§ 13-2-501 - Establishment -- Appropriations. - Arkansas Statutes

13-2-501. Establishment -- Appropriations.

(a) (1) The city council or governing body of any city of the first class may by ordinance establish and maintain a public library for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of the city.

(2) The governing body of any city which levies a city library tax in accordance with Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 30, shall establish, operate, and maintain a city public library or library services for the citizens of the city.

(b) (1) In a city of the first class, on petition of five percent (5%) of the voters requesting the establishment of a public library, the city council or governing body of the municipality within thirty (30) days after the filing of the petition shall call an election to be held in accordance with 7-11-201 et seq.

(2) (A) The election shall be advertised and conducted as special elections are required by law to be advertised and conducted.

(B) The ballots shall be marked "FOR Public Library", "AGAINST Public Library".

(3) If a majority of the electors voting at the election vote in favor of the establishment of a public library, it shall be the duty of the city council or the governing body of the municipality immediately to establish a public library and continue to maintain it in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(c) When a public library has been established, the city council or the governing body of the municipality may allot for library purposes a prescribed proportion of its municipal revenues to be used exclusively for the maintenance of the public library.

(d) (1) A city which supports a city public library or library system with a city library tax under Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 30, shall by ordinance of the governing body of the municipality appropriate all tax revenues raised by the millage approved by the voters on all taxable property within the city to be used for the support, operation, and maintenance of the public library or public library system located in the city or for library services from within a library system in which the city participates.

(2) In addition to the levy authorized in this subsection, the governing body of the municipality may make contributions from any available funds for the support, operation, and maintenance of a city public library or public library system located in the city or for library services from within a library system in which the city participates.

(3) Further, the governing body of a municipality may make contributions from the city funds and any other available funds for the support, operation, and maintenance of a joint city-county or regional public library system in which the city has agreed to participate in coordination with the libraries of other cities and other counties.