51-201. Public libraries; establishment; tax; amount authorized; limitation; library fund; county library; election required; merger authorized.

The city council of any city, the board of trustees of any incorporated village, the county board of any county, and the electors of any township at their annual town meeting shall have the power to establish a public library free of charge for the use of the inhabitants of such city, village, county, or township.

Any such council, board, or electors may also contract for the use of a public library already established and may levy a tax of not more than ten and five-tenths cents on each one hundred dollars upon the taxable value of all the taxable property in such city, village, county, or township annually to be levied and collected in like manner as other taxes in such city, village, county, or township, except that when any county discontinues township organization, the county shall levy and collect a tax of not more than ten and five-tenths cents on each one hundred dollars for such public library. The levy shall be subject to sections 77-3442 and 77-3443. The amount collected from such levy shall be known as the library fund.

Before establishing a county library, the county board shall submit the question to the voters of the county at a general election pursuant to section 32-559, including only incorporated and unincorporated areas which do not have a public library, and a majority of the voters voting on the question of whether to establish a county library shall authorize the establishment of such county library and the levying of the tax. A city, village, or township within the county that has a public library may merge with the county library, if established, upon a majority vote pursuant to section 51-201.04. When such questions are submitted and carried, the county board shall include the county library in its next succeeding estimate and levy. Such submission shall not be required when the board levies a tax for the purpose of contracting for use of a library already established. When the county board makes a levy for a county library or for the purpose of contracting for use of a public library already established, the county board shall omit from the levy of the library tax all property within the limits of any city, village, or township in such county which already maintains a library by public tax unless the voters of the city, village, or township have voted to merge with the county library.

The method of merger of libraries provided in this section and sections 51-201.03 to 51-201.07 shall not be construed as the exclusive way to merge libraries or library facilities. Nothing in such sections shall prohibit a county, city, village, or township from entering into an agreement pursuant to the Interlocal Cooperation Act or the Joint Public Agency Act relating to library services.

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