Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024
Section 141.1 - Local libraries(a) The purpose of financial assistance to local public libraries by the Commonwealth is to encourage and enable the improvement of public library service throughout this Commonwealth and thereby to fulfill those educational, informational, and recreational needs of its residents served by public library agencies. In order that State funds shall be applied to this end, section 304 of The Library Code (24 P.S. § 4304) requires that each library applying for State aid shall submit plans for use of the funds leading to the achievement of applicable standards after five years of participation in State aid.(b) Plans for the use of State funds shall be related to the improvement of library service, and such improvement can only be measured in relation to applicable standards of service. Although section 303 of The Library Code (24 P.S. § 4303) does not fix minimum standards of library service, the State Librarian is authorized by section 201(5) of The Library Code (24 P.S. § 4201(5)) "to counsel local libraries on minimum standards for number and quality of library staff, resources of books and other materials, location of new libraries, hours and physical facilities."(c) Section 303 of The Library Code also states that "State-aid shall be paid when a library achieves the applicable standards determined by counseling with the State Librarian pursuant to the advice and recommendations of the Advisory Council on Library Development, or submits plans as set forth in Section 304 of this Act leading to the achievement of such standards . . . ," and section 304 (24 P.S. § 4304) provides "libraries qualifying for aid shall have five years to achieve applicable standards. Further extensions of time may be permitted with the approval of the State Librarian acting under regulations made by the Advisory Council."The Library Code (24 P.S. §§ 4101-4503) was repealed by the act of November 1, 2012 (P.L. 1683, No. 210) and replaced by 24 Pa.C.S. Chapter 93 (relating to Public Library Code).