Delaware General Assembly


CHAPTER 81

FORMERLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 94

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DIVISION OF LIBRARIES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend Title 29, §8731 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows, and redesignating accordingly:

§ 8731 Division of Libraries.

(a) In addition to any other power granted or duties imposed under this title, the Division of Libraries shall exercise general direction and control over the furnishing of library services within this State. The Director of the Division shall be the State Librarian, who shall be a graduate of a school accredited by the American Library Association. The Division of Libraries shall have the following functions and duties:

(1) To provide information, resource materials and library services to state agencies, state and local governmental units and their subdivisions and, in the Department's discretion, to organizations in need of library services;

(2) To coordinate library services of the several counties statewide in order to assure to every Delaware citizen free and equal access to services, resources and guidance in the use of such for lifelong learning, continuing self-educational, political, cultural, economic, recreational and intellectual enrichment;

(3) To receive, accept, administer and expend any money, materials or other aid granted, appropriated or otherwise provided by local, state or federal governments, or by any source, public or private, in accordance with the terms thereof, and for the purposes provided hereinafter;

(4) To foster the recruitment, development and maximum utilization of library personnel throughout the State;

(5) To encourage broad community participation in library development, program planning and the implementation of such plans;

(6) To establish and promote cooperation among all types of libraries (including but not limited to public, academic, school, and special) at all service levels;

(7) To ensure the State's compatibility to and reciprocity within an international a national information resources network;

(8) To administer the Statewide Delaware Library Network and the Statewide Delaware Library Consortium;

(8)(9) To provide online access at each public library in state government to local, state, and federal documents and resources; a complete collection of current documents published by state government and a comprehensive collection of current local, state and federal documents of interest to the State;

(9)(10) To coordinate the provision of accessible library and information services for individuals with disabilities and to serve as the Delaware Regional Library for the Library of Congress Network of Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped;

(10)(11) To stimulate every Delaware citizen library patron to fully utilize the State's cultural resource materials and technologies, and to maintain the individual's privacy, acceptable use, and right of access to those materials, and technologies;

(11)(12) To offer resources which supplement and reinforce local libraries;

(12)(13) To collect, compile, research, publish and disseminate information, including statistics, affecting the efficient operation of the State's library system;

(13)(14) To recommend legislation to achieve meaningful statewide library development and use;

(14)(15) To establish, interpret and administer standards of effective library services;

(15)(16) To enter into contracts and agreements to provide or to obtain library services and materials; and

(16)(17) To perform all other activities pertinent to the organizational function of library services.

(b) Every state agency shall provide and deposit with the Department with access to electronic sufficient copies of all publications issued by such agencies for the purpose of making accessible to Delaware and other citizens resource materials published at the expense of the State. The Administrator of Libraries shall recommend the number of copies required for deposit, consistent with state interests. From time to time listing of such documents received under the terms of this section shall be published.

Approved July 19, 2017