{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/42.1-33.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/42.1-33.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/42.1-33.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/42.1-33.html"}],"law_id":77003,"edition_id":1,"section_id":77003,"structure_id":14042,"section_number":"42.1-33","catch_line":"Power of local governments to establish and support libraries","history":"1970, c. 606.","full_text":"The governing body of any city, county or town shall have the power to establish a free public library for the use and benefit of its residents. The governing body shall provide sufficient support for the operation of the library by levying a tax therefor, either by special levy or as a fund of the general levy of the city, county or town. The word “support” as used in this chapter shall include but is not limited to, purchase of land for library buildings, purchase or erection of buildings for library purposes, purchase of library books, materials and equipment, compensation of library personnel, and all maintenance expenses for library property and equipment. Funds appropriated or contributed for public library purposes shall constitute a separate fund and shall not be used for any but public library purposes.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":276358,"text":"The governing body of any city, county or town shall have the power to establish a free public library for the use and benefit of its residents. The governing body shall provide sufficient support for the operation of the library by levying a tax therefor, either by special levy or as a fund of the general levy of the city, county or town. The word “support” as used in this chapter shall include but is not limited to, purchase of land for library buildings, purchase or erection of buildings for library purposes, purchase of library books, materials and equipment, compensation of library personnel, and all maintenance expenses for library property and equipment. Funds appropriated or contributed for public library purposes shall constitute a separate fund and shall not be used for any but public library purposes.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14042,"edition_id":1,"name":"Local and Regional Libraries","identifier":"2","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12939,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:40","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:40","permalink":{"id":220967,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14042,"identifier":"2","token":"42.1\/2","url":"\/42.1\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12939,"edition_id":1,"name":"Libraries","identifier":"42.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","permalink":{"id":220815,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12939,"identifier":"42.1","token":"42.1","url":"\/42.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":77003,"structure_id":14042,"section_number":"42.1-33","catch_line":"Power of local governments to establish and support libraries","url":"\/42.1-33\/","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-33","metadata":false},{"id":75159,"structure_id":14042,"section_number":"42.1-34","catch_line":"Power of local governments to contract for library service","url":"\/42.1-34\/","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-34","metadata":false},{"id":60032,"structure_id":14042,"section_number":"42.1-35","catch_line":"Library boards generally","url":"\/42.1-35\/","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-35","metadata":false},{"id":70358,"structure_id":14042,"section_number":"42.1-36","catch_line":"Library boards not mandatory","url":"\/42.1-36\/","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-36","metadata":false},{"id":61990,"structure_id":14042,"section_number":"42.1-36.1","catch_line":"Power and duty of library boards and certain governing bodies regarding acceptable Internet use policies","url":"\/42.1-36.1\/","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-36.1","metadata":false},{"id":78547,"structure_id":14042,"section_number":"42.1-37","catch_line":"Establishment of regional library system","url":"\/42.1-37\/","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-37","metadata":false},{"id":55136,"structure_id":14042,"section_number":"42.1-38","catch_line":"Agreements to create regional boards","url":"\/42.1-38\/","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-38","metadata":false},{"id":68459,"structure_id":14042,"section_number":"42.1-39","catch_line":"Regional library boards generally","url":"\/42.1-39\/","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-39","metadata":false},{"id":59703,"structure_id":14042,"section_number":"42.1-40","catch_line":"Powers of regional library board","url":"\/42.1-40\/","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-40","metadata":false},{"id":82112,"structure_id":14042,"section_number":"42.1-41","catch_line":"Funds and expenses of regional library system","url":"\/42.1-41\/","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-41","metadata":false},{"id":82664,"structure_id":14042,"section_number":"42.1-42","catch_line":"Withdrawal from regional library system","url":"\/42.1-42\/","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-42","metadata":false},{"id":87163,"structure_id":14042,"section_number":"42.1-43","catch_line":"Appropriation for free library or library service conducted by company, society, or organization","url":"\/42.1-43\/","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-43","metadata":false},{"id":70093,"structure_id":14042,"section_number":"42.1-44","catch_line":"Cooperative library system for Henrico and Chesterfield Counties and City of Richmond","url":"\/42.1-44\/","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-44","metadata":false},{"id":80820,"structure_id":14042,"section_number":"42.1-45","catch_line":"Transfer of properties, etc., of public free library to governing body of city in which it is situated","url":"\/42.1-45\/","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-45","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":75159,"structure_id":14042,"section_number":"42.1-34","catch_line":"Power of local governments to contract for library service","url":"\/42.1-34\/","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-34","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/42.1-33\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1970. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 606 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1970 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online.<\/p>","references":[{"id":75159,"section_number":"42.1-34","catch_line":"Power of local governments to contract for library service","order_by":null,"url":"\/42.1-34\/"},{"id":61990,"section_number":"42.1-36.1","catch_line":"Power and duty of library boards and certain governing bodies regarding acceptable Internet use policies","order_by":null,"url":"\/42.1-36.1\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":220969,"object_type":"law","relational_id":77003,"identifier":"42.1-33","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-33","url":"\/42.1-33\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/42.1-33\/","token":"42.1\/2\/42.1-33","dublin_core":{"Title":"Power of local governments to establish and support libraries","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 42.1-33","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The governing body of any city, county or town shall have the power to establish a free public library for the use and benefit of its residents. The governing body shall provide sufficient support for the operation of the library by levying a tax therefor, either by special levy<\/span> or as a fund of the general levy<\/span> of the city, county or town. The word “support” as used in this chapter shall include but is not limited to, purchase of land for library buildings, purchase or erection of buildings for library purposes, purchase of library books, materials<\/span> and equipment, compensation of library personnel, and all maintenance expenses for library property and equipment. Funds appropriated or contributed for public library purposes shall constitute a separate fund and shall not be used for any but public library purposes.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPOWER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO ESTABLISH AND SUPPORT LIBRARIES (\u00a7 42.1-33)\n\nThe governing body of any city, county or town shall have the power to establish\na free public library for the use and benefit of its residents. The governing\nbody shall provide sufficient support for the operation of the library by\nlevying a tax therefor, either by special levy or as a fund of the general levy\nof the city, county or town. The word “support” as used in this\nchapter shall include but is not limited to, purchase of land for library\nbuildings, purchase or erection of buildings for library purposes, purchase of\nlibrary books, materials and equipment, compensation of library personnel, and\nall maintenance expenses for library property and equipment. Funds appropriated\nor contributed for public library purposes shall constitute a separate fund and\nshall not be used for any but public library purposes.\n\nHISTORY: 1970, c. 606.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}