experience, five of which shall have been in administrative positions.

 

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24-90-105. Powers and duties of state librarian.

(1) The state librarian has the following powers and duties with respect to the state library:

(a)

(I) To make reasonable rules and regulations for the administration of the provisions of this part 1 and parts 2, 3, 4, and 5 of this article; for the use of state library materials; and for the purchase, control, and use of books and other resources;

(II) Rules promulgated under this part 1 are subject to section 24-4-103.

(b) To appoint all professional and clerical help in the state library, subject to the provisions of section 13 of article XII of the state constitution;

(c) To furnish or contract for the furnishing of library or information services to state officials and departments;

(d) To furnish or contract for the furnishing of library service to institutional libraries, and to make reasonable rules for the establishment, maintenance, and operation of institutional libraries; except that any such rules shall not conflict with any rules promulgated by the department of corrections;

(e) To furnish or contract for the furnishing of library services to persons who are blind and physically disabled, including persons who cannot use printed materials in their conventional format;

(f) To contract for the furnishing of library resources to ensure equal access to information for all Coloradans;

(g) To coordinate programs and activities of the regional library service systems, as provided by the rules of the regional library service system created in section 24-90-115;

(h) To provide for the collection, analysis, publication, and distribution of statistics and information relevant to the state library and to public, school, academic, and institutional libraries. Publications circulated in quantity outside the executive branch shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of section 24-1-136.

(i) To conduct or contract for research projects necessary to plan and evaluate the effectiveness of library programs in the state;

(j) To contract for the lending of books and other resources to publicly supported libraries and institutions, including, without limitation, the Colorado resource center at the Denver public library and any other resource centers as may be designated;

(k) To report to the state board of education at such times and on such matters as the board may require;

(l) To accept gifts and bequests of money or property, and, subject to the terms of any gift or bequest and to applicable provisions of law, to hold in trust, invest, or sell any gift or bequest of money or property, and to use either the principal or interest or the proceeds of sale for programs or purposes specified in the gift or bequest as approved by the state board of education. The use of gifts and bequests shall be subject to audit by the state auditor or the state auditor’s designee. The principal of any gift or bequest and the interest received thereon from investment shall be available for use by the state library in addition to any funds appropriated by the general assembly. The acceptance of any gift or bequest under this subsection (1)(l) shall not commit the state to any expenditure of state funds.

(m) To serve as the repository of the bylaws and the legal service area maps of all library districts within the state.

(2) The state librarian has the following powers and duties with respect to other publicly supported libraries in the state:

(a) To further library development and to provide for the supplying of consultative assistance and information to all types of publicly supported libraries in the state through field visits, conferences, institutes, correspondence, statistical information, publications, and electronic media; and to do any and all things that may reasonably be expected to promote and advance library services;

(a.3) To develop and promulgate service standards for school, public, and institutional libraries to guide the development and improvement of such libraries; except that any such standards shall not conflict with any standards promulgated by the department of corrections;

(a.5) To encourage contractual and cooperative relations to enhance resource sharing among all types of libraries and agencies throughout the state;

(b) To serve as the agency of the state to receive and administer state or federal funds that may be appropriated to further library development within the state upon approval of the state librarian; except that this paragraph (b) shall not preclude other governmental units, including, but not limited to, municipalities, counties, a city and county, and library districts, from applying for, receiving, or administering such state or federal funds;

(c) To develop regulations under which state grants are distributed for assisting in the establishment, improvement, or enlargement of libraries or regional library service systems and to develop all necessary procedures to comply with federal regulations under which such grants are distributed for assisting in the establishment, improvement, or enlargement of libraries;

(d) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2003, p. 2445, § 5, effective August 15, 2003.)

(e) To cooperate with local legislative bodies, library boards, library advisory committees, appropriate professional associations, and other groups in the development and improvement of libraries throughout the state;

(f) To carry out the functions and responsibilities of the Colorado virtual library network pursuant to part 3 of this article.

(g) To work with public libraries throughout the state to facilitate access to evidence-based training in the science of reading, as defined in section 24-90-121, for librarians and assist in identifying materials and activities for parents and children to improve literacy, as described in section 24-90-121.

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24-90-105.5. Radio reading services.

(1) The general assembly hereby declares that there is a growing need for reading services in Colorado to serve the citizens of the state. The general assembly recognizes that the state has numerous citizens who are blind or visually impaired or who have physical impairments which make the use of printed materials difficult or impossible and further recognizes that the aging of the population of Colorado is increasing the number of such citizens. Because of the need for reading assistance to inform and inspire individuals who cannot use printed materials and because of the unique ability of radio reading services to reach individuals in every corner of the state who require reading services, the general assembly finds that radio reading services should be encouraged and should be made available throughout the state.

(2) In addition to any other powers granted to the state librarian under this article, the state librarian shall have the power with respect to the state library to contract with entities for the furnishing of radio reading services to individuals who are blind or visually impaired or who have physical disabilities which impair their use of printed materials.

(3) The furnishing of radio reading services shall include, but shall not be limited to, the production of reading service radio programs, the broadcast of reading services over a subcarrier frequency, and the provision of radio receivers to listeners for use in receiving reading service broadcasts.

(4) The reading materials for radio reading services shall include, but shall not be limited to, newspapers, periodicals, local calendars of events, consumer information, best seller books, and information concerning pending legislative matters.

5) The general assembly recognizes the importance of privately operated reading services to enable persons who are blind or print-disabled to gain access to otherwise inaccessible print materials. The state librarian has the authority to administer money in the reading services for the blind cash fund, which is created in the state treasury, for the support of privately operated reading services. The fund consists of any public or private money transferred, appropriated, or otherwise credited to the fund. All money credited to the fund and all interest earned on the investment of money in the fund is a part of the fund and must not be transferred or credited to the general fund or to any other fund except as directed by the general assembly acting by bill. The general assembly shall make annual appropriations from the reading services for the blind cash fund to the state librarian to carry out the purposes of this section (5).

(6) The services available through providers of on-demand news and information services to Coloradans who are blind or print-disabled must be expanded to enhance the ability of Coloradans who are blind or print-disabled to use the on-demand information services, and to increase the number of Coloradans who are Blind or print-disabled who are aware of such services. The on-damand news and information services must be expanded to include an enlarged array of information and literacy support services throughout the state, such as the provision of information about a variety of communication-related assistive tehcnologies and blindness-related services, introductory training, and methods to find and use additional resources in or near communities where a person lives. The expanded services may include, but are not limited to:

a) information sharing, marketing of expanded services, and other methods for informing persons who are blind or print-disabled about the availability of these services;

(b) support services for users to resolve technical questions about the services or the devices that might be used to access the information available through these services; and

(c) the provision of information about communication-related assistive technologies.

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24-90-106. Participation of existing libraries in the formation of new libraries. (1) Any governmental unit of the state of Colorado has the power to establish and maintain a public library under the provisions of this part 1, either by itself or in cooperation with one or more other governmental units. Whenever a county library or library district is proposed to be formed, specific written notification of the proposed establishment shall be given at least ninety days prior to anticipated action on the proposed establishment to each governmental unit maintaining a public library in the legal service area of the proposed library and the board of trustees of each library. The legislative body of any governmental unit that maintains a public library within the territory to be served by a county library or a library district or the board of trustees of an established library district shall decide, by resolution or ordinance, whether or not to participate in the county library or library district. If participation in the county library or library district is to be funded by any amount of tax levy not previously established by resolution or ordinance nor previously approved by the electors, the resolution or ordinance shall state that the electors of the library district or governmental unit must approve that levy before participation can be effected. Written notice of a decision not to participate shall be filed with the board of county commissioners in the case of a proposed county library or with the boards of county commissioners of each county having territory within the library's legal service area in the case of a proposed library district. The notice shall be filed at least thirty days prior to action being taken on the resolution or ordinance to create a county library or library district or on the resolution to conduct an election to create the county library or library district.

(2) and (3) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2003, p. 2446, § 6, effective August 15, 2003.)

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24-90-106.3. Inclusion of a governmental unit into an existing library district - procedure. (1) Any governmental unit sharing at least one common boundary with an existing library district may become part of the district upon a resolution executed by the board of trustees of the district and the adoption of an ordinance or resolution, as applicable, by the legislative body of the governmental unit approving the inclusion of the governmental gnit into the district. If the tax levy imposed by the district pursuant to section 24-90-112 has not been previously approved by the registered electors of the governmental unit, the electors shall approve the levy before the governmental unit may be included in the district. Any such election shall be held in accordance with the requirements specified in section 20 of article x of the state constitution, articles 1 to 13 of title 1, c.r.s., and article 10 of title 31, c.r.s., as applicable, and the election shall be held on the date of the state biennial general election, the first
tuesday in november in odd-numbered years, or, if the governmental unit is a municipality, on the date of the regular election of the municipality. (2) upon the inclusion of a governmental unit into a library district in accordance with the requirements of subsection (1) of this section, the legislative body of the governmental unit and the board of trustees of the district shall enter into a written agreement within ninety days of the election that sets forth fully the rights, obligations, and responsibilities, financial and otherwise, of the parties to the agreement. (3) in the case of a governmental unit that has a portion included within a library district and a portion that is not included within the district, the governmental unit may follow the procedures specified in subsections (1) and (2) of this section to bring about the inclusion of the entire governmental unit into the district; except that, in such circumstances, only the registered electors residing within the portion of the governmental unit that is not included within the district at the time of the commencement of the inclusion proceedings shall be allowed to vote on the question of approval of the district tax levy.

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24-90-106.5. Establishment or removal of a municipal library in an existing county library or library district. If a municipality is in the legal service area of an existing county library or library district, public library service shall not be refused or discontinued other than as provided in this article. The municipality may establish its own municipal library only by choosing to do so by means of financial support that does not affect the financial support previously established for the county library or library district; except that the municipality and the county library or library district may, by mutual written agreement, permit a financing method for a municipal library that does affect the financial support previously established for the county library or library district. If establishment of the municipal library is to be funded by any amount of tax levy not previously established by resolution or ordinance nor previously approved by the electors of the municipality, the electors must approve that levy before the municipality can establish the library.

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24-90-107. Method of establishment. (1) A municipal or county library may be established for a governmental unit either by the legislative body of said governmental unit on its own initiative, by adoption of a resolution or ordinance to that effect, or upon petition of one hundred registered electors residing in the proposed library's legal service area. A joint library may be established by the legislative bodies of two or more governmental units, and a library district by the legislative bodies of one or more governmental units, each proceeding to adopt a resolution or an ordinance to that effect. A library district may also be formed by petition of one hundred registered electors residing within the proposed library district addressed to the boards of county commissioners in each county in the proposed library district.

(2) If establishment of a municipal, county, or joint library or a library district is to be by resolution or ordinance, the following procedures shall be followed:

(a) A public hearing following notice shall be held by any governmental unit forming the public library. Such notice shall set forth the matters to be included in the resolution or ordinance and shall fix a date for the hearing that shall be not less than thirty nor more than sixty days after the date of first publication of such notice.

(b) Such public hearings shall include discussion of the purposes of the library to be formed and, where more than one governmental unit is involved, the powers, rights, obligations, and responsibilities, financial and otherwise, of each governmental unit.

(c) The resolution or ordinance shall describe the proposed library's legal service area, identifying any excluded areas, shall specify the mill levy and property tax dollars to be imposed or other type and amount of funding, and shall state that the electors of the governmental unit or library district must approve any amount of tax levy not previously established by resolution or ordinance nor previously approved by the electors before the library can be established.

(d) Upon the adoption of the resolution or ordinance, the legislative body or bodies shall establish the public library and provide for its financial support beginning on or before January 1 of the year following the adoption of the resolution or ordinance by all those legislative bodies effecting the establishment or, if any amount of tax levy not previously established by resolution or ordinance nor previously approved by the electors is to provide the financial support, following elector approval of that levy.

(e) Upon establishment of a joint library or library district, and after appointment of the library board of trustees, a written agreement between the legislative body of each participating governmental unit and the library board of trustees shall be effected within ninety days, which time frame may be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and shall set forth fully the rights, obligations, and responsibilities, financial and otherwise, of all parties to the agreement, including provisions concerning:

(I) The transition from the library to a library district, such as ownership of the library's real and personal property, personnel, and the provision of administrative services during the transition;

(II) The method of trustee selection; and

(III) Such other necessary terms and conditions as may be determined by the parties.

(3) If establishment of a county or municipal library or a library district is by petition of registered electors, the following procedures shall be followed:

(a) The petition shall set forth:

(I) A request for the establishment of the library;

(II) The name or names of the governmental unit or units establishing the library;

(III) The name of the proposed library, and for a library district, the chosen name preceding the words "library district";

(IV) A general description of the legal service area of the proposed public library with such certainty as to enable a property owner to determine whether or not such property owner's property is within the proposed library's legal service area; and

(V) Specification of the mill levy to be imposed or other type and amount of funding and that the electors must approve any amount of tax levy not previously established by resolution or ordinance nor previously approved by the electors before the county or municipal library or library district can be established.

(b) Petitions shall be addressed to the legislative body of the county or municipality, or, in the case of a library district, to the boards of county commissioners of each county having territory within the legal service area of the proposed district.

(c) (I) Except as otherwise provided in subparagraphs (II) and (III) of this paragraph (c), at the time of filing the petition for the establishment of a library district, a bond shall be filed with the county or counties sufficient to pay all expenses connected with the organization of the library district if such organization is not affected.

(II) Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (III) of this paragraph (c), the board of county commissioners of each county having territory within the legal service area of the proposed library district may:

(A) Waive the bonding requirement; and

(B) With the consent of the board of trustees of an existing library, pay for the costs of the election for the proposed library district. If the legal service area of a proposed library district includes two or more counties, the costs of election for such library district to be paid by any county pursuant to this sub-subparagraph (B) shall not exceed a percentage of said costs equal to the percentage that the population of the county within the boundaries of the legal service area bears to the total population within the boundaries of such service area.

(III) (A) Subject to the provisions of sub-subparagraphs (B) and (C) of this subparagraph (III), the board of county commissioners of each county having territory within the legal service area of the proposed library district shall pay no less than fifty percent of the costs of the election for such library district if the petition submitted pursuant to subsection (1) of this section contains signatures by registered electors residing in the proposed library district in an amount equal to at least five percent of the total number of votes cast in every precinct in the proposed library district for all candidates for the office of secretary of state at the previous general election.

(B) Payment of election costs for any library district shall not be required of any county under this subparagraph (III) more than once every four years.

(C) In the case where the legal service area of a proposed library district includes two or more counties, the costs of the election for the library district shall be paid on a prorated basis with each county within the boundaries of the proposed library's legal service area paying a percentage of said costs equal to the percentage that the population of the county within the boundaries of the library's legal service area bears to the total population of such service area.

(c.5) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the costs of the election of a proposed library district may be assumed by an existing library where the assumption of the costs has been approved by the board of trustees of said library.

(d) Upon receipt of such petition, the legislative body or bodies shall either establish the library by resolution or ordinance, in accordance with subsection (2) of this section, or shall submit the question of the establishment of a public library to a vote of the registered electors residing in the proposed library's legal service area in accordance with the following provisions:

(I) In the case of a municipal library, such election shall be held in accordance with article 10 of title 31, C.R.S., and section 20 of article X of the state constitution, and shall be held on the date of the state biennial general election, the first Tuesday in November in odd-numbered years, or the municipal regular election, whichever is earliest; except that such petition shall be filed at least ninety days before such election.

(II) In the case of a library district or county library, such election shall be held in accordance with articles 1 to 13 of title 1, C.R.S., and section 20 of article X of the state constitution, and shall be held on the date of the state biennial general election or the first Tuesday in November in odd-numbered years, whichever is earliest; except that such petition shall be filed at least ninety days before such election.

(III) Public hearings shall be conducted by such legislative body or bodies prior to an election and shall include a discussion of the purposes of the library to be formed and, where more than one governmental unit is involved, the powers, rights, obligations, and responsibilities, financial and otherwise, of each governmental unit.

(e) and (f) (Deleted by amendment, L. 97, p. 411, § 1, effective April 24, 1997.)

(g) If a majority of the electors voting on the question vote in favor of the establishment of a library, the legislative body of each establishing governmental unit shall forthwith establish such library and provide for its financial support beginning on or before January 1 of the year following the election.

(h) Upon establishment of a library district, and after appointment of the library board of trustees, a written agreement between the legislative body of each participating governmental unit and the library board of trustees shall be effected within ninety days, which time frame may be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and shall set forth fully the rights, obligations, and responsibilities, financial and otherwise, of all parties to the agreement, including provisions concerning:

(I) The transition from the library to library district, such as ownership of the library's real and personal property, personnel, and the provision of administrative services during the transition;

(II) The method of trustee selection; and

(III) Such other necessary terms and conditions as may be determined by the parties.

(i) If organization of a library district is effected, the district shall reimburse the legislative bodies holding the election for expenses incurred in holding the election.

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24-90-108. Board of trustees of public libraries. (1) The management and control of any library established, operated, or maintained under the provisions of this part 1 shall be vested in a board of not fewer than five nor more than seven trustees. Appointees to the library board of trustees shall be chosen from the residents within the legal service area of the library.

(2) (a) In cities and towns the trustees shall be appointed by the mayor with the consent of the legislative body.

(b) In counties the trustees shall be appointed by the board of county commissioners.

(c) In a library district established by only one governmental unit, the legislative body of the governmental unit shall decide the number of members to be appointed to the committee formed to appoint the initial board of trustees in accordance with the requirements of this paragraph (c). In a library district established by more than one governmental unit, the legislative body of each participating governmental unit shall appoint two of its members to a committee that shall appoint the initial board of trustees. Thereafter, any such legislative body may either continue such a committee or delegate to the board of trustees of the library district the authority to recommend new trustees. Trustee appointments shall be ratified by a two-thirds majority of the legislative body; except that the failure of a legislative body to act within sixty days upon a recommendation shall be considered a ratification of such appointment.

(d) In school districts the trustees shall be appointed by the school board.

(e) For joint libraries, the trustees shall be appointed by the legislative bodies of the participating governmental units unless otherwise specified in the contract.

(3) (a) The first appointments of such boards of trustees shall be for terms of one, two, three, four, and five years respectively if there are five trustees, one for each of such terms except the five-year term for which two shall be appointed if there are six trustees, and one for each of such terms except the four-year and five-year terms for each of which two shall be appointed if there are seven trustees. Thereafter, a trustee shall be appointed for the length of term specified by the legislative body or, in the case of a library district, by the bylaws adopted by its board of trustees. The number of terms a trustee may serve shall be specified by the legislative body or, in the case of a library district, by the bylaws adopted by its board of trustees.

(b) Vacancies shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term as soon as possible in the manner in which trustees are regularly chosen.

(4) A trustee shall not receive a salary nor other compensation for services as a trustee, but necessary traveling and subsistence expenses actually incurred may be paid from the public library fund.

(5) A library trustee may be removed only by a majority vote of the appointing legislative body or bodies, but only upon a showing of good cause as defined in, but not limited to, the bylaws adopted by the board.

(6) The board of trustees, immediately after their appointment, shall meet and organize by the election of a president and a secretary and such other officers as deemed necessary.

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24-90-109. Powers and duties of board of trustees. (1) The board of trustees shall:

(a) Adopt such bylaws, rules, and regulations for its own guidance and policies for the governance of the library as it deems expedient. The bylaws shall include, but not be limited to, provisions for the definition of good cause to be applied in the removal of a trustee pursuant to section 24-90-108 (5); designation of those officers to be appointed or elected and the manner of such appointment or election; rules and regulations for the conducting of meetings; rules for public participation in meetings; and procedures for amending the bylaws. The bylaws of a library district shall further provide for the length and number of terms of board members. A copy of the bylaws shall be filed with the legislative body of each participating governmental unit and the state library in accordance with section 24-90-105 (1) (m).

(b) Have custody of all property of the library, including rooms or buildings constructed, leased, or set apart therefor;

(c) Employ a director and, upon the director's recommendation, employ such other employees as may be necessary. The duties of the director shall include, but not limited to:

(I) Implementing the policies adopted by the board of trustees pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section;

(II) Recommending individuals for employment by the board of trustees; and

(III) Performing all other acts necessary for the orderly and efficient management and control of the library.

(d) Submit annually a budget as required by law and certify to the legislative body of the governmental unit or units that the library serves the amount of the mill levy necessary to maintain and operate the library during the ensuing year;

(e) (I) In county and municipal libraries, have exclusive control and spending authority over the disbursement of the library funds as appropriated by its legislative body, including all assets of the public library fund, as set forth in section 24-90-112 (2) (a);

(II) In library districts, adopt a budget and make appropriations for the ensuing fiscal year as set forth in part 1 of article 1 of title 29, C.R.S., and have exclusive control and spending authority over the disbursement of library funds as set forth in section 24-90-112 (2) (a);

(f) Accept such gifts of money or property for library purposes as it deems expedient;

(g) Hold and acquire land by gift, lease, or purchase for library purposes;

(h) Lease, purchase, or erect any appropriate building for library purposes and acquire such other property as may be needed therefor;

(i) Sell, assign, transfer, or convey any property of the library, whether real or personal, which may not be needed within the foreseeable future for any purpose authorized by law, upon such terms and conditions as it may approve, and lease any such property, pending sale thereof, under an agreement of lease, with or without an option to purchase the same. The board, prior to the conveyance of such property, shall make a finding that the property may not be needed within the foreseeable future for library purposes, but no such finding shall be necessary if the property is sold or conveyed to a state agency or political subdivision of this state.

(j) Borrow funds for library purposes by means of a contractual short-term loan when moneys are not currently available but will be in the future. Such loan shall not exceed the amount of immediately anticipated revenues, and such loan shall be liquidated within six months.

(k) Authorize the bonding of persons entrusted with library funds;

(l) (I) In the case of a county or municipal library, submit financial records for audit as required by the legislative body of the appropriate governmental unit; or

(II) In the case of any library district, conduct an annual audit of the financial statements of the district.

(m) Adopt a policy for the purchase of library materials and equipment on the recommendation of the librarian;

(n) Hold title to property given to or for the use or benefit of the library, to be used according to the terms of the gift;

(o) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2009, (HB 09-1072), ch.74, p. 265, § 6, effective August 5, 2009.)

(p) Have the authority to enter into contracts;

(p.5) Maintain a current, accurate map of the legal service area and provide for such map to be on file with the state library;

(q) Receive the true and correct copies of all school district collective bargaining agreements submitted pursuant to the "Colorado School Collective Bargaining Agreement Sunshine Act", section 22-32-109.4, C.R.S., and create an electronic or physical repository for all of said current collective bargaining agreements at the library that is available to the public for inspection during regular business hours in a convenient and identified location.

(2) At the close of each calendar year, the board of trustees of every public library shall make a report to the legislative body of the town or city, in the case of a municipal library or library district formed by a municipality, or the board of county commissioners of each county having territory within the legal service area, in the case of a county library or library district, showing the condition of its trust during the year, the sums of money expended, and the purposes of the expenditures and such other statistics and information as the board of trustees deems to be of public interest.

(2.5) At the close of each calendar year, the board of trustees of every public library shall make a report to the state library in the form of a response to a survey to be designed and administered by the state library. The report shall contain such other statistics and information as may be required by the state library.

(3) The board of trustees of a public library or the governing board of any other publicly-supported library, under such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary and upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon may allow nonresidents of the governmental unit which the library serves to use such library's materials and equipment and may make exchanges of books and other materials with any other library, either permanently or temporarily.

(4) In addition to the powers and duties of a board of trustees specified in subsection (1) of this section, the board of trustees of a school district supported public library, municipal library, county library, or a library district shall have the authority to request of the board of education in the case of a school district supported public library, the legislative body of the city or town in the case of a municipal library, or the board of county commissioners in the case of a county library or library district that an election be held to alter the maximum tax levied to support the school district supported public library, municipal library, county library, or library district pursuant to section 24-90-112 (1) (b) (III), in which case such board of education, legislative body, or board of county commissioners shall cause the vote to be held. For purposes of this subsection (4), "school district supported public library" means any library solely established and maintained by a school district for which such school district began levying a tax before the enactment of the "Colorado Library Law" on July 1, 1979. For all other purposes under this article, a school district supported public library shall be deemed a public library.

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24-90-110. Establishment of public library districts - merger of public library - board of trustees. (Repealed)

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24-90-110.5. Metropolitan library districts - formation. (Repealed)

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24-90-110.7. Regional library authorities. (1) (a) In order to support and provide for public library service on a regional basis, particularly in any region of the state lacking sufficient public library resources to adequately serve the needs of the public, any combination of two or more governmental units acting through their governing bodies, regardless of whether such unit currently maintains a public library, may, by contracting with or among each other, establish a separate governmental entity to be known as a regional library authority, referred to in this section as an "authority". Such authority may be used by such contracting member governmental units to effect the acquisition, construction, financing, operation, or maintenance of publicly-supported library services on a regional basis within the jurisdiction of the authority. For purposes of this section, a governmental unit may include a library district within the meaning of section 24-90-103 (6).

(b) No such authority shall be formed pursuant to this section unless each of the contracting member governmental units forming such authority has passed a resolution or ordinance in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (d) of this subsection (1) and has entered into a contract pursuant to section 29-1-203, C.R.S., for the creation, operation, and administration of such authority.

(c) (I) In connection with the establishment of an authority, at least one public hearing shall be conducted by each of the contracting member governmental units that intend to enter into a contract for the purpose of forming the authority. Any such hearing shall be preceded by adequate and timely notice of the time and place of the hearing. The notice shall specify the matters to be included in the resolution or ordinance and shall fix a date for the hearing that shall be held not less than thirty nor more than sixty days after the date of first publication of such notice.

(II) Any public hearing conducted in accordance with the requirement of subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (c) shall address, without limitation, the purposes of the authority, and, where more than one governmental unit is involved in the formation of the authority, the powers, rights, obligations, and responsibilities, financial and otherwise, of each governmental unit that is forming the authority.

(d) The resolution or ordinance to be adopted by each of the contracting member governmental units forming the authority in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (b) of this subsection (1) shall:

(I) Describe the legal service area of the authority;

(II) Describe the proposed governance of the authority; and

(III) State that the registered electors residing within the territorial boundaries of such contracting member governmental units shall approve any amount of sales or use tax, or both, in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (f) of subsection (3) of this section or an ad valorem tax in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (h) of subsection (3) of this section not previously approved by the electors before the authority shall levy such taxes.

(2) Upon establishment of an authority satisfying the requirements of this section, a contract between the legislative bodies of the contracting member governmental units, shall be effected within ninety days. Any contract establishing such authority shall, without limitation, specify:

(a) The name and purpose of such authority and the functions or services to be provided by such authority;

(b) The boundaries of the authority, which boundaries may include less than the entire area of any separate county, but shall not be less than the entire area of any municipality and any other governmental unit forming the authority, and may be modified after the establishment of the authority as provided in the contract;

(c) The establishment and organization of a governing body of the authority, which shall be a board of directors, referred to in this section as the "board of the authority", in which all legislative power of the authority is vested, including:

(I) The number of directors, their manner of appointment, their terms of office, their compensation, if any, and the procedure for filling vacancies on the board of the authority;

(II) The officers of the authority, the manner of their selection, and their duties;

(III) The voting requirements for action by the board of the authority; except that, unless specifically provided otherwise, a majority of directors shall constitute a quorum, and a majority of the quorum shall be necessary for any action taken by the board of the authority; and

(IV) The duties of the board of the authority, which shall include the obligation to comply with the provisions of parts 1, 5, and 6 of article 1 of title 29, C.R.S.;

(d) Provisions for the disposition, division, or distribution of any property or assets of the authority;

(e) The term of the contract, which may be continued for a definite term or until rescinded or terminated, and the method, if any, by which it may be rescinded or terminated; except that such contract may not be rescinded or terminated so long as the authority has bonds, notes, or other obligations outstanding, unless provision for full payment of such obligations, by escrow or otherwise, has been made pursuant to the terms of such obligations; and

(f) The expected sources of revenue of the authority and any requirements that contracting member governmental units consent to the levying of any taxes within the jurisdiction of such member. If the authority levies any taxes, the contract shall further include requirements that:

(I) Prior to and as a condition of levying any such taxes or fees, the board of the authority shall adopt a resolution determining that the levying of the taxes or fees will fairly distribute the costs of the authority's activities among the persons or communities benefited thereby and will not impose an undue burden on any particular group of persons or communities;

(II) Each such tax shall conform with any requirements specified in subsection (3) of this section; and

(III) The authority shall designate a financial officer who shall coordinate with the department of revenue regarding the collection of a sales and use tax authorized pursuant to paragraph (f) of subsection (3) of this section. This coordination shall include but not be limited to the financial officer identifying those businesses eligible to collect the sales and use tax and any other administrative details identified by the department.

(3) The general powers of such authority shall include the following powers:

(a) To acquire, construct, finance, operate, or maintain public library services located within the territorial boundaries of the authority;

(b) To make and enter into contracts with any person, including, without limitation, contracts with state or federal agencies, private enterprises, and nonprofit organizations also involved in providing such public library services or the financing for the services, irrespective of whether the agencies are parties to the contract establishing the authority;

(c) To employ agents and employees;

(d) To cooperate with state and federal governments in all respects concerning the financing of such library services;

(e) To acquire, hold, lease, as lessor or lessee, sell, or otherwise dispose of any real or personal property, commodity, or service;

(f) (I) Subject to the provisions of subsection (9) of this section, to levy, in all of the area described in subparagraph (II) of this paragraph (f) within the boundaries of the authority, a sales or use tax, or both, at a rate not to exceed one percent, upon every transaction or other incident with respect to which a sales or use tax is levied by the state pursuant to the provisions of article 26 of title 39, C.R.S. The tax imposed pursuant to this paragraph (f) is in addition to any other sales or use tax imposed pursuant to law and is exempt from the limitation imposed by section 29-2-108, C.R.S. The executive director of the department of revenue shall collect, administer, and enforce the sales or use tax, to the extent feasible, in the manner provided in section 29-2-106, C.R.S. However, the executive director shall not begin the collection, administration, and enforcement of a sales and use tax until such time as the financial officer of the authority and the executive director have agreed on all necessary matters pursuant to subparagraph (III) of paragraph (f) of subsection (2) of this section. The executive director shall begin the collection, administration, and enforcement of a sales and use tax on a date mutually agreeable to the department of revenue and the authority.

(II) The area in which the sales or use tax authorized by this paragraph (f) is levied shall not include less than the entire area of any municipality located within the area in which the tax will be levied. The area may also include portions of unincorporated areas located within a county.

(III) The executive director of the department of revenue shall make monthly distributions of the tax collections to the authority, which shall apply the proceeds solely to the acquisition, construction, financing, operation, or maintenance of public library services within the jurisdiction of the authority.

(IV) The department of revenue shall retain an amount not to exceed the cost of the collection, administration, and enforcement and shall transmit the amount retained to the state treasurer, who shall credit the same amount to the regional library authority sales tax fund, which fund is hereby created in the state treasury. The amounts so retained are hereby appropriated annually from the fund to the department to the extent necessary for the department's collection, administration, and enforcement of the provisions of this section. Any moneys remaining in the fund attributable to taxes collected in the prior fiscal year shall be transmitted to the authority; except that prior to the transmission to the authority of such moneys, any moneys appropriated from the general fund to the department for the collection, administration, and enforcement of the tax for the prior fiscal year shall be repaid.

(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any sales tax authorized pursuant to subparagraph (I) of paragraph (f) of this subsection (3) shall not be levied on:

(I) The sale of tangible personal property delivered by a retailer or a retailer's agent or delivered to a common carrier for delivery to a destination outside the boundaries of the authority; and

(II) The sale of tangible personal property on which a specific ownership tax has been paid or is payable when such sale meets the following conditions:

(A) The purchaser does not reside within the boundaries of the authority or the purchaser's principal place of business is outside the boundaries of the authority; and

(B) The personal property is registered or required to be registered outside the boundaries of the authority under the laws of this state.

(h) Subject to the provisions of subsection (9) of this section, to levy, in all of the area within the boundaries of the authority, an ad valorem tax in accordance with the requirements of this section. The tax imposed pursuant to this paragraph (h) shall be in addition to any other ad valorem tax imposed pursuant to law. In accordance with the schedule prescribed by section 39-5-128, C.R.S., the board of the authority shall certify to the board of county commissioners of each county within the authority, or having a portion of its territory within the district, the levy of ad valorem property taxes in order that, at the time and in the manner required by law for the levying of taxes, such board of county commissioners shall levy such tax upon the valuation for assessment of all taxable property within the designated portion of the area within the boundaries of the authority. It is the duty of the body having authority to levy taxes within each county to levy the taxes provided by this subsection (3). It is the duty of all officials charged with the duty of collecting taxes to collect the taxes at the time and in the form and manner and with like interest and penalties as other taxes are collected and when collected to pay the same to the authority ordering the levy and collection. The payment of such collections shall be made monthly to the authority or paid into the depository thereof to the credit of the authority. All taxes levied under this paragraph (h), together with interest thereon and penalties for default in payment thereof, and all costs of collecting the same shall constitute, until paid, a perpetual lien on and against the property taxed, and the lien shall be on a parity with the tax lien of other general taxes.

(i) To incur debts, liabilities, or obligations;

(j) To sue and be sued in its own name;

(k) To have and use a corporate seal;

(l) To fix, maintain, and revise fees, rents, security deposits, and charges for functions, services, or facilities provided by the authority;

(m) To adopt, by resolution, rules respecting the exercise of its powers and the carrying out of its purposes;

(n) To exercise any other powers that are essential to the provision of functions, services, or facilities by the authority and that are specified in the contract; and

(o) To do and perform any acts and things authorized by this section under, through, or by means of an agent or by contracts with any person, firm, or corporation.

(4) The authority established by such contracting member governmental units shall be a political subdivision and a public corporation of the state, separate from the parties to the contract, and shall be a validly created and existing political subdivision and public corporation of the state, irrespective of whether a contracting member governmental unit withdraws, whether voluntarily, by operation of law, or otherwise, from the authority subsequent to its creation under circumstances not resulting in the rescission or termination of the contract establishing such authority pursuant to its terms. It shall have the duties, privileges, immunities, rights, liabilities, and disabilities of a public body politic and corporate. The authority may deposit and invest its moneys in the manner provided in section 43-4-616, C.R.S.

(5) The bonds, notes, and other obligations of such authority shall not be the debts, liabilities, or obligations of the contracting member governmental units. (

6) The contracting member governmental units may provide in the contract for payment to the authority of funds from proprietary revenues for services rendered or facilities provided by the authority, from proprietary revenues or other public funds as contributions to defray the cost of any purpose set forth in the contract, and from proprietary revenues or other public funds as advances for any purpose subject to repayment by the authority.

(7) The authority may issue revenue or general obligation bonds, as the term "bond" is defined in section 43-4-602 (3), C.R.S., and may pledge its revenues and revenue-raising powers for the payment of the bonds. The bonds shall be issued on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in section 43-4-609, C.R.S.

(8) The income or other revenues of the authority, all properties at any time owned by an authority, any bonds issued by an authority, and the transfer of and the income from any bonds issued by the authority are exempt from all taxation and assessments in the state.

(9) (a) No action by an authority to establish or increase any tax authorized by this section shall take effect unless first submitted to a vote of the registered electors residing within the boundaries of the authority in which the tax is proposed to be collected.

(b) No action by an authority creating a multiple-fiscal year debt or other financial obligation that is subject to section 20 (4) (b) of article X of the state constitution shall take effect unless first submitted to a vote of the registered electors residing within the boundaries of the authority.

(c) The questions proposed to the registered electors under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection (9) shall be submitted at a general election or any election to be held on the first Tuesday in November of an odd-numbered year. The action shall not take effect unless a majority of the registered electors voting thereon at the election vote in favor thereof. The election shall be conducted in substantially the same manner as county elections and the county clerk and recorder of each county in which the election is conducted shall assist the authority in conducting the election. The cost of the election shall be incurred by the contracting member governmental units that have formed the authority in proportion to the percentage of the population of the governmental units within the territorial boundaries of the authority. No moneys of the authority may be used to urge or oppose passage of an election required under this section.

(10) (a) For the purpose of determining any authority's fiscal year spending limit under section 20 (7) (b) of article X of the state constitution, the initial spending base of the authority shall be the amount of revenues collected by the authority from sources not excluded from fiscal year spending pursuant to section 20 (2) (e) of article X of the state constitution during the first full fiscal year for which the authority collected revenues.

(b) For purposes of this subsection (10), "fiscal year" means any year-long period used by an authority for fiscal accounting purposes.

(11) An authority established by contracting member governmental units shall, if the contract so provides, be the successor to any nonprofit corporation, agency, or other entity theretofore organized by the contracting member governmental units to provide the same function, service, or facility, and the authority shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges and shall assume all the obligations and liabilities of such other entity under existing contracts to which such other entity is a party.

(12) (a) The authority granted pursuant to this section shall in no manner limit the powers of any governmental unit to cooperate on an intergovernmental basis, to enter into any contract with another governmental entity, or to establish a separate legal entity pursuant to the provisions of section 29-1-203, C.R.S., or any other applicable law, or otherwise to carry out their individual powers under applicable statutory or charter provisions, nor shall such authority limit the powers reserved to cities and towns pursuant to the state constitution.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any governmental unit that has entered into a contract for the purpose of forming an authority may form such authority in accordance with the requirements of this section without any effect on the ability of the unit to own its own property, maintain a separate governing body or board of trustees, levy its own taxes for library purposes, or retain its own identity.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize any one or more library districts to:

(I) Form an authority without entering into a contract with one or more governmental units to form such authority in accordance with the requirements of this section; or

(II) Exercise any of the powers of said authority, including, without limitation, the power to levy a sales or use tax, in the absence of entering into a contract with one or more governmental units for the purpose of forming such authority in accordance with the requirements of this section.

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24-90-111. Participation by established library. (Repealed)

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24-90-112. Tax support - elections. (1) (a) (I) If the electors of the governmental unit approve a tax levy, the legislative body of any incorporated city or town is hereby authorized to levy the tax for municipal libraries upon real and personal property for the establishment, operation, and maintenance of a public library.

(II) If the electors of the governmental units approve a tax levy, the board of county commissioners of any of the several counties is hereby authorized to levy the tax for county libraries or library districts upon real and personal property for the establishment, operation, and maintenance of county libraries or library districts.

(III) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2003, p. 2458, § 12, effective August 15, 2003.)

(IV) The tax authorized by section 24-90-110.7 (3) (f) and (3) (h) may be levied in addition to any other tax the participating governmental entities levy for the support of their own public libraries.

(V) The board of education of a school district that began levying a tax for the operation and maintenance of a school district supported public library before the enactment of the "Colorado Library Law" on July 1, 1979, is authorized to continue to levy such tax for said purposes, subject to the limitations set forth in paragraph (b) of this subsection (1).

(b) (I) (A) Except as otherwise provided under sub-subparagraph (B) of this subparagraph (I), the legislative body for the specified governmental unit shall submit, after notice, the question of any amount of tax levy not previously established by resolution or ordinance nor previously approved by the electors for the establishment, operation, and maintenance of public libraries to a vote of the registered electors residing in the unit or that portion of a library district within the unit, as the case may be, at the next general election, or on the election held on the first Tuesday in November of odd-numbered years.

(B) The board of education of a school district shall submit, after notice, the question of any amount of tax levy not previously established by resolution for the operation and maintenance of school district supported public libraries to a vote of the registered electors residing in the school district at the next general election on the first Tuesday in November of odd-numbered years. For purposes of this subsection (1), "school district supported public library" means any library solely established and maintained by a school district for which such school district began levying a tax before the enactment of the "Colorado Library Law" on July 1, 1979.

(II) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2003, p. 2458, § 12, effective August 15, 2003.)

(III) Notwithstanding the authorization contained in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1) and in addition to the provisions of subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (b), upon request of the board of trustees of the municipal or county library or the library district, or upon resolution of the legislative body of the city or town by its own initiative in the case of a municipal library, of the board of education of the school district by its own initiative in the case of a school district supported public library, or of the board of county commissioners by its own initiative in the case of a county library or library district, the legislative body of the city or town, the board of education of the school district, or the board of county commissioners shall cause to be submitted to a vote of the registered electors residing within the library's legal service area a proposition containing the desired maximum tax levy specified in the request or resolution.

(IV) Following a vote by the people in which a maximum mill levy has been set for the support of a municipal or county library or a library district, such levy shall remain in effect, subject to the requirements of section 29-1-301, C.R.S., until the people have established by subsequent vote pursuant to the provisions of this section a change in the levy. For a school district that began levying a tax for the operation and maintenance of a school district supported public library before the enactment of the "Colorado Library Law" on July 1, 1979, such mill levy shall remain in effect until the people have established, by subsequent vote pursuant to the provisions of this section, a change in the levy.

(2) (a) The treasurer of the governmental unit in which such library is located or, if a library district has been established embracing parts or all of more than one county, the treasurer of the county containing the largest valuation for assessment of property for tax purposes of the said district shall be the custodian of all moneys for the library, whether derived from taxation, gift, sale of library property, or otherwise. All moneys generated for library purposes shall be credited to a special fund in the office of said treasurer to be known as the public library fund. The fund, together with all interest income that accrues thereon on and after July 1, 1991, shall be used only for library purposes.

(b) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2003, p. 2458, § 12, effective August 15, 2003.)

(c) If requested by the board of trustees, the treasurer designated as custodian of the library's money pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (2) may transfer moneys into the custody of the board, but the board shall carry insurance for such purpose, make monthly accountings to said treasurer, and cause an annual audit to be performed and submitted to said treasurer with respect to the board's management of said moneys.

(3) Approval of any tax levy not previously established by resolution or ordinance nor previously approved by the electors shall conform to the requirements of section 20 of article X of the state constitution.

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24-90-112.5. Issuance of bonds. (1) (a) Whenever the board of trustees of a library district determines that the interest of the library district and the public interest or necessity requires the creation of a general obligation indebtedness of the county on behalf of and in the name of the library district to finance the acquisition, construction, expansion, or remodeling of any real or personal property for library purposes of such district, including, without limitation, acquisition of books and equipment for such purposes, the board of trustees shall adopt a resolution requesting the board of county commissioners of the county in which the library district is located to submit the question of creating such indebtedness at the next general election or on the election held on the first Tuesday in November of odd-numbered years. The resolution of the board of trustees, in addition to the declaration of public interest or necessity, shall recite:

(I) The objects and purposes for which the indebtedness is proposed to be incurred;

(II) The amount of indebtedness to be incurred therefor;

(III) The maximum net effective interest rate to be paid on such indebtedness; and

(IV) The question to be submitted by the county to the registered electors.

(b) In the event that territory within a library district is located within more than one county, the resolution shall also specify the principal amount of indebtedness proposed to be incurred by each county in which territory within the district is located. Such principal amount of indebtedness for each county shall bear approximately the same ratio to the total principal amount of indebtedness proposed to be incurred as the valuation for assessment of that portion of the property within the library district which is located within such county bears to the valuation for assessment of all property located within the library district. The board of trustees shall deliver such resolution to the board of county commissioners of each county in which territory within the library district is located.

(2) Within twenty days after receipt of a resolution adopted pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section, the board of county commissioners shall either adopt the resolution subject to mutually agreed upon changes in the resolution or reject the resolution. Where the board adopts the resolution, it shall order the question of incurring such indebtedness to be submitted, on the date specified in the resolution of the board of trustees, to the registered electors residing in territory within the county which is included in the library district. Such order shall be adopted and the election shall be held and conducted in accordance with section 30-26-301, C.R.S. In its order the board shall specify polling places and precincts for such election, which may be the same as or different than the polling places and precincts established pursuant to the provisions of section 1-5-101, C.R.S. If, upon canvassing the vote, it appears that a majority of the registered electors voting at such election vote in favor of the proposition to contract said indebtedness, the board on behalf of and in the name of the library district is authorized to and shall contract for said indebtedness.

(2.5) (a) Whenever the board of trustees of a library district determines that the interest of such district and the public interest or necessity requires the creation of a general obligation indebtedness of such district to finance the acquisition, construction, expansion, or remodeling of any real or personal property for library purposes of such district, including, without limitation, acquisition of books and equipment for such purposes, the board of trustees shall adopt a resolution to submit the question of creating such indebtedness on their own authority at the next general election or on the election held on the first Tuesday in November of odd-numbered years. In addition, at such election the board of trustees may also submit such question to the electors in the event the board of county commissioners of a county rejects the resolution of the board of trustees under subsection (2) of this section. In addition to reciting the declaration of public interest or necessity, the resolution of the board of trustees shall also recite:

(I) The objects and purposes for which the indebtedness is proposed to be incurred;

(II) The amount of indebtedness to be incurred therefor;

(III) The maximum net effective interest rate to be paid on such indebtedness; and

(IV) The question to be submitted by the board to the electors.

(b) The board of trustees of the district shall deliver a copy of the resolution to the board of county commissioners of each county within which the district is located.

(c) Within twenty days after adoption of the resolution, the board of trustees shall order the question of whether the library district shall incur such indebtedness to be submitted, on the date specified in the resolution, to the registered electors residing in such district. The order shall be adopted, and the election shall be held and conducted as provided in articles 1 to 13 of title 1, C.R.S. In its resolution, the board of trustees shall specify polling places and precincts for such election, which may be the same as or different than polling places and precincts established pursuant to the provisions of section 1-5-101, C.R.S. If, upon canvassing the vote, it appears that a majority of the registered electors voting at such election vote in favor of the question, the library district is authorized to and shall contract for said indebtedness.

(3) (a) When authorized pursuant to subsection (2) of this section and upon the request of the board of trustees of the library district, the board of county commissioners shall issue bonds of the county in the manner provided in section 30-26-302, C.R.S., but such bonds may be redeemable prior to maturity at such time, in such manner, and upon payment of such premium as the board of county commissioners may determine. Such bonds shall not be subject to the limitation on county indebtedness set forth in section 30-26-301 (3) or 30-35-201 (6) (b), C.R.S. In the event that territory within a library district is located within more than one county, each board of county commissioners may issue its bonds for the authorized purposes of the library district regardless of whether any or all of the other counties in which the library district is located issue bonds for such purposes, but the bonds of a county issued pursuant to this section shall be payable from ad valorem taxes levied only on that property within such county that is located in the library district.

(b) When authorized pursuant to subsection (2.5) of this section, the library district shall issue its bonds in the manner provided in section 32-1-1101, C.R.S., but the bonds may be redeemable prior to maturity at such time, in such manner, and upon payment of such premium as the board of trustees may determine.

(4) The board of county commissioners acting pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, and the board of trustees of a library district acting pursuant to subsection (2.5) of this section, are authorized to levy an ad valorem tax on all taxable property either within such county that is located in the library district, or within such district where the boundaries of said district cover more than one county, as applicable, to pay the principal of, redemption premium, if any, and interest on county or district indebtedness incurred pursuant to this section. The board of county commissioners and board of trustees, in certifying annual levies, shall take into account the maturing indebtedness of such county or such district incurred pursuant to this section for the ensuing year and deficiencies and defaults of prior years and shall make ample provision for the payment thereof. If the moneys produced from such levies, together with other revenues of the county or district available therefor, are not sufficient to pay punctually the annual installments on its contracts or bonds, and interest thereon, and to pay defaults and deficiencies, the board of county commissioners or board of trustees, as applicable, shall make such additional levies of taxes as may be necessary for such purposes, and such taxes shall be made and continue to be levied until the indebtedness is fully paid.

(5) Moneys resulting from such indebtedness shall be deposited with and disbursed by the custodian of library district funds pursuant to section 24-90-112 (2). The real or personal property to be acquired, constructed, expanded, or remodeled with the proceeds of such indebtedness shall be held, operated, and maintained by the library district.

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24-90-113. Contract to receive library service. (Repealed)

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24-90-113.3. Contract to receive library service. In lieu of establishment of a public library, the legislative body of a governmental unit may contract to receive library service from an existing library, the board of trustees or governing body of which has the reciprocal power to render the service. Any school district may contract for library service from any existing public library, such service to be paid from funds available to the school district for library purposes. Any contract entered into pursuant to this section shall specify, without limitation, the geographic area covered by the contract, the amount of compensation to be paid to the library delivering the service, the term of the contract, and any other information deemed necessary by the contracting parties.

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24-90-114. Abolishment of libraries.

(1) A public library, other than a joint library, established, operated, or maintained pursuant to this part 1 may be abolished only by vote of the registered electors in that library's legal service area, taken in the manner prescribed in section 24-90-107 (3) for a vote to establish a library. If a library is abolished, the materials and equipment belonging to it shall be disposed of as the legislative body of the governmental unit, or in the case of a library district, as the library board of trustees, directs. (2) Following notice of public hearings, the abolishment of a joint library shall be by resolution of the legislative bodies of the governmental units which established, operated, or maintained the joint library. The resolution shall specify that all indebtedness, including obligations arising from lease-purchase agreements, of the joint library must be fully protected until retired, that all trusts of the library will be continued as specified under current terms, and that all properties of the joint library will be divided as provided in the agreements entered into by the legislative bodies of the governmental units. (3) Disposition of school district libraries that have been abolished shall be accomplished as provided by law.

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24-90-115. Regional library service system - governing board. (1) (a) The board of trustees of any public library, library district, or the governing board of any publicly-supported library may participate in a regional library service system that provides cooperative services such as resource sharing, consulting, and continuing education under a plan submitted to the state librarian for the approval of said librarian. The bylaws of each regional library service system shall provide for a governing board consisting solely of representatives from publicly-supported libraries that are members of the system. The bylaws of a regional library service system may provide for membership in the system by libraries that are not publicly supported. In such case, the bylaws shall specify which such libraries are members of the system and any benefits of membership in the system that shall accrue to such libraries. (b) The state board of education shall adopt rules and regulations, in accordance with article 4 of this title, relating to the establishment, governance, and dissolution of regional library service systems. (2) (a) The governing board of a regional library service system shall consist of at least one representative from any three of the following four types of publicly-supported libraries participating in the system: (I) Schools; (II) Public; (III) Academic; and (IV) Special. (b) The governing board of the regional library service system shall be elected by a system membership council comprised of one representative of each system member representing a publicly-supported library. (3) (a) The governing board of each regional library service system has the right to exercise all powers vested in a board of trustees pursuant to section 24-90-109. Nothing pertaining to the organization or operation of a regional library service system shall be construed to infringe upon the autonomy of the board of trustees of a public library or the governing board of any publicly-supported library. (b) The governing board of each regional library service system shall submit annual plans and budgets under regulations established by the state librarian as provided in section 24-90-105 (1) (a). (4) Before withdrawing from a regional library service system, any participating library shall be required to fulfill all outstanding obligations for that fiscal year. Withdrawal shall be accomplished pursuant to rules and regulations established by the state board of education. (5) If the need for a regional library service system ceases to exist, the membership council, in its sole discretion, shall by a two-thirds vote of its members, declare its intent to dissolve the organization and file with the state library a plan for effecting such dissolution, which shall be carried out upon approval by the state board of education.

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24-90-116. Existing libraries to comply. Any public library established on or after July 1, 1979, shall be established as provided in this part 1. Every public library which has been established prior to said date under provisions of state law shall be considered as established under this part 1, and the board of trustees and the legislative body of the governmental unit in which the library is located shall proceed forthwith to make such changes as may be necessary to effect a compliance with the terms of this part 1. Every contract existing prior to July 1, 1979, for library service shall continue in force and be subject to this part 1 until the contract is terminated or a public library is established by the governmental unit for which the service was engaged.

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24-90-117. Theft or mutilation of library property. (Repealed)

Source: L. 79:Entire article R&RE, p. 991, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2002:Entire section amended, p. 1535, § 261, effective October 1. L. 2021:(2) added by revision,(SB 21-271), ch. 462, pp. 3231, 3331, §§ 438, 803, effective March 1, 2022.

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24-90-118. Colorado libraries automated catalog project. (1) The general assembly declares that there shall be developed and established by the Colorado state library, in cooperation with the research libraries within Colorado, an automated catalog system, which shall be available for use by all publicly or privately supported libraries in Colorado. The system shall be compatible with the library of congress automated cataloging system, including federal standards for machine-readable cataloging, which will become effective on January 1, 1981. (2) and (3) Repealed.

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24-90-119. Privacy of user records.

(1) Except as set forth in subsection (2) of this section, a publicly supported library shall not disclose any record or other information that identifies a person as having requested or obtained specific materials or service or as otherwise having used the library.

(2) Records may be disclosed in the following instances:

(a) When necessary for the reasonable operation of the library;

(b) Upon written consent of the user;

(c) Pursuant to subpoena, upon court order, or where otherwise required by law;

(d) To a custodial parent or legal guardian who has access to a minor’s library card or its authorization number for the purpose of accessing by electronic means library records of the minor.

(3) Any library official, employee, or volunteer who discloses information in violation of this section commits a civil infraction and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars.

(4) A written request for reconsideration of a library resource made at a public library pursuant to section 24-90-122 (3) is not a library user record as described in subsection (1) of this section. 

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24-90-120. Colorado imagination library program - Effective February 27, 2024 this program was revised and relocated to C.R.S. 26.5-1-115, Department of Early Childhood.

 

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 24-90-121. Public libraries - science of reading - training - report - definitions.

(1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) “Director” means the director of a board of trustees employed by the board of trustees pursuant to section 24-90-109 (1)(c).

(b) “Evidence-based training in the science of reading” or “training” means training that:

(I) Is based on reliable, trustworthy, and valid evidence;

(II) Includes explanation and instruction in the areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, reading fluency, including oral skills, and reading comprehension; and

(III) Is included on the advisory list of rigorous professional development programs created and maintained by the department of education pursuant to section 22-7-1209 (2)(c).

(2)

(a) The director of each public library is encouraged to work with the department of education to provide evidence-based training in the science of reading for each librarian who works with children enrolled in preschool, kindergarten, or early elementary grades. In addition, the director is encouraged to identify and provide in the library materials and activities for parents and children to improve literacy, which materials and activities are appropriate for preschool, kindergarten through second grade, and third through sixth grade and are designed to improve reading competency in the areas of phonemic awareness; phonics; vocabulary development; reading fluency, including oral skills; and reading comprehension.

(b) At the request of a director, the department of education shall provide, at no cost to the public library, evidence-based training in the science of reading to one or more librarians who are employed by the public library. The department may provide the training in-person or online and may provide the same training for librarians that it provides for teachers pursuant to section 22-7-1208 (6)(c).

(3) The director of each public library may prepare a plan describing how the director and the librarians employed at the library will work with children and their parents to support literacy using materials, activities, and strategies that are supported by the science of reading. The director is encouraged to submit the plan to the state librarian by July 1, 2024.

 

 

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24-90-122.  Public libraries - standards for acquisition retention - display - utilization - reconsideration of library resources- use of library facilities - employee protections - definition. 

(1) Definition. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires: 

(a)  "Library resource" means materials, both print and non-print, found in a public library that supports curricular or personal information needs. Print items include books, magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, microfilm. Non-print items include films, disc recordings, filmstrips, slides, prints, audiotapes, videotapes, compact discs, computer discs, computer software, library programs, and exhibits. 
(b)  "Public library" means a public library as defined in section 24-90-103 (13) that is established, operated, or maintained pursuant to this part 1.  

(2)  Standards. In addition to the powers and duties specified in section 24-90-109, a board of trustees of a public library shall establish written policies for the acquisition, retention, display, and use of library resources and for the use of a public library facility.  In addition, the board of trustees of a public library that reconsiders library resources as specified in subsection (3) of this section shall establish a written policy for the reconsideration of a library resource. The board of trustees shall establish policies as required by this subsection (2) that, at a minimum, comply with the following standards:  

(a)  A public library serves as a center for voluntary inquiry and the dissemination of information and ideas;  
(b)  The public has the right to access a range of social, political, aesthetic, moral, and other ideas and experiences through a public library;  
(c)  Each library resource is provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of the community and should present diverse points of view in the collection as a whole.  
(d)   A public library shall not exclude a library resource because of the ethnic origin, ethnic background, or gender identity of those contributing to the creation of the library resource or because of the topic addressed by the library resource or the opinions expressed in the library resource; 
(e)  A public library shall not proscribe or prohibit the circulation or procurement of a library resource because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval of the library resource;  
(f)  It is the responsibility of a public library to challenge censorship in the fulfillment of its responsibility to provide information and enlightenment;  
(g)  A public library shall consider the perspectives of marginalized groups, including those identified in section 22-1-104 (1)(a); [The State Library included the following reference 22-1-104. Teaching of history, culture, and civil government.

(1)

(a) The history and civil government of the United States and of the state of Colorado, which includes the history, culture, and social contributions of minorities, including but not limited to American Indians, Latinos, African Americans, and Asian Americans, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals within these minority groups, and the intersectionality of significant social and cultural features within these communities, and the contributions and persecution of religious minorities, must be taught in all the public schools of the state.]

(h)  For a public library that provides facilities to the public, the library shall make the facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use; and 
(i)  A public library shall prohibit discrimination based on age, background, political or religious views, origin, disability, race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, national origin, or ancestry in the selection, retention, display, use or reconsideration of library resources and public meeting spaces.

(3)  Reconsideration of library resources. 

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3)(a)(II) of this section a public library may remove a library resource from its permanent collection only if the library resource has been reviewed in accordance with an established policy for the reconsideration of library resources that complies with the requirements of subsection of this section. A public library that has not established a policy for the reconsideration of library resources or that has a policy for the reconsideration of library resources that does not comply with the requirements of subsection of this section may not remove a library resource from its permanent collection. (II)  The provisions of subsection (3)(a)(I) of this section do not apply to routine collection maintenance and deaccession in accordance with a public library’s established collection development and maintenance policy. 
(b)  The board of trustees of a public library that has established a policy for the reconsideration of library resources that complies with the requirements of subsection of this section and that reconsiders library resources in accordance with that policy shall make its reconsideration policy available to the public on its website.  
(c)  To make a request for reconsideration of a library resource, the individual making the request must reside in the legal service area for the library which the request is made. 
(d)  A public library shall not reconsider the same library resource more than once every two years; except that a public library’s established policy for the reconsideration of a library resource may specify a period longer than two years during which the public library will not reconsider the same library resource.  
(e) Once a final determination has been made for a library resource that is the subject of a request for reconsideration, the board of trustees shall make the determination and how it comports with the provisions of subsection of this section available to the public. (II) A public library shall not remove, discontinue, or restrict a library resource as the result of a request for reconsideration until the determination regarding the library resource has been made available to the public pursuant to subsection (3)(e)(I) of this section.  
(f)  A written request for reconsideration of a library resource is not a library user record as described in section 24-90-119 (1). A written request for reconsideration of a library resource is an open record under the “Colorado Open Records Act”, part 2 of article 72 of this title 24. 

(4) Retaliation against library employees prohibited. An individual who is a librarian, media specialist, other employee, contractor, or volunteer at the public library shall not be subject to termination, demotion, discipline, or retaliation for refusing to remove a library resource before it has been reviewed in accordance with the public library’s policy for the reconsideration of library resources or for making displays, acquisitions, or programming decisions that the librarian, media specialist, other employee, contractor, or volunteer believes, in good faith, are in accordance with the standards specified in subsection (2) of this section. 

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This portion of Colorado Revised Statutes, reprinted with the permission of the committee on Legal Services in accordance with section 2-5-118, C.R.S. is an unofficial publication of Colorado Revised Statutes.

For additional information contact the State Library, 303-866-6900.