An Act To Update the Laws Governing the Regional Library Systems
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1396
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: NADEAU, BELLOWS, BRYANT, CAMPBELL, COLLINGS, FARNSWORTH, FAY, INGWERSEN, KESCHL, CARPENTER
Amends: 5 MRSA §12004-I, 27 MRSA §110, 27 MRSA §114-A, 27 MRSA §111, 27 MRSA §112, 27 MRSA §113, 27 MRSA §114, 27 MRSA §115, 27 MRSA §116, 27 MRSA §117, 27 MRSA §118

Legislative Document
No. 1396
H.P. 1010
House of Representatives, March 26, 2019
An Act To Update the Laws Governing the Regional Library 
Systems
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative NADEAU of Winslow.
Cosponsored by Senator BELLOWS of Kennebec and
Representatives: BRYANT of Windham, CAMPBELL of Orrington, COLLINGS of Portland, 
FARNSWORTH of Portland, FAY of Raymond, INGWERSEN of Arundel, KESCHL of 
Belgrade, Senator: CARPENTER of Aroostook.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§5-D is enacted to read:
5-D.   
Sec. 2.  27 MRSA §110, sub-§2, as corrected by RR 1991, c. 2, §101, is amended 
to read:
2.  Area reference and resource center.  "Area reference and resource center" 
means a large public, school or academic library designated by the State Librarian and 
receiving state aid for the purposes of making its resources and services available without 
charge to all residents of the district within a library region, of providing supplementary 
library services to local libraries within the district library region and of coordinating the 
services of all local libraries within the district library region that by contract become part 
of the library district region.
Sec. 3.  27 MRSA §110, sub-§4, as amended by PL 1977, c. 125, §1, is further 
amended to read:
4.  Maine State Library consultant or specialist. "District Maine State Library 
consultant or specialist" means one an individual who acts as a general library consultant 
or specialist to one or more districts library regions.
Sec. 4.  27 MRSA §110, sub-§5, as repealed and replaced by PL 1981, c. 464, 
§29, is repealed.
Sec. 5.  27 MRSA §110, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 1973, c. 626, §6, is repealed.
Sec. 6.  27 MRSA §110, sub-§7, as enacted by PL 1973, c. 626, §6, is amended to 
read:
7.  Library region. "Library district region" or "region" means a defined geographic 
area consisting of local libraries.  Libraries from multiple regions may be joined 
cooperatively to an area reference and resource center and a research center.  Local 
libraries within the district library region may also be joined cooperatively with other 
types of libraries.
Sec. 7.  27 MRSA §110, sub-§9, as enacted by PL 1973, c. 626, §6, is repealed.
Sec. 8.  27 MRSA §110, sub-§9-A is enacted to read:
9-A.  Maine Library Advisory Council.  "Maine Library Advisory Council" means 
an advisory body representing a constituency of participating libraries from all 
geographical library regions, as described in section 114-A.
Culture
Maine Library 
Advisory Council
Not Authorized
MRSA §114-A
Sec. 9.  27 MRSA §110, sub-§11, as enacted by PL 1973, c. 626, §6, is amended 
to read:
11.  Regional library system. "Regional library system" means a network of library 
districts regions interrelated by formal or informal contract, for the purpose of organizing 
library resources and services for research, information and recreation to improve 
statewide library service and to serve collectively the entire population of the State.
Sec. 10.  27 MRSA §111, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1993, c. 349, §57, is 
repealed and the following enacted in its place:
1.  Maine Library Commission.  There is created the Maine Library Commission, 
as established by Title 5, section 12004-G, subsection 7-E, which consists of 15 members 
appointed by the Governor.  The commission membership must be broadly representative 
of the State's libraries and ensure geographic diversity and broad individual experiences 
and consist of the following:
A.  Two members representing public libraries;
B.  Two members representing kindergarten to grade 12 libraries;
C.  One member representing a large university library;
D.  One member representing a small college or community college library;
E.  One member representing a special or institution library;
F.  One member representing persons with disabilities;
G.  One member serving as a trustee for a library in the State;
H.  One member of the Maine Library Advisory Council pursuant to section 114-A, 
subsection 1;
I.  One member representing underserved and rural communities;
J.  One member representing a Native American community; and
K.  Three at-large members.
The term of each appointed member is 3 years or until a successor is appointed and 
qualified. A member may not serve more than 2 successive terms. In the case of a 
vacancy other than the expiration of a term, the appointment of a successor must be made 
in like manner for the balance of the term.
In addition to the 15 appointed members, the directors of the area reference and resource 
centers shall serve as permanent, nonvoting ex officio members of the Maine Library 
Commission.
The commission shall meet at least 4 times a year. It shall elect a chair and vice-chair for 
terms of 2 years and frame and modify bylaws for its internal organization and operation. 
The State Librarian shall serve as secretary to the commission. The members of the 
commission are compensated according to the provisions of Title 5, chapter 379.
Sec. 11.  27 MRSA §112, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1989, c. 700, Pt. B, §27, is 
further amended to read:
2.  Policies.  Establish the policies and operations of the Maine State Library and the 
State's library program including minimum standards of library service, the 
apportionment of state aid to libraries, the designation of library districts regions and their 
boundaries, the endorsement of the designation of area reference and resource centers and 
the designation of research centers after full consideration of the advice of the district 
council State Librarian;
Sec. 12.  27 MRSA §113, as repealed and replaced by PL 1989, c. 700, Pt. B, §29, 
is amended to read:
§113.  Library regions
The Maine Library Commission shall divide the State into as many districts regions 
as the commission determines are required and shall establish or modify the geographical 
boundaries of each district region.
Sec. 13.  27 MRSA §114, as amended by PL 1981, c. 464, §30, is repealed.
Sec. 14.  27 MRSA §114-A is enacted to read:
§114-A.  Maine Library Advisory Council
There is created the Maine Library Advisory Council, as established in Title 5, 
section 12004-I, subsection 5-D and referred to in this section as "the council."
1.  Membership.  The council consists of one member from each established library 
region appointed in accordance with the council's bylaws.  An additional member is 
appointed by the Governor to serve as a liaison with the Maine Library Commission 
pursuant to section 111, subsection 1, paragraph H.  The council shall elect from its 
membership officers as appropriate.  The council shall meet at least 4 times a year.
2.  Duties.  The council shall:
A.  Serve as an advisory body for the regions;
B.  Evaluate library services in all regions in order to advise the Maine State Library 
and the Maine Library Commission regarding services that encourage cooperative 
activity among all types of libraries;
C.  Provide liaison services among all local libraries in a region;
D.  Make recommendations to Maine State Library staff and the Maine Library 
Commission regarding programs and services that help to make libraries accessible to 
all; and
E.  Advise the State Librarian on the need for and the designation of area reference 
and resource centers and research centers in any region.
Sec. 15.  27 MRSA §115, as amended by PL 1989, c. 700, Pt. B, §§30 and 31, is 
further amended to read:
§115.  Area reference and resource centers
Each district shall library region must be affiliated with an area reference and 
resource center which shall be designated by the Maine Library Commission State 
Librarian.
1.  Duties.  The An area reference and resource center may: 
A.  Provide a common borrower's card for member libraries and residents within 
library regions, as determined through contractual arrangements between the Maine 
State Library and the area reference and resource center;
B.  Participate with the district Maine State Library consultant or specialist in 
planning and conducting workshops on community-library planning;
C.  Provide office space and support services to the extent able to the district 
consultant Maine State Library consultant or specialist; and
D.  Join with the district council in assigning priorities to implement the district plan; 
and
E.  Such Provide other cooperative activities and services as member libraries may 
need or require.
Sec. 16.  27 MRSA §116, sub-§1, ¶C, as enacted by PL 1973, c. 626, §6, is 
amended to read:
C.  Provide such other cooperative activities and services as member libraries may 
need or require.
Sec. 17.  27 MRSA §117, as amended by PL 2013, c. 82, §10, is further amended 
to read:
§117.  Maine State Library consultants or specialists
Staff of the Maine State Library holding the position of consultant or specialist shall 
provide consulting or specialist services to libraries in all library regions.  The State 
Librarian, with the advice of the district council Maine Library Advisory Council, shall 
appoint a staff member, or contract with an area reference and resource center, to provide 
district consultant services holding the position of consultant or specialist to serve as a 
primary point of contact or liaison to one or more districts library regions.
1.  Duties.  The district consultant shall serve as secretary of the district council and 
further A Maine State Library consultant or specialist shall: 
A.  Serve as a professional consultant to libraries within the district or districts;
B.  Study the needs of the district library region or regions and make 
recommendations to the district council Maine Library Advisory Council;
C.  Coordinate services among libraries of all types;
D.  Provide liaison between the district, other districts library region or regions and 
the Maine State Library;
E.  Encourage local initiative and commitment to regional cooperative library service; 
and
F.  Work with area reference and resource center staff members in planning area 
reference and interlibrary loan service; and.
G.  Help evolve a district plan of service.
Sec. 18.  27 MRSA §118, as amended by PL 1989, c. 700, Pt. B, §32, is further 
amended to read:
§118.  School libraries
Any school library or media center in a community with no public library service, or 
serving communities with no public libraries, which that agrees to offer service as a 
public library, is entitled to all the benefits accruing to a public library with the approval 
of the State Librarian.
Sec. 19.  Transition.  Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 27, 
section 111, subsection 1, members of the Maine Library Commission serving on the 
commission immediately prior to the effective date of this Act continue to serve as 
members of the commission for the terms for which they were appointed until the 
Governor appoints their successors.
SUMMARY
This bill makes administrative updates to the laws governing regional library 
systems.  It promotes cooperation between library systems by replacing library districts 
with library regions, consolidating the district councils by establishing the Maine Library 
Advisory Council to serve as an advisory body to the library regions and directing staff of 
the Maine State Library holding the position of consultant or specialist to provide 
services to library regions as appointed by the State Librarian.  The bill also revises the 
membership and terms of the Maine Library Commission.