ARTICLE 3. Government [19160. - 19180.]

Cal. Education Code - EDC 3.
in effect

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19160. Section 19160.

The county free library is under the general supervision of the board of supervisors, which may: (a) Make general rules and regulations regarding the policy of the county free library. (b) Establish, upon the recommendation of the county librarian, branches and stations throughout the county and may locate the branches and stations in cities wherever deemed advisable. (c) Determine the number and kind of employees of the library.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19167. Section 19167.

The county free libraries are under the general supervision of the State Librarian, who shall from time to time, either personally or by one of his or her assistants, visit the county free libraries and inquire into their condition. The actual and necessary expenses of the visits shall be paid out of the moneys appropriated for the support of the California State Library.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19168. Section 19168.

The State Librarian shall annually call a convention of county librarians, to assemble at such time and place as he deems most convenient, for the discussion of questions pertaining to the supervision and administration of the county free libraries, the laws relating thereto, and such other subjects affecting the welfare and interest of the county free libraries as are properly brought before it. All county librarians shall attend and take part in the proceedings of the convention. The actual and necessary expenses of the county librarians attending the convention shall be paid out of the county free library fund.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19169. Section 19169.

The county librarian shall, on or before August 31st, in each year, report to the board of supervisors and to the State Librarian on the condition of the county free library, for the year ending June 30th preceding. The reports shall, in addition to other matters deemed expedient by the county librarian, contain such statistical and other information as is deemed desirable by the State Librarian. For this purpose the State Librarian may send to the several county librarians instructions or question blanks so as to obtain the material for a comparative study of library conditions in the state.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19171. Section 19171.

The county board of supervisors of any county may in its discretion allocate and appropriate any funds received by the county under the State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-512) for the purpose of establishing, maintaining, and purchasing property for the county free library.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19173. Section 19173.

The board of supervisors may create special taxing zones within the territory of the county subject to taxation for county free library purposes for the purpose of levying special taxes within the zones when it is found by the board that the territory within the zones require special services or special facilities in addition to those provided generally by the county free library system and that the special tax levy is commensurate with the special benefits to be provided in the zones. Taxes levied pursuant to this section, together with taxes levied pursuant to Section 19170, shall not exceed the higher of the limit provided by Section 19170 or the applicable provisions of Section 2263 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19174. Section 19174.

The board of supervisors may receive, on behalf of the county, any gift, bequest, or devise for the county free library, or for any branch or subdivision of the library.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19175. Section 19175.

The title to all property belonging to the county free library is vested in the county. All laws applicable to the collection of county taxes shall apply to the collection of the taxes provided in Section 19170. All moneys of the county free library, whether derived from taxation or otherwise, shall be in the custody of the county treasurer.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19176. Section 19176.

Each claim against the county free library fund shall be authorized and approved by the county librarian, or in his absence from the county by his assistant. It shall then be acted upon in the same manner as other claims against the county.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19177. Section 19177.

In any county of this state where a law library exists under the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6300) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, the board of supervisors of the county may enter into contracts, or agreements with the board of law library trustees of the law library for the cooperation of the law library and the county free library, and, in that connection, may contract or agree with the board of law library trustees of the law library that the county librarian and other employees of the county free library perform the duties required to be done or performed by the officers and employees of the law library for a compensation to be named in the contract or agreement, and to be paid into the county free library fund.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19178. Section 19178.

The board of supervisors may accept on behalf of the county free library, all books and other property of school libraries and of the teachers’ library, and may manage and maintain them as a part of the county free library.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19179. Section 19179.

Any county library which was established and existed on April 26, 1911, under the provisions of an act entitled “An act to provide county library systems,” approved April 12, 1909, is continued under the provisions of this chapter and shall be considered the same as if established under the provisions of this chapter. If a contract has been entered into between any county board of supervisors and any city pursuant to this article, the contract shall continue in force, and the provisions of Section 19112 shall be applicable thereto, until the establishment and equipment of a county free library under the provisions of this chapter, unless sooner terminated.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19180. Section 19180.

The board of supervisors of any county in which there has been established a county free library which does not serve the entire county may, on behalf of the county free library, construct, build, repair or refurnish buildings to be used for county free library purposes, payment for which may be made from the general fund of the county. If payment is made from the county’s general fund, the county auditor shall each fiscal year thereafter transfer from the county free library fund to the county’s general fund as a prior claim against the county free library fund for as many years as are determined by the board of supervisors but not to exceed 20, an equal annual installment in such amount that over the designated period of years the entire payment from the county’s general fund will be completely repaid. Payment of the costs of the construction of a county free library building may also be made from the employees retirement fund of a retirement system established under the authority of the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 as an investment of that fund and under the conditions specified in that law.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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