ARTICLE 2. Powers [19640. - 19664.]

Cal. Education Code - EDC 2.
in effect

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19641. Section 19641.

Special meetings may be called at any time by three trustees, by written notices served upon each member at least 12 hours before the time specified for the meeting.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19643. Section 19643.

At its first meeting held after the general district election the board shall organize by electing one of its number president, and another one of its number secretary. They shall serve as such for one year or until their successors are elected and qualified.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19644. Section 19644.

The board shall cause a proper record of its proceedings to be kept, and at the first meeting of the board of trustees, it shall immediately cause to be made out and filed with the State Librarian a certificate showing that the library has been established, with the date thereof, the names of the trustees, and the officers of the board chosen for the current fiscal year.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19645. Section 19645.

The board of library trustees shall make and enforce all rules, regulations, and bylaws necessary for the administration, government, and protection of the library under its management, and all property belonging to it.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19646. Section 19646.

The board of library trustees shall administer any trust declared or created for the library, and receive by gift, devise, or bequest, and hold in trust or otherwise, property situated in this state or elsewhere, and where not otherwise provided, dispose of the property for the benefit of the library.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19647. Section 19647.

The board of library trustees shall prescribe the duties and powers of the librarian, secretary, and other officers and employees of the library, determine the number of and appoint all officers and employees, and fix their compensation. The officers and employees shall hold their offices and positions at the pleasure of the board.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19649. Section 19649.

The board of library trustees shall also purchase such real property, and erect or rent and equip, such building or rooms, as in its judgment is necessary to properly carry out the provisions of this chapter.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19650. Section 19650.

The board of library trustees may request the appropriate state officials to furnish the library with copies of any and all reports, laws, and other publications of the state not otherwise disposed of by law.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19651. Section 19651.

The board of library trustees shall borrow books from, lend books to, and exchange books with other libraries. It shall allow nonresidents to borrow books upon such conditions as it may prescribe.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19652. Section 19652.

The board of library trustees shall do and perform any and all other acts and things necessary or proper to carry out the provisions of this chapter.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19653. Section 19653.

The board of library trustees shall file, through the librarian, on or before the last day in the month of August of each year, a report with the State Librarian at Sacramento giving the condition of the library and the number of volumes contained therein on the 30th day of June preceding. The report shall, in addition to other matters deemed expedient by the board of trustees or the 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 district 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 § 19654. Section 19654.

The board of library trustees shall designate the hours during which the library is open for the use of the public. All public libraries established under this chapter shall be open for the use of the public during every day in the year except on such legal holidays as may be determined by the board of library trustees.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19655. Section 19655.

In any library district formed under the provisions of this chapter, which maintains a public library, or which has petitioned for and been granted permission to establish, and intends to maintain a public library in accordance with this chapter, the board of library trustees shall furnish to the board of supervisors of the county in which the library district is situated, each and every year, on or before the first day of September, an estimate of the cost of any or all of the following: (a) Leasing temporary quarters. (b) Purchasing a suitable lot. (c) Procuring plans and specifications and erecting a suitable building. (d) Furnishing and equipping the building and fencing and ornamenting the grounds, for the accommodation of the public library. (e) Conducting and maintaining the library for the ensuing fiscal year.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19656. Section 19656.

The board of library trustees may, when in its judgment it is deemed advisable, and upon the petition of 50 or more taxpayers residing within the library district shall, call an election and submit to the electors of the library district the question of whether the bonds of the library district shall be issued and sold for any or all the purposes of this chapter.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19658. Section 19658.

The revenue derived from the tax, together with all money acquired by gift, devise, bequest, or otherwise, for the purposes of the library, shall be paid into the county treasury, to the credit of the library fund of the district in which the tax is collected, subject only to the order of the library trustees of the district. If payment into the treasury is inconsistent with the terms or conditions of any gift, devise, or bequest, the board of library trustees shall provide for the safety and preservation of the fund, and the application thereof to the use of the library, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the gift, devise, or bequest.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19659. Section 19659.

Upon the receipt by the county auditor of an order of the library trustees of the district he shall issue his warrant upon the county treasurer for the amount stated in the order.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19660. Section 19660.

When any warrant is presented to the treasurer for payment and it is not paid for want of funds the treasurer shall endorse thereon “not paid for want of funds” with the date of presentation and sign his name thereto and from that time the warrant bears interest at the rate of 6 percent per annum until it is paid or until funds are available for its payment and the county treasurer gives notice to the warrant holder that funds are available for payment. The giving of the notice is deemed complete upon deposit thereof in the United States mail in a sealed envelope addressed to the warrant holder at his address given by him at the time of presentation of the warrant to the treasurer, with postage thereon fully prepaid and registered.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19661. Section 19661.

Every library established under this chapter shall be forever free to the inhabitants and nonresident taxpayers of the library district, subject always to such rules, regulations, and bylaws as may be made by the board of library trustees. For any violation of the rules, regulations, or bylaws a person may be fined or excluded from the privileges of the library.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19662. Section 19662.

Boards of library trustees and the boards of trustees of neighboring library districts, or the legislative bodies of neighboring municipalities, or boards of supervisors of the counties in which public libraries are situated, may contract to lend the books of the libraries to residents of the counties or neighboring municipalities, or library districts, upon a reasonable compensation to be paid by the counties, neighboring municipalities, or library districts.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19663. Section 19663.

The title to all property acquired for the purposes of the libraries, when not inconsistent with the terms of its acquisition, or not otherwise designated, vests in the district in which libraries are, or are to be situated.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 19664. Section 19664.

Every library district shall be designated by the name and style of ____ Library District, (using the name of the district), of ____ County, (using the name of the county in which the district is situated). In that name the trustees may sue and be sued, and may hold and convey property for the use and benefit of the district. A number shall not be used as a part of the designation of any library district.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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