§ 62-36. Powers and duties.

The library board of trustees shall carry out the spirit and intent of this chapter in establishing, supporting and maintaining a public library for providing library service and, in addition to other powers conferred by this chapter and state law, shall have the power to:

(1)

Make and adopt such bylaws, rules and regulations for its own guidance and for the government of the library as may be expedient, not inconsistent with this chapter and state law.

(2)

Have the exclusive control of the expenditure of all moneys collected for the library and deposited to the credit of the library fund.

(3)

Have the exclusive control of the construction of any library building and of the supervision, care and custody of the grounds, rooms, or buildings constructed, leased or set apart for that purpose.

(4)

Purchase or lease real or personal property, and construct an appropriate building for the use of the library, using, at the board's option, contracts providing for all or part of the consideration to be paid through installments at stated intervals during a certain period not to exceed 20 years with interest on the unpaid balance at any lawful rate for municipal corporations in the state, except that contracts for installment purchases of real estate shall provide for not more than 75 percent of the total consideration to be repaid by installments, and to refund at any time any installment contract entered into pursuant to this subsection by means of refunding loan agreements, which may provide for installment payments of principal and interest to be made at stated intervals during a certain period not to exceed 20 years from the date of such refunding loan agreements, with interest on the unpaid principal balance at any lawful rate for municipal corporations in the state, except that no installment contract or refunding loan agreement for the same property or construction project may exceed an aggregate of 20 years.

(5)

Remodel or reconstruct a building erected or purchased by the board, when such building is not adapted to its purposes or needs.

(6)

Sell or otherwise dispose of any real or personal property that it deems no longer necessary or useful for library purposes; lease to others any real property not immediately useful but for which plans for ultimate use have been or will be adopted, but the corporate authorities shall have the first right to purchase or lease.

(7)

Appoint and to fix the compensation of a qualified librarian, who shall have the authority to hire such other employees as may be necessary, fix their compensation, and remove such appointees, subject to the approval of the board. The board may also retain counsel and professional consultants as needed.

(8)

Contract with any public or private corporation or entity for the purpose of providing or receiving library service or of performing any and all other acts necessary and proper to carry out the responsibilities, spirit, and provisions of this chapter. This contractual power includes, but is not limited to, participating in interstate library compacts and library systems, contracting to supply library services, and expending of any federal or state funds made available to the city for library purposes.

(9)

Join with the board of any one or more libraries in this state in maintaining libraries, or for the maintenance of a common library or common library service for participants, upon such terms as may be agreed upon by and between the boards.

(10)

Enter into contracts and take title to any property acquired by it for library purposes by the name and style of "The Board of Library Trustees of the City of Peru" and by that name to sue and be sued.

(11)

Exclude from the use of the library any person who willfully violates the rules prescribed by the board.

(12)

Extend the privileges and use of the library, including the borrowing of materials on an individual basis by persons residing outside the city. If the board exercises this power, the privilege of library use shall be upon such terms and conditions as the board shall from time to time by its regulations prescribe, and for such privileges and use the board shall charge a nonresident fee at least equal to the cost paid by residents of the city, with the cost to be determined by the state library. The nonresident fee shall not apply to privilege and use provided under the terms of the library's membership in a library system operating under the provisions of the Illinois Library System Act, 75 ILCS 10/1 et seq., under the terms of any reciprocal agreement with a public or private corporation or entity providing a library service, or to a nonresident who as an individual or a partner, principal stockholder, or other joint owner owns taxable property or is a senior administrative officer of a firm, business, or other corporation owning taxable property within the city upon the presentation of the most recent tax bill upon that taxable property, provided that the privilege and use of the library is extended to only one such nonresident for each parcel of such taxable property.

(13)

Exercise the power of eminent domain subject to the prior approval of the corporate authorities under 75 ILCS 5/5-1, 5/5-2.

(14)

Join the public library as a member and to join the library trustees as members of the Illinois Library Association and the American Library Association, nonprofit, nonpolitical associations, as designated by the federal Internal Revenue Service, having the purpose of library development and librarianship; provide for the payment of annual membership dues, fees and such assessment and act by, through and in the name of such instrumentality by providing and disseminating information and research services, employing personnel and doing any and all other acts for the purpose of improving library development.

(15)

Invest funds pursuant to 30 ILCS 225/1 et seq.

(16)

Accumulate and set apart as reserve funds portions of the unexpended balances of the proceeds received annually from taxes or other sources, for the purpose of providing self-insurance against liabilities relating to the public library.

(Code 1996, § 96.25)

State law reference

Similar provisions, 75 ILCS 5/4-7.