Article 1. Establishment of California Education Code >> Division 1. >> Title 1. >> Part 11. >> Chapter 6. >> Article 1.
The boards of supervisors of the several counties may
establish and maintain, within their respective counties, county free
libraries pursuant to this chapter.
The board of supervisors of any county may establish at the
county seat or elsewhere in the county, a county free library for
that part of the county lying outside of cities maintaining free
public libraries, and outside of library districts maintaining
district libraries, and for all such additional portions of the
county as may elect to become a part of, or to participate in, the
county free library system as provided in this chapter.
At least once a week for two successive weeks prior to
taking any action, the board of supervisors shall publish, in a
newspaper designated by it and published in the county, notice of the
contemplated action, giving the date of the meeting at which the
action is proposed to be taken.
After the establishment of a county free library, the board
of trustees, common council, or other legislative body of any city in
the county maintaining a free public library, or the board of
trustees of any library district maintaining a district library, may
notify the board of supervisors that the city or library district
desires to become a part of the county free library system.
Thereafter the city or library district shall be a part of the system
and its inhabitants shall be entitled to the benefits of the county
free library, and the property within the city or library district
shall be liable to taxes levied for county free library purposes.
(a) The board of trustees, common council, or other
legislative body of a city or the board of trustees of a library
district may, on or before January 1 of any year, notify the county
board of supervisors that the city or library district no longer
desires to be a part of the county free library system. The notice
shall be accompanied by a statement complying with the requirements
of Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 54900) of Part 1 of Division 2
of Title 5 of the Government Code. The clerk of the board of
supervisors shall file the statement with the county assessor and the
State Board of Equalization. Thereafter the city or library district
shall cease to participate in the benefits of the county free
library system, and the property situated in the city or library
district shall not be liable for taxes for county free library
purposes.
(b) If the board of trustees, common council, or other legislative
body of a city or the board of trustees of a library district
intends to withdraw from the county free library system and operate
the city's or the district's library or libraries with a private
contractor that will employ library staff to achieve cost savings,
the requirements of Section 19104.5 shall apply, unless the library
or libraries are funded only by the proceeds of a special tax imposed
by the city or library district pursuant to Article 3.5 (commencing
with Section 50075) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5
of the Government Code.
(a) The board of trustees, common council, or other
legislative body of a city or the board of trustees of a library
district in which a withdrawal from the county free library system
becomes effective on or after January 1, 2012, shall comply with all
of the following requirements before entering into a contract to
operate the city's or the district's library or libraries with a
private contractor that will employ library staff to achieve cost
savings:
(1) At least once a week for four consecutive weeks before taking
any action, the board of trustees, common council, or other
legislative body of the city or the board of trustees of the library
district shall publish, in a newspaper designated by it and
circulated throughout the city or library district, notice of the
contemplated action, giving the date and place of the meeting at
which the contemplated action is proposed to be taken.
(2) The board of trustees, common council, or other legislative
body of a city or the board of trustees of a library district shall
clearly demonstrate that the contract will result in actual overall
cost savings to the city or library district for the duration of the
entire contract as compared with the city's or library district's
actual costs of providing the same services, provided that, in
comparing costs, all of the following occur:
(A) The city's or library district's additional cost of providing
the same services as proposed by the contract shall be included.
These additional costs shall include the salaries and benefits of
additional staff that would be needed and the cost of additional
space, equipment, and materials needed to perform the necessary
functions of the library.
(B) The city's or library district's indirect overhead costs shall
not be included unless those costs can be attributed solely to the
function in question and would not exist if that function was not
performed by the city or library district. For purposes of this
subparagraph, "indirect overhead costs" means the pro rata share of
existing administrative salaries and benefits, rent, equipment costs,
utilities, and materials.
(C) The cost of a contractor providing a service for any
continuing city or library district costs that would be directly
associated with the contracted function shall be included. Continuing
city or library district costs shall include, but not be limited to,
costs for inspection, supervision, and monitoring.
(3) The contract shall not be approved solely on the basis that
savings will result from lower contractor pay rates or benefits.
Contracts shall be eligible for approval if the contractor's wages
are at the industry's level and do not undercut city or library
district pay rates.
(4) The contract shall not cause an existing city or library
district employee to incur a loss of his or her employment or
employment seniority, a reduction in wages, benefits, or hours, or an
involuntary transfer to a new location requiring a change in
residence.
(5) The contract shall be awarded through a publicized,
competitive bidding process.
(6) The contract shall include specific provisions pertaining to
the qualifications of the staff that will perform the work under the
contract, as well as assurances that the contractor's hiring
practices meet applicable nondiscrimination standards.
(7) The contract shall provide that it may be terminated at any
time by the city or library district without penalty if there is a
material breach of the contract and notice is provided within 30 days
of termination.
(8) If the contract is for library services in excess of one
hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) annually, all of the following
shall occur:
(A) The city or library district shall require the contractor to
disclose all of the following information as part of its bid,
application, or answer to a request for proposal:
(i) A description of all charges, claims, or complaints filed
against the contractor with any federal, state, or local
administrative agency during the prior 10 years.
(ii) A description of all civil complaints filed against the
contractor in any state or federal court during the prior 10 years.
(iii) A description of all state or federal criminal complaints or
indictments filed against the contractor, or any of its officers,
directors, or managers, at any time.
(iv) A description of any debarments of the contractor by any
public agency or licensing body at any time.
(B) The city or library district shall include in the contract
specific, measurable performance standards and provisions for a
performance audit by the city or library district, or an independent
auditor approved by the city or library district, to determine
whether the performance standards are being met and whether the
contractor is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The
city or library district shall not renew or extend the contract
before receiving and considering the audit report.
(C) The contract shall include provisions for an audit by the city
or library district, or an independent auditor approved by the city
or library district, to determine whether and to what extent the
anticipated cost savings have actually been realized. The city or
library district shall not renew or extend the contract before
receiving and considering the audit report.
(9) The term of the contract shall not be more than five years
from the date on which the board of trustees, common council, or
other legislative body of a city or the board of trustees of a
library district approves the contract.
(b) This section does not preclude a city, library district, or
local government from adopting more restrictive rules regarding the
contracting of public services.
(c) This section shall not apply to contracts between a city or
library district and a nonprofit organization if both of the
following requirements are met:
(1) The nonprofit organization shall not be a parent or subsidiary
of a for-profit entity.
(2) The contract shall prohibit the nonprofit organization from
subcontracting the obligation to operate the library or libraries and
to employ and supervise library staff.
(d) This section shall not apply to a library or libraries that
are funded only by the proceeds of a special tax imposed by the city
or library district pursuant to Article 3.5 (commencing with Section
50075) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5 of the
Government Code.
(e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2019, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2019, deletes or extends
that date.
If the notice is given after January 1st of any year, the
property situated in the city or library district shall be liable to
taxes for county free library purposes during the immediately
succeeding year, and the notice shall not be effective until the next
succeeding year, and library service shall be rendered in the city
or library district during the year for which taxes are levied for
library purposes in the city or library district.
Before any board of trustees, common council, or other
legislative body of any city, or the board of trustees of any library
district gives notice that the city or library district desires to
become a part of the county free library system, or gives notice of
withdrawal from the system, the board of trustees, common council, or
other legislative body of the city or the board of trustees of the
library district shall publish at least once a week for two
successive weeks prior to the giving of either notice, in a newspaper
designated by the board of trustees, common council, or other
legislative body of the city or the board of library trustees of the
library district, and circulating throughout the city or library
district, notice of the contemplated action, giving the date and the
place of the meeting at which the contemplated action is proposed to
be taken.
The board of supervisors of any county in which a county
free library has been established may enter into contracts with any
city maintaining a free public library, and any such city, through
its board of trustees or other legislative body, may enter into
contracts with the county to secure to the residents of the city the
same privileges of the county free library as are granted to, or
enjoyed by, the residents of the county outside of the city, or such
privileges as are agreed upon in the contract, upon such
consideration named in the contract as is agreed upon, to be paid
into the county free library fund. Thereupon the residents of the
city shall have the same privileges with regard to the county free
library as the residents of the county outside of the city, or such
privileges as are agreed upon by the contract.
The board of supervisors of any county in which a county
free library has been established may enter into a contract with the
board of supervisors of any other county to secure to the residents
of the other county such privileges of the county free library as are
agreed upon by the contract and upon such considerations as are
agreed upon in the contract to be paid into the county free library
fund. Thereupon the inhabitants of the other county shall have such
privileges of the county free library as are agreed upon by the
contract.
The board of supervisors of any county may enter into a
contract with the board of supervisors of another county in which a
county free library has been established, and may levy a library tax,
for the purpose of carrying out the contract.
The board of supervisors of any county may contract with the
board of supervisors of any other county or two or more other
counties to provide for the services of a single qualified librarian
to serve simultaneously as the county librarian of each county.
The making of the contract shall not bar the board of
supervisors of the county during the continuance of the contract from
establishing a county free library under the provisions of this
chapter if none is already established. Upon the establishment of any
county free library, the contract may be terminated upon such terms
as may be agreed upon by the parties thereto, or may continue for the
term thereof.
Instead of establishing a separate county free library, the
board of supervisors may enter into a contract with the board of
library trustees or other authority in charge of the free public
library of any city and the board of library trustees, or other
authority in charge of the free public library, may make such a
contract. The contract may provide that the free public library of
the city shall assume the functions of a county free library within
the county with which the contract is made, including cities in the
county. The board of supervisors may agree to pay annually into the
library fund of the city such sum as may be agreed upon. Either party
to the contract may terminate the contract by giving six months'
notice of intention to do so.
After a county free library has been established, it may be
disestablished in the same manner as it was established. At least
once a week for two successive weeks prior to taking any action, the
board of supervisors shall publish, in a newspaper designated by
them, and published in the county, notice of the contemplated action,
giving therein the date of the meeting at which the contemplated
action is proposed to be taken.
Whenever any of the territory being served by a county free
library is annexed to, or otherwise included within, any municipal
corporation not served by the county free library, the board of
supervisors of the county shall order the county free library to
continue to serve the territory annexed to, or otherwise included
within the municipality, until the end of the fiscal year or years
for which a tax has been levied upon the property of the annexed
territory for the support of the county free library.
The board of supervisors may establish a reasonable fee to
be collected from persons who desire to participate in the services
and benefits of the county free library and who are not residents of
the territory in the county which is liable for taxes for county free
library purposes. In establishing the fee, the board may also
prescribe such regulations or limitations applicable to the use of
the county free library by such persons as may reasonably be
necessary.
(a) (1) Sections 19104 and 19105 are not applicable to the
withdrawal of a city or library district from the county free library
system in Los Angeles County or Riverside County. The legislative
body of a city or the board of trustees of a library district, whose
jurisdiction is within the County of Los Angeles or the County of
Riverside, may notify the board of supervisors for Los Angeles County
or Riverside County, as appropriate, that the city or library
district no longer desires to be a part of the county free library
system. The notice shall state whether the city or library district
intends to acquire property pursuant to subdivision (c). The board of
supervisors shall transmit a copy of the notice to the Los Angeles
County Assessor or Riverside County Assessor, as appropriate, the Los
Angeles County Auditor or Riverside County Auditor, as appropriate,
and the State Board of Equalization.
(2) The legislative body of a city or the board of trustees of a
library district in which a withdrawal from the county free library
system in Los Angeles County or Riverside County becomes effective on
or after January 1, 2012, shall comply with the requirements of
Section 19104.5 before entering into a contract to operate the city's
or the district's library or libraries with a private contractor
that will employ library staff to achieve cost savings, unless the
library or libraries are funded only by the proceeds of a special tax
imposed by the city or library district pursuant to Article 3.5
(commencing with Section 50075) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 1
of Title 5 of the Government Code.
(b) When a city or library district files a notice pursuant to
subdivision (a), it shall remain a member of the county free library
system until July 1 of the base year or the date on which property is
transferred pursuant to subdivision (c), whichever date is later.
Upon ceasing to be a member of the county free library system, the
city or library district shall not participate in any benefits of the
county free library system, and shall assume the responsibility for
the provision of library services within its jurisdiction. Unless
otherwise agreed by July 1 of the base year in writing by the Board
of Supervisors of Los Angeles County or the Board of Supervisors of
Riverside County, as appropriate, and the withdrawing city or library
district, an amount of property tax revenue equal to the property
tax revenues allocated to the county free library pursuant to Article
2 (commencing with Section 96) of Chapter 6 of Part 0.5 of Division
1 of the Revenue and Taxation Code in the fiscal year before the base
year and that were derived from property situated within the
boundaries of the withdrawing entity shall be allocated to and used
to maintain library services by the withdrawing entity in the base
year and, adjusted forward, in each fiscal year thereafter at the
same time allocations are made pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with
Section 96) of Chapter 6 of Part 0.5 of Division 1 of the Revenue
and Taxation Code. This subdivision shall not apply to property tax
revenues that have been pledged to repay bonded indebtedness of the
county free library system.
(c) If there are one or more county library facilities within the
territorial boundaries of the withdrawing entity at the time the
withdrawing entity provides notice pursuant to subdivision (a), the
withdrawing entity shall have the right to acquire any or all of
those facilities from the county and the county shall, no later than
July 1 of the base year, transfer to the withdrawing entity each
facility to be acquired and the personal property therein related to
the provision of library services. If the facility or personal
property was purchased with bond proceeds or other forms of
indebtedness, acquisition shall only take place if the withdrawing
entity assumes any remaining indebtedness and in no way impairs the
repayment thereof. If the withdrawing entity opts not to acquire any
facilities or personal property, the county at its discretion may
dispose of the facilities or personal property or convert the use of
those facilities or personal property, including transferring
collections and other personal property to other sites and converting
facilities to other purposes. If the withdrawing entity opts to
acquire any facilities or personal property, the acquisition prices
shall be as follows unless otherwise provided for by statute or
contract:
(1) Each county library facility which, for purposes of this
section, shall include the real property upon which the facility is
located and any fixtures therein and shall not include computer
systems and software, shall be transferred for the lesser of:
(A) No cost, if the facility was donated to the county by the
withdrawing entity.
(B) The price paid to the withdrawing entity by the county for the
facility, if the county bought the facility from the withdrawing
entity. However, if the county constructed capital improvements to
the facility after it was bought from the withdrawing entity, the
county's total out-of-pocket costs for the capital improvement
excluding any costs for routine repairs, restoration, or maintenance,
shall be added to the price.
(C) The fair market value of the facility. However, if any portion
of the facility was donated to the county by the withdrawing entity
or if any moneys were donated by the withdrawing entity toward the
county's construction or acquisition of the facility or any portion
thereof, the value of the donation shall be subtracted from the fair
market value.
(2) Any personal property within the facility related to the
provision of library services, including books and resource
materials, computer systems and software, furniture, and furnishings,
shall be transferred for the lesser of:
(A) No cost, if the property was donated to the county by the
withdrawing entity.
(B) The fair market value of the personal property. However, on or
before the March 1 preceding the July 1 of the base year, the county
librarian may designate collections of resource books and materials
that are unique in, and integral to, the county free library system
to be special collections. The special collections shall be acquired
by the withdrawing entity only upon mutually agreeable terms and
conditions.
(d) If a facility transferred pursuant to subdivision (c) serves
residents of surrounding jurisdictions, the board of supervisors
governing the county free library system may require, as a condition
of transferring the facility, that the library services provided by
the withdrawing entity to its residents also be available on the same
basis to the residents of the surrounding jurisdictions. However, if
the withdrawing entity contributes to the provision of library
services from other city funds, or through taxes, assessments, or
fees of its residents, the withdrawing entity may provide additional
services to its residents. If the requirement to provide regional
services is imposed and, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the
county and the withdrawing entity by July 1 of the base year, an
amount of property tax revenues equal to the property tax revenues
derived from property situated in the surrounding jurisdictions that
were, in the fiscal year before the base year, allocated to the
county free library system pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with
Section 96) of Chapter 6 of Part 0.5 of Division 1 of the Revenue and
Taxation Code shall be allocated to and used to maintain library
services by the withdrawing entity in the base year and, adjusted
forward, in each fiscal year thereafter at the same time other
allocations are made pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section
96) of Chapter 6 of Part 0.5 of Division 1 of the Revenue and
Taxation Code. This subdivision shall not apply to property tax
revenues that have been pledged to repay bonded indebtedness. If a
surrounding jurisdiction subsequently provides notice of its intent
to withdraw from the county free library system pursuant to
subdivision (a), on the date the surrounding jurisdiction ceases to
participate in the benefits of the county free library system
pursuant to subdivision (b), the withdrawing entity shall no longer
be required to make library services available to the residents of
the surrounding jurisdiction and property tax revenues derived from
property situated in the surrounding jurisdiction shall no longer be
allocated to the withdrawing entity pursuant to this subdivision.
(e) For purposes of this section, the following terms are defined
as follows:
(1) "Base year" means the fiscal year commencing on the July 1
following the December 2 following the date of the notice given
pursuant to subdivision (a) of this section.
(2) "Fair market value" means:
(A) Any value agreed upon by the withdrawing entity and the
county.
(B) If no agreement as to value is reached by the March 1
preceding the July 1 of the base year, the value assigned by an
appraiser agreed upon by the withdrawing entity and the county.
(C) If no agreement as to the appointment of an appraiser is
reached pursuant to subparagraph (B) by the April 1 preceding the
July 1 of the base year, the value assigned by an appraiser agreed
upon between the withdrawing entity's appraiser and the county's
appraiser.
(D) If no agreement as to the appointment of an appraiser is
reached pursuant to subparagraph (C) by the May 1 preceding the July
1 of the base year, the value assigned by a state-certified appraiser
designated by the withdrawing entity. The designated appraiser shall
provide the appraisal in writing to the county no later than the
June 1 preceding the July 1 of the base year.
(E) The withdrawing entity shall reimburse the county for any
appraisal costs the county incurs in determining the fair market
value pursuant to this section.
(3) "Surrounding jurisdictions" means cities and library districts
that are adjacent to the withdrawing entity and tax rate areas in
unincorporated areas of the county that are wholly or partially
within the withdrawing entity's sphere of influence, that are within
the county free library system, and that have no facility within
their territorial boundaries providing library services at the time
the withdrawing entity provides notice pursuant to subdivision (a).