SECTIONS 18010-18013 - California Statutes

EDUCATION CODE

SECTION 18010-18013

18010. The Legislature finds and declares that it is in the
interest of the people and of the state that there be a general
diffusion of information and knowledge through the continued
operation of free public libraries. Such diffusion is a matter of
general concern inasmuch as it is the duty of the state to provide
encouragement to the voluntary lifelong learning of the people of the
state.
The Legislature further declares that the public library is a
supplement to the formal system of free public education, and a
source of information and inspiration to persons of all ages,
cultural backgrounds, and economic statuses, and a resource for
continuing education and reeducation beyond the years of formal
education, and as such deserves adequate financial support from
government at all levels.

18011. It is the intent of the Legislature under this chapter to
initiate and examine a specific program providing equitable and
adequate funds to the public libraries of the state which are
established under various provisions of law, and which, historically
dependent for their support on local property tax revenues, face a
fiscal crisis as a result of ad valorem tax limitations imposed by
Article XIII A of the California Constitution, which fiscal crisis
has not been sufficiently resolved through application of existing
statutes.

18012. In adopting this chapter, the Legislature declares that its
policy, and its objective in enacting the specific program prescribed
in Section 18011, is to do all of the following:
(a) Assure the availability to every resident of the state of an
adequate level of public library service regardless of the taxable
wealth of the local jurisdiction providing the service.
(b) Provide permanent, stable, and predictable financing for
public libraries of the state through a combination of state and
local revenues.
(c) Provide state funds for public library service through
application of a simple formula whose variable elements can be
readily predicted and ascertained by both state and local officials,
and which can be administered by the Controller and the State
Librarian as ministerial functions.
(d) Reaffirm the principle of local control of the government and
administration of public libraries under broad state policy
determinations, and subject to the necessity for financial accounting
to the state for the expenditure of state funds and required local
matching funds.

18013. The Legislature finds and declares that this chapter effects
a state policy that each public library provide a minimum level of
service, known as the foundation program, to the extent state funds
are made available for that purpose as prescribed by this chapter.
The Legislature, therefore, declares that state funds made available
to each public library pursuant to this chapter, to the extent those
funds are appropriations subject to limitation of a public library,
shall be included in the appropriations limit of the state for
purposes of Article XIII B of the California Constitution. However,
this chapter does not mandate any new program or higher level of
service on any local government for which state funds are not made
available as prescribed by this chapter.