Getting to Know Chapter 43 of the Wisconsin State Statutes: Part 7 (County Library Planning Committees)

From the Wisconsin Historical Society Archives

43.11 County library planning committees.

(1) CREATION.  [In 1971.  To provide a process to establish voluntary public library systems.]

• [Who may create]  Any county board may appoint a county library planning committee under this section.
• [Consolidated public library; one-county library system] If a county board, in a county where all public library service is administered or coordinated by an existing county library board or where there is a single−county public library system board, determines to appoint a committee under this section, the existing library board may serve as the county library planning committee.
• [Notification] The county board shall notify the division immediately upon appointment of the committee.

(3) DUTIES AND POWERS.

(a) The committee may

• prepare a new plan for the organization of a county or multicounty system,
• revise an existing plan or
• change the boundaries of a public library system.

It shall conduct public hearings concerning these plans, revisions and changes to which representatives of all libraries in the county shall be invited.

(b) The committee’s final report, including

• a new plan,
• revisions to an existing plan or
• changes to the boundaries of a public library system and copies of any written agreements necessary to implement the proposal,

shall be filed with the county board and submitted to the division. Plans for multicounty systems shall include a method for allocating system board membership among the member counties. 

(c)  [Services to "non-libraried" county residents.]  The plan of library service for a county, whether for a single county or a multicounty system, shall provide for library services to residents of those municipalities in the county not maintaining a public library under this chapter.

• The services shall include full access to public libraries participating in the public library system and the plan shall provide for reimbursement for that access.
• Services may include
• books−by−mail service,
• bookmobile service,
• the establishment of additional libraries or
• other services deemed appropriate by the committee.
• Services may be provided by contracting with
• existing public libraries in the county or in adjacent counties or with
• the public library system or by
• creating a county library organization under this chapter.

The plan of library service for a county may provide for improving public library service countywide and in municipalities that have libraries.

The plan shall specify the method and level of funding to be provided by the county to implement the services described in the plan, including the reimbursement of public libraries for access by residents of those municipalities in the county not maintaining a public library.

(d) The plan of library services for a county may include minimum standards of operation for public libraries in the county.

• The county shall hold a public hearing on any standards proposed under this paragraph.
• [Method for approving standards.] The standards shall take effect if they are approved by the county and the public library boards of at least 50% of the participating municipalities in the county that contain, according to the most recent estimate prepared under s. 16.96, at least 80% of the population of participating municipalities in the county.

(e) [Cross-municipal payments] The plan of library services for a county may require that a municipality located in whole or in part within the county that operates a public library compensate another municipality located in whole or in part within the county that operates a public library whenever the latter public library provides library services to residents of the municipality that operates the former public library. The plan’s compensation for each loan may not exceed the actual cost of the loan, as defined by the department by rule.


History:

1971 Senate Bill 47.   See pages 360-361.  43.11 is created.

1981 Assembly Bill 66.  (2) (c) repealed.  Deleted language: No compensation may be paid to the members of any committee for then services but they shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in performing committee duties. The committee also may incur expenses related to the preparation of reports and the utilization of special consultants. Expenses under this paragraph shall be reimbursed from the planning grant under 43.23.

1985 Wisconsin Act 29,   See page 200.  Section (3) (c) is created.

1993 Wisconsin Act 184.  See section 81 on page 10.  References to "chairman" changed to "chairperson".

1997 Wisconsin Act 150.  See section 7 for amendments to law.  See section 8:  creation of (3) (d); repeal of (4).  Deleted language:  DISSOLUTION. The committee shall be dissolved either after 3 years or when its final report has been accepted both by the division and the county board, whichever occurs first.
Public Library Development: Summary of S.B. 269 - Act 150

2005 Wisconsin Act 420.  (3) (e) is created.
Summary of Act 420 (a.k.a SB 272) provided by the Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning.

Related posts:
Part 1:  Legislative findings and declaration of policy.
Part 2:  Definitions.
Part 3:  General duties of the State Superintendent.
Part 4:  General duties of the Division.
Part 5:  Council on Library and Network Development.
Part 6:  Certificates and standards.