2018 Mississippi Code
Title 39 - Libraries, Arts, Archives and History
Chapter 3 - Libraries and Library Commission
Article 1 - Libraries.
§ 39-3-17. Library boards of trustees; organization; general powers and duties.
(1) The trustees of the administrative board designated pursuant to Section 39-3-13(4), immediately after their appointment or election, shall meet and organize by the election of such officers as they deem necessary. They shall (a) adopt such bylaws, rules and regulations for their own guidance and for the government of the library as they deem expedient; (b) meet at least once in each quarter; (c) have the supervision, care and custody of all property of the library, including the rooms or buildings constructed, leased or set apart therefor; (d) employ a library system director, prescribe his/her duties, fix his/her compensation, and remove him/her for cause; (e) employ, upon the recommendation of the library system director, such other staff as may be necessary and fix their compensation; (f) submit annually to the governing body a budget containing estimates for the ensuing year; (g) have exclusive control of the finances of the library system; (h) accept such gifts of money or property for library purposes as they deem expedient; (i) on recommendation of library system director purchase books, periodicals, maps, equipment, insurance and supplies for the library system; (j) dispose of equipment and discarded library materials as provided in Section 19-7-5, Mississippi Code of 1972; and (k) do all other acts necessary for the orderly and efficient management and control of the library system. But no expenditure made or contracted by the trustees shall be binding on any county or municipality so as to require any payment in excess of funds made available for library purposes under this article.
(2) There shall be one (1) library director for each library system. Said library system director shall have such educational qualifications as are prescribed by the Mississippi Library Commission. The library system director shall administer and establish procedures according to policies established by the administrative board of trustees. His or her duties shall include: (a) employment of staff with the approval of the board of trustees; (b) prescription of staff duties; (c) removal of staff for cause; (d) preparation of the budget; (e) financial and statistical management; (f) reporting to board of trustees; and (g) other acts necessary for the orderly and efficient administration of the library system.
(3) In the event that a determination is made by the library system director to remove a staff member for cause, written notice of such decision shall be given to such staff member. A staff member who has received such notice shall be entitled to:
(a) Written notice of the reasons for such action, together with a summary of the factual basis therefor, which notice shall be given at least five (5) days prior to any hearing;
(b) An opportunity for a hearing before the board of trustees at which to present matters relevant to the reasons given for the decision, including any reasons alleged by the employee to be the reason for such action;
(c) Receive a fair and impartial hearing before the board;
(d) Be represented by legal counsel, at his own expense.
If the staff member does not request a hearing, the decision of the director shall be final.
(4) On at least a bi-monthly basis, the board of supervisors of each county and the governing authority of each municipality supporting a public library system shall transmit its warrant or warrants constituting one-sixth ( ⅙) of the annual appropriation for the support and maintenance thereof to the library director of such system. All such warrants shall be deposited in one or more public depositories previously selected by the board of trustees of the library system. The said board of trustees shall, by appropriate order spread upon its minutes, authorize the library director to expend such funds for lawful purposes only and in accordance with its annual budget previously adopted. All such funds shall be placed in the depository or depositories selected by the administrative library board of trustees in the same manner as provided in Section 27-105-305 for the selection of county depositories, provided that the selection shall be effective on July 1 of each year. Such depository shall place on deposit with the library director the same securities as required in Section 27-105-315.
