Okla. Stat. tit. 65, § 4

Repealed by Laws 1953, p. 319, § 8. §65-4-101. Authority for establishment. Counties, cities and towns are hereby authorized and empowered to join in creation, development, operation and maintenance of public libraries to serve multicounty systems, and to appropriate and allocate funds for the support of such systems. Such systems shall provide equitable library services to all persons in the district. To insure the effective development of library service in all rural and urban areas, the creation and organization of library systems and the district to be served shall be subject to approval by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board in accordance with the provisions of Article X, Section 10A of the Oklahoma Constitution. After establishment, library systems shall be subject to accreditation by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board. Parts of an adjacent county may be added to or included in multicounty systems if these additions are determined by agreement of the system board, the petitioning parties, and the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board to be the most feasible way to provide public library services to such part of a county. Special levies of any and all taxes authorized to be levied by counties, cities and towns under this and other Oklahoma Statutes as amended and the Oklahoma Constitution as amended are hereby authorized to be levied for support of library systems. When any multicounty system is established under provisions of this act, existing public libraries in the district may be incorporated into the system under a unified administration by act of local governing bodies or vote of the people as provided in the procedure for establishment. Existing public libraries not incorporated into the system shall have the same relationship to the system as similar public libraries outside the district have to the local system and to other systems. Added by Laws 1967, c. 45, § 4-101, emerg. eff. April 6, 1967. Amended by Laws 1992, c. 322, § 7, eff. July 1, 1992. §65-4-102. Procedure for establishment and termination. A library system may be created by resolution or ordinance approved by the boards of county commissioners or by the governing bodies of all cities or towns of two thousand (2,000) or more according to the latest U.S. Census within the proposed district, or by the county seat town if no city or town within a county has a population of at least two thousand (2,000), subject to approval by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board. Such resolution and ordinances shall specify the type of system to be created, the district to be served, organization of the governing board of the system, proposed financing including agreement to call for a vote of the people as necessary for special tax levies, and shall constitute application for approval by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board when submitted to the Board. A library system may be created upon initiative of the county, city and town governing bodies concerned, or upon presentation of petitions to the board of county commissioners of each county signed by not less than ten (10%) percent of of the qualified electors of each county voting in the latest preceding general election. Upon receipt of such petitions, the board of county commissioners of each county shall forthwith call for a countywide vote on the proposed library system. When approval of the proposed system is granted by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board, the county, city and town governing bodies shall proceed with appointment of the system board and financing. After appointment of the governing board of the library system, it may request demonstration library services by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries before approval of special tax levies and/or may request a grant of funds for interim services before collection of special tax levies by the people of the district. The boards of county commissioners and the governing bodies of cities and towns involved in creation of a library system, and the governing board of the library system, are authorized to enter into contracts and agreements by and between such governing bodies and with other such library systems, special and school and college libraries, and the Oklahoma Department of Libraries in affecting the purposes of this article and other articles of this Code. After a system has been created, another county or counties may be added to the system by action of the governing bodies of the applicant counties and cities as provided in the procedure for establishment. Any library system created under the provisions of this Code may be terminated, or a part thereof may withdraw and resulting special tax levies shall be discontinued only by majority vote of qualified electors voting in an election called by petitions signed by not less than twenty (20%) percent of the qualified electors voting in the latest preceding general election of the county or counties wishing to terminate or withdraw. This provision for termination of all or a part of a library system shall not prohibit the reorganization of any system, or the transfer of part of a system to another system or the merging of systems, by act of the county, city and town governing bodies with approval of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board, provided that such changes do not result in termination of library service in any other area for which such service has been approved. Added by Laws 1967, c. 45, § 4-102, emerg. eff. April 6, 1967. Amended by Laws 1992, c. 322, § 8, eff. July 1, 1992. §65-4-103. Governing boards - Membership - Tenure - Qualifications - Compensation. A. The Board of Trustees of a library system containing two or more counties, herein defined as a multicounty library system, shall consist of at least five (5) members. There shall be at least one member from each county appointed by the board of county commissioners. Additional members shall be appointed for each city within the system with a public library located in the city, with these appointments to be made by the governing body of the city. Should the board serving a multicounty unit result in fewer than five members, additional board members shall be appointed on a proportional basis agreed upon by the county governments involved. B. Any member serving on a system board as of the effective date of this act shall continue to serve until the end of the current term for which they were appointed. Thereafter, appointments shall be made as provided for in subsection A of this section. C. Initial appointments shall be distributed among one-, two- and three-year terms, with one-third (1/3) of the appointments to be made for one (1) year, one-third (1/3) to be made for two (2) years and one-third (1/3) for three (3) years. Subsequent appointments shall be for three-year terms, except in the case of an appointment to fill a vacancy in the membership of the system board, which appointment shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term of the member where death, resignation or removal has created the vacancy. A partial term of not more than eighteen (18) months served immediately prior to a full three-year term shall not be counted as a full term. No person shall serve more than two full successive terms. Provided that a person who previously served for two (2) successive terms or less may be reappointed if two (2) years has expired since the person’s last service on the board. All tenure of initial and future appointees shall expire on June 30 of the designated year. A member of a system board once qualified can thereafter be removed by the appointive authority during his term of office only for misconduct or neglect of duty. D. Appointments to the system board shall be made on the basis of ability, a sound understanding of the total responsibilities and objectives of public libraries and an active interest in the attainment of these comprehensive goals. Appointive members shall be qualified electors and bona fide residents of the counties from which they are appointed. No member of the system board shall in any way be connected with the business of publishing or selling books, periodicals or other forms of library materials nor with the business of manufacturing or selling library supplies or equipment. E. All system board members shall serve thereon without compensation except actual and necessary travel expenses as authorized by the State Travel Reimbursement Act. Individual memberships for systems board members in state, regional, and national library associations and expenses incurred in attending conferences of these associations, board meetings and other library and library-related meetings may be paid from library funds upon proper authorization of the board. Added by Laws 1967, c. 45, § 4-103, emerg. eff. April 6, 1967. Amended by Laws 1976, c. 45, § 1, emerg. eff. April 9, 1976; Laws 1992, c. 322, § 9, eff. July 1, 1992; Laws 1996, c. 20, § 1, emerg. eff. April 3, 1996; Laws 2013, c. 140, § 1, emerg. eff. April 24, 2013. §65-4-104. System board of trustees - Officers - Meetings - Quorum. The system board shall elect a chairman, vice-chairman, and treasurer from the appointed members. The term of the officers shall be one (1) year. The system board shall meet as often as is required to transact necessary business and all meetings shall be open to the public in compliance with the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act, Section 301 et seq. of Title 25 of the Oklahoma Statutes. It shall adopt rules for the transaction of business and keep a record of its functions and activities, which record shall be a public record. A majority of the board membership shall constitute a quorum. Added by Laws 1967, c. 45, § 4-104, emerg. eff. April 6, 1967. Amended by Laws 1992, c. 322, § 10, eff. July 1, 1992. §65-4-105. System board of trustees - Powers and duties. (a) Every system board created by this Code shall have all powers necessary or convenient for the accomplishment of the purpose and provisions hereof, including, in addition to others granted in this article, the following powers: (1) To operate and maintain a library system and to adopt such rules and regulations for the operation thereof as may be deemed necessary or expedient. (2) To purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire land or buildings or portions of buildings for library purposes. (3) To erect, maintain, and operate public library buildings at one or more places. (4) To accept transfer of any existing public library or libraries by lease or other conveyance. (5) To acquire, by purchase or otherwise, books and other personal property customarily used in the operation of public libraries including necessary motor vehicles. (6) To sell and dispose of personal property acquired by purchase or any other means when by proper resolution the board finds that said property is not needed for library purposes. (7) To acquire, accept, hold, and convey legal title to interest in real property in the name of the system board. Deeds or other conveyances of said interests in real property shall be executed for and on behalf of the system board by the chairman and shall be attested by the secretary upon proper resolution of the Board. (8) To accept or decline donations tendered to the library system. (9) To administer the expenditure of any funds which may become available for library purposes. (10) To establish a schedule of fees to cover various services rendered and also to contract with other persons, including legal counsel and independent certified public or certified municipal accounting service, within the limits of its appropriations, and to incur necessary expenses. This subsection shall not be construed to preclude the use of the appropriate district attorney or assistant district attorney for legal counsel and the State Auditor and Inspector for auditing services. (11) To apply, contract for, receive and take advantage of any or all allocations of funds which may be available to the system board for library or library related purposes and services under the laws and regulations of the United States, the State of Oklahoma, or any other state, or any organization, agency, instrumentality or subdivision of these entities or undertake or contract for joint activities or programs with the United States, the State of Oklahoma or any other state, and any organization, agency, instrumentality, or subdivision of these entities pertaining to library or library related purposes or services; and to prepare and submit plans, specifications, reports or applications, to execute any agreements, to employ, fix duties and compensation of personnel, and to administer and direct any programs, plans or projects in connection with any of the foregoing. (12) To enter into agreements with school districts in any area served by the library upon such terms as may be mutually agreed. The agreement shall prescribe equitable charges for the cost to serve schools which include on-site costs of library collection and library automation and the cost of providing assigned staffing which meets the certification requirements for school library media programs. (13) To borrow monies on the credit of the Board of Trustees for a term not to exceed one (1) year. (14) To do all other things necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes and provisions of this Code. (b) It shall be the duty of the system board to prepare an annual budget which shall be filed on or before June 1 with the boards of county commissioners and the county excise boards, the State Auditor and Inspector, the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, State Board of Equalization, and with cities and towns which participate in financial support of the system. The system board shall also submit an annual audit of its income and expenditures within ninety (90) days following the close of the fiscal year to the boards of county commissioners, the State Auditor and Inspector, the Oklahoma Department of Libraries and with cities and towns which participate in financial support of the system. (c) In the case of withdrawal of a county or abolishing of a library system, disposal of the assets, including capital equipment and other property of the library district, shall be made in the most equitable manner possible as determined by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board, who shall give consideration to such items as the original source of the property, the amount of funds raised from each county of the system, and the ability of the counties to make further use of such property or equipment for library purposes. (d) Funds levied and collected pursuant to Article 10, Section 10-A of the Oklahoma Constitution shall be controlled and administered under the direction of the system board. (e) Other funds contributed from federal, state, county and city governments, and from any other source shall be deposited in the independent library account following such procedures as may be agreed upon by the contributing agency, the system board, and the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board. (f) Vouchers shall be drawn by such officers or employees as prescribed by the system board. Each designated officer or employee shall give a faithful performance bond approved by the system board in a sum determined by the board and sufficient in amount to equal the estimated largest sum of money which will be disbursed at any one time. Premiums for such bond may be paid from funds of the library system. Added by Laws 1967, c. 45, § 4-105, emerg. eff. April 6, 1967. Amended by Laws 1979, c. 30, § 113, emerg. eff. April 6, 1979; Laws 1992, c. 322, § 11, eff. July 1, 1992; Laws 1994, c. 362, § 1, eff. July 1, 1994. §65-4-106. Personnel. (a) The system board shall appoint a librarian of the library system on the basis of merit and experience. Such librarian shall be a graduate of a library school accredited by the American Library Association. The librarian shall be the administrative, executive and supervisory officer of the library and secretary to the system board. The librarian shall serve at the discretion of the system board. (b) The librarian may appoint and remove staff members and other employees. (c) The system board may establish or participate in employee retirement and health insurance programs either for the exclusive benefit of its staff or jointly and, in conjunction with city, county, state, or other retirement systems, may expend upon authorization of the board funds allocated by the board for such purposes. Added by Laws 1967, c. 45, § 4-106, emerg. eff. April 6, 1967. Amended by Laws 1992, c. 322, § 12, eff. July 1, 1992. §65-4-107. Financing. Library systems are hereby authorized and empowered to receive and allocate funds for establishment, development and maintenance of library facilities and services through special library tax levies as hereinafter provided and other funds, including appropriations from city, town and county general funds, state and federal grants- in-aid, and other public and private funds. All such funds received and appropriated may be used for library services throughout the library district. (a) The governing boards of cities, towns, counties, and library systems established by vote of the people, as authorized, may submit to a vote of the people special tax levies of any tax or taxes which are or may be authorized for levying in and by cities, towns, counties and library system districts. (b) The initial financing of any library system established under this act shall be approved by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board. Added by Laws 1967, c. 45, § 4-107, emerg. eff. April 6, 1967. §65-4-107.1. Oklahoma Local Library Capital Revolving Fund. There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund for the Oklahoma Department of Libraries to be designated the "Oklahoma Local Library Capital Revolving Fund". The fund shall be a continuing fund not subject to fiscal year limitations and shall consist of monies received by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries from state appropriations, federal funds or from any other appropriate sources. All monies accruing to the credit of said fund are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries for the purpose of providing capital grants to public libraries within the state. Capital grants made pursuant to this section shall not be made to systems within counties with a population of five hundred thousand (500,000) or more. Expenditures from said fund shall be made upon warrants issued by the State Treasurer against claims filed as provided by law with the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for approval and payment. The Oklahoma Department of Libraries shall establish guidelines for the equitable apportionment of monies to public libraries applying for such grants. Added by Laws 2001, c. 124, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Amended by Laws 2012, c. 304, § 529. §65-4-108. Repealed by Laws 1992, c. 322, § 21, eff. July 1, 1992. §65-4-109. Repealed by Laws 1992, c. 322, § 21, eff. July 1, 1992. §65-4-110. Repealed by Laws 1992, c. 322, § 21, eff. July 1, 1992. §65-4-115. Counties without countywide library services - Appointment of public library board. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the board of county commissioners, in counties which do not have countywide library services through a rural single county library or as otherwise determined by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, may appoint a public library board consisting of not less than five nor more than seven members. There shall be at least one member appointed from each of the county commissioner districts. Additional members shall be appointed as follows: 1. One member appointed by the municipal governing board of the county seat; and 2. If the county seat is not the municipality having the largest population, then one member to be appointed by the municipal governing board of the municipality having the largest population. Initial appointments shall be distributed among one-, two- and three-year terms, with two of the appointments to be made for one year, two to be made for two (2) years and three to be made for three (3) years. Subsequent appointments shall be for three-year terms, except in the case of an appointment to fill a vacancy in the membership of the board, which appointment shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term of the member when death, resignation or removal has created the vacancy. No person shall serve more than two (2) successive terms or be appointed for another full term or temporary term until at least two (2) years have elapsed from the end of the second successive term until the beginning of the new term. All tenure of initial and future appointees shall expire on June 30 of the designated year. A member of a board once qualified can thereafter be removed by the appointive authority during his or her term of office only for misconduct or neglect of duty. Appointments to the board shall be made on the basis of ability, a sound understanding of the total responsibilities and objectives of public libraries and an active interest in the attainment of these comprehensive goals. Appointive members shall be qualified electors and bona fide residents of the county. All board members shall serve thereon without compensation except actual and necessary travel expenses as authorized by the State Travel Reimbursement Act, Section 500.1 et seq. of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes. Individual memberships for board members in state, regional, and national library associations and expenses incurred in attending board meetings and other library and library- related meetings may be paid from library funds upon proper authorization of the board. If a multicounty library system or a rural single county library system is formed on or after July 1, 1992, which includes a county with a public library board and provides countywide service to the county, the public library board appointed pursuant to this section may be terminated. All powers, duties and responsibilities of the public library board may be transferred to the Board of Trustees of the multicounty library system or the rural single county library system. Added by Laws 1992, c. 321, § 5, eff. July 1, 1992. Amended by Laws 1995, c. 165, § 2, emerg. eff. May 2, 1995. §65-4-116. Public library boards - Powers and duties. The county public library board shall have the following powers and duties: (a) To operate and maintain a county library system and to promulgate such rules for the operation and maintenance thereof as may be deemed necessary or expedient; (b) To employ a director who shall have the authority to employ necessary staff and to terminate the employment of such staff upon approval of the board; (c) To purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire land or buildings or portions of buildings for library purposes; (d) To erect, maintain, and operate public library buildings at one or more places in the county; (e) To accept transfer of any existing public library or libraries by lease or other conveyance; (f) To acquire, by purchase or otherwise, books and other personal property customarily used in the operation of public libraries including necessary motor vehicles; (g) To sell and dispose of personal property acquired by purchase or other means when by proper resolution the county public library board finds that said property is not needed for library purposes; (h) To accept, hold, and convey legal title to interests in real property in the name "County Public Library Board of ________ County" which shall be its official name. Deeds or other conveyances of said interests in real property shall be executed for and on behalf of the board by the chairperson and shall be attested by the secretary; (i) To accept or in its discretion to decline donations tendered to the county library system; (j) To apply for funds from the Oklahoma Local Library Support Revolving Fund and provide any information requested by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries in order to qualify and receive such funds; (k) To administer the expenditure of any funds which become available for library purposes from the Oklahoma Local Library Support Revolving Fund and any other funds granted or donated to the county public library; (l) To borrow on the credit of the county public library board for a period of time not to exceed one year; and (m) To do all other things necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes and provisions of this act. Added by Laws 1992, c. 321, § 6, eff. July 1, 1992. §65-4-201. Establishment, special levies authorized - Incorporation of existing libraries. Counties, cities and towns are hereby authorized and empowered to join in creation, development, operation and maintenance of public libraries to serve rural single county library systems, and to appropriate and allocate funds for the support of such systems. The systems shall provide equitable library services to all persons in the county. After establishment a rural single county library system must be accredited by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board. Special levies of any and all taxes authorized to be levied by counties, cities and towns under Oklahoma Statutes and the Oklahoma Constitution are hereby authorized to be levied for support of rural single county library systems. When any rural single county library system is established, existing public libraries in the county may be incorporated into the system under a unified administration by act of local governing bodies or vote of the people as provided in the procedure for establishment of the rural single county library systems. Existing public libraries in the county that are not incorporated into the system shall have the same relationship to the system as similar public libraries outside the county have to the local system and to other systems. Added by Laws 1995, c. 165, § 4, emerg. eff. May 2, 1995. §65-4-202. Creation by resolution, ordinance or petition - Multicounty library systems - Termination. A rural single county library system may be created by resolution or ordinance approved by the board of county commissioners or by the governing bodies of all cities or towns of two thousand (2,000) or more according to the most recent federal decennial census within the proposed district, or by the county seat town if no city or town within the county has a population of at least two thousand (2,000), subject to approval by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board. The resolution and ordinances shall specify the type of system to be created, the county to be serviced, organization of the governing board of the system, and proposed financing including agreement to call for a vote of the people as necessary for special tax levies. The resolution shall constitute application for approval by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board when submitted to the Board. Upon approval of the proposed system by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board, the county, city and town governing bodies may proceed with appointment of the system board and financing. The system board may request demonstration library services by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries before approval of special tax levies and may request a grant of funds for interim services before collection of special tax levies by the people of the district. A rural single county library system may be proposed upon resolution or ordinance of the city and town governing bodies as provided in this section or upon presentation of petitions to the board of county commissioners of the county signed by not less than ten percent (10%) of the qualified electors of each county voting in the last general election requesting a vote on library funding. Upon receipt of such petitions, the board of county commissioners shall call a countywide vote on the proposed system funding. Upon approval of the proposed ad valorem levy in a countywide vote, the board of county commissioners shall submit application for approval of the system to the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board. The application shall specify the type of system to be created, the county to be served, organization of the governing board of the system including a list of board members and their terms, and the financing arrangement including the record of the vote of the people for special tax levies. The board of county commissioners and the governing boards of cities and towns involved in creating the system and the governing board of the library system are authorized to enter into contracts and agreements with each other, other library systems, special libraries, school and college libraries, district boards of education, and the Oklahoma Department of Libraries as necessary to effect the purposes of this act. A rural single county system may be joined with another county or counties to form a multicounty library system upon action of the board of county commissioners. A multicounty system formed between a county having a rural single county system and other counties may be formed only upon compliance with the procedures for establishment of a multicounty library system set forth in the Oklahoma Statutes. A rural single county library system created under the provisions of this act may be terminated only by majority vote of qualified electors voting in an election called by petitions signed by not less than twenty percent (20%) of the qualified electors voting in the last preceding general election in the county. Added by Laws 1995, c. 165, § 5, emerg. eff. May 2, 1995. §65-4-203. Board of trustees - Membership - Terms. A. The board of trustees of a rural single county library system shall consist of at least five (5) members. One member shall be appointed from each county commissioner district by the board of county commissioners. One member shall be appointed by the governing body of the county seat city or town. A member shall be appointed from the city or town with the largest population that is not the county seat. B. Initial appointments shall be for one-, two-, and three-year terms. Subsequent appointments shall be for three-year terms, except in the case of an appointment to fill an unexpired term which appointment shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term. No person shall serve more than two full consecutive terms in addition to any partial term served by appointment to fill an unexpired term. A person who previously served for two consecutive terms or less may be reappointed if two (2) years has expired since the last service on the board. All terms shall expire on June 30 of the designated year. A member of a system board can be removed by the appointing authority during the term for which appointed only for misconduct or neglect of duty. C. Appointments to the system board shall be made on the basis of ability, a sound understanding of the total responsibilities and objectives of public libraries and active interest in the attainment of system goals. Appointive members shall be qualified electors and bona fide residents of the county. No member of the system board shall be in the business of publishing or selling books, periodicals or other forms of library materials or the business of manufacturing or selling library supplies or equipment. D. All system board members shall serve without compensation except for actual and necessary travel expenses which shall be compensated from library funds upon proper authorization of the board of trustees of the system at the rate provided in the State Travel Reimbursement Act, Section 500.1 et seq. of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes. Individual memberships for system board members in state, regional, and national library associations and expenses incurred in attending conferences of these associations, board meetings and other library and library-related meetings may be paid from library funds upon proper authorization of the board of trustees of the system. Added by Laws 1995, c. 165, § 6, emerg. eff. May 2, 1995. §65-4-204. System board officers - Quorum. The system board shall elect a chair, vice-chair, and treasurer for one-year terms from the appointed members. The system board shall meet as often as necessary. The system board shall be subject to the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act, Section 301 et seq. of Title 25 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The board shall adopt rules for the transaction of business and keep a record of its functions and activities which shall be a public record. A majority of the board membership shall constitute a quorum. Added by Laws 1995, c. 165, § 7, emerg. eff. May 2, 1995. §65-4-205. System board of trustees - Powers and duties. A. Every rural single county library system board shall have all powers necessary or convenient to accomplish its purpose including the following: 1. To operate and maintain a library system and to adopt rules and regulations; 2. To purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire land or buildings for library services; 3. To erect, maintain, and operate public library buildings at one or more places; 4. To accept transfer of any existing public library or libraries by lease or other conveyance; 5. To acquire by purchase or otherwise books and other personal property customarily used in the operation of public libraries including necessary motor vehicles; 6. To sell and dispose of personal property acquired by purchase or any other means when by proper resolution the board finds that said property is not needed for library purposes; 7. To acquire, accept, hold, and convey legal title to interest in real property in the name of the system board; deeds or other conveyances of said interests in real property shall be executed for and on behalf of the system board by the chair and shall be attested by the secretary upon proper resolution of the board; 8. To accept or decline donations tendered to the library system; 9. To administer the expenditures of any funds which may become available for library purposes; 10. To establish a schedule of fees to cover various services rendered; 11. To contract for professional services, including legal counsel and independent certified public or certified municipal accounting services, within the limits of the board's appropriations; provided this paragraph shall not be construed to preclude the use of the appropriate district attorney for legal counsel and the State Auditor and Inspector for auditing services; 12. To apply, contract for, and receive any allocations of funds which may be available to the system board for library and library- related purposes and services under the laws and regulations of the United States, the State of Oklahoma, or any other state, organization, agency, instrumentality or subdivision of these entities, and to undertake or contract for joint activities or programs with the United States, the State of Oklahoma or any other state, organization, agency, instrumentality, or subdivision of these entities pertaining to library or library-related purposes or services; and to prepare and submit plans, specifications, reports or applications, to execute any agreements, to employ, fix duties and compensation of personnel and to administer and direct any programs, plans or projects in connection with any of the activities described in this paragraph; 13. To enter into agreements with school districts in any area served by the library system upon such terms as may be mutually agreed. The agreement shall prescribe equitable charges for the cost to serve schools which include on-site costs of library collection and library automation and the cost of providing assigned staffing which meets the certification requirements for school library media programs; 14. To borrow money on the credit of the system board of trustees for a term not to exceed one (1) year; 15. To do all other things necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes and provisions of this act; and 16. When available, have access to a statewide library telecommunications network. B. The system board shall prepare an annual budget which shall be filed on or before June 1 with the board of county commissioners, the county excise board, the State Auditor and Inspector, the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, the State Board of Equalization, and cities and towns that participate in financial support of the system. The system board shall submit an annual audit of its income and expenditures within ninety (90) days following the close of the fiscal year to the board of county commissioners, the county excise board, the State Auditor and Inspector, the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, the State Board of Equalization, and cities and towns that participate in financial support of the system. C. If a rural single county library system is abolished, the assets shall be disposed of by the board of county commissioners with the approval of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board. D. Funds levied and collected pursuant to Section 10A of Article X of the Oklahoma Constitution for the purpose of creating and maintaining a rural single county library system shall be controlled and administered by the system board. E. Funds from federal, state, county and city governments and from other sources shall be deposited in a separate library account following procedures as may be agreed upon by the contributing agency, the system board, and the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Board. F. Vouchers may be drawn by officers or employees as prescribed by the system board. Each officer or employee allowed to draw vouchers shall give a faithful performance bond approved by the system board in an amount determined by the board equal to the estimated largest single disbursement to be made by the officer or employee. Premiums for such bond may be paid from funds of the library system. Added by Laws 1995, c. 165, § 8, emerg. eff. May 2, 1995. §65-4-206. Librarian - Qualifications - Powers. A. The rural single county library system board shall appoint a librarian of the library system on the basis of merit and experience. In counties with a population of twenty thousand (20,000) or more, the librarian shall be a graduate of a library school accredited by the American Library Association. In counties with a population of less than twenty thousand (20,000), during the first two (2) years after formation of a system the board may appoint a librarian who is not a graduate of a library school accredited by the American Library Association; provided, within five (5) years of formation of the system the librarian must graduate from a library school accredited by the American Library Association in order to continue as librarian. Subsequent librarians appointed in counties with a population of less than twenty thousand (20,000) must be graduates at the time of appointment of a library school accredited by the American Library Association. B. The librarian shall be the administrative, executive and supervisory officer of the library and secretary to the system board. The librarian shall serve at the discretion of the system board. C. The librarian may appoint and remove staff members and other employees. D. The librarian and other employees of the system board may participate in employee retirement and health insurance programs offered by the county for county employees or the state for state employees. The costs of employee participation in the county or state programs shall be paid by the system board from library funds. Added by Laws 1995, c. 165, § 9, emerg. eff. May 2, 1995.