Except as otherwise provided in this section, the board of county commissioners, in counties which do not have countywide library services through a rural single county library or as otherwise determined by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, may appoint a public library board consisting of not less than five nor more than seven members. There shall be at least one member appointed from each of the county commissioner districts. Additional members shall be appointed as follows:

1. One member appointed by the municipal governing board of the county seat; and

2. If the county seat is not the municipality having the largest population, then one member to be appointed by the municipal governing board of the municipality having the largest population. Initial appointments shall be distributed among one-, two- and three-year terms, with two of the appointments to be made for one year, two to be made for two (2) years and three to be made for three (3) years. Subsequent appointments shall be for three-year terms, except in the case of an appointment to fill a vacancy in the membership of the board, which appointment shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term of the member when death, resignation or removal has created the vacancy. No person shall serve more than two (2) successive terms or be appointed for another full term or temporary term until at least two (2) years have elapsed from the end of the second successive term until the beginning of the new term. All tenure of initial and future appointees shall expire on June 30 of the designated year. A member of a board once qualified can thereafter be removed by the appointive authority during his or her term of office only for misconduct or neglect of duty.

Appointments to the board shall be made on the basis of ability, a sound understanding of the total responsibilities and objectives of public libraries and an active interest in the attainment of these comprehensive goals. Appointive members shall be qualified electors and bona fide residents of the county.

All board members shall serve thereon without compensation except actual and necessary travel expenses as authorized by the State Travel Reimbursement Act, Section 500.1 et seq. of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes. Individual memberships for board members in state, regional, and national library associations and expenses incurred in attending board meetings and other library and library-related meetings may be paid from library funds upon proper authorization of the board.

If a multicounty library system or a rural single county library system is formed on or after July 1, 1992, which includes a county with a public library board and provides countywide service to the county, the public library board appointed pursuant to this section may be terminated. All powers, duties and responsibilities of the public library board may be transferred to the Board of Trustees of the multicounty library system or the rural single county library system.

Added by Laws 1992, c. 321, § 5, eff. July 1, 1992. Amended by Laws 1995, c. 165, § 2, emerg. eff. May 2, 1995.