§ 13-2-207 - Powers and duties generally. - Arkansas Statutes

13-2-207. Powers and duties generally.

Within the limitations of facilities and funds provided for the Arkansas State Library, the library shall:

(1) Acquire books and other library materials by purchase, exchange, gift, grant, or donation and catalog and maintain those books and materials and make them available for reference and research use of the public and the public officials and employees of this state and its political subdivisions under such rules and regulations established by the State Library Board as may be reasonably necessary to govern the use and preservation thereof;

(2) (A) Establish and maintain a collection of books and library materials of and pertaining to Arkansas and its people, resources, and history and maintain the collection as a separate section within the library;

(B) Operate and maintain a collection of multimedia materials to complement book collections and establish reasonable rules and regulations for their use and preservation; and

(C) Provide specialized services to the blind and individuals with physical disabilities under a cooperative plan with the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress;

(3) Assist communities, libraries, schools, colleges, universities, study and civic clubs and groups, charitable and penal institutions, state agencies and departments, county and municipal governments, and any other institutions, agencies, and individuals with books, information, library materials, and services as needed;

(4) Direct the establishment and development of county and regional library systems and programs, devise and implement a certification plan for public librarians, and assist in the design and building of public library facilities;

(5) Conduct courses of library instruction, hold library institutes in various parts of the state, and encourage the recruitment and training of library personnel in any suitable manner;

(6) Cooperate with the Department of Education and the Department of Higher Education in devising plans for the development of libraries, in aiding librarians in their administration, in certification policies, and in formulating rules and regulations for the use of libraries;

(7) Receive gifts of library materials, money, and real and personal property, to be held in trust, subject to the terms of the donation for the purposes of this subchapter;

(8) Be the official state library agency designated to administer state and federal programs of aid to libraries and to undertake such other activities and services as will further statewide development of libraries and library systems through interlibrary, interagency, and interstate cooperation in order to secure efficient and effective library service for all Arkansans;

(9) (A) Cooperate with the various officers, departments, and agencies of state government in pooling and sharing library materials and programs so that duplication of services and facilities shall be minimized and so that maximum utilization may be made of the library services and resources of this state.

(B) In furtherance of subdivision (9)(A) of this section, the library may enter into contracts or agreements with state officers, departments, and agencies for the provision of special library services where needed and, under the terms of the contract or agreement, may provide for the method of financing special costs incurred by the library in furnishing and maintaining such special library services; and

(10) Perform all other functions and services that are common to the purposes and objectives of a state library.