                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

LIBRARY BOARDS GENERALLY (§ 42.1-35)

A. The management and control of a free public library system shall be vested in
a board of not less than five members or trustees. They shall be appointed by
the governing body, chosen from the citizens at large with reference to their
fitness for such office. However, one board member or trustee may be a member or
an employee of the local governing body. Initially members shall be appointed as
follows: one member for a term of one year, one member for a term of two years,
one member for a term of three years, and the remaining members for terms of
four years; thereafter all members shall be appointed for terms of four years.
The governing body of any county or city entitled to representation on a library
board of a library system of another jurisdiction pursuant to &#xA7; 42.1-34
shall appoint a member to serve for a term of four years, or until the contract
is terminated, whichever is shorter. Vacancies shall be filled for unexpired
terms as soon as possible in the manner in which members of the board are
regularly chosen. A member shall not receive a salary or other compensation for
services as a member but necessary expenses actually incurred shall be paid from
the library fund. However, the governing body of Fairfax County may pay members
of its library board such compensation as it may deem proper. A member of a
library board may be removed for misconduct or neglect of duty by the governing
body making the appointment. The members shall adopt such bylaws, rules and
regulations for their own guidance and for the government of the free public
library system as may be expedient. They shall have control of the expenditures
of all moneys credited to the library fund. The board shall have the right to
accept donations and bequests of money, personal property, or real estate for
the establishment and maintenance of such free public library systems or
endowments for same.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A relating to the terms of
library board members, a local governing body may alter the composition of its
library board to create staggered terms of service in which approximately the
same number of terms expire annually. To achieve this goal, the local governing
body shall appoint in any year in which multiple terms expire members for terms
of one, two, three, and four years as appropriate. Thereafter, all members shall
be appointed for terms of four years. Vacancies shall be filled for unexpired
terms as soon as possible in the manner in which members of the board are
regularly chosen.

HISTORY: 1970, c. 606; 1974, c. 84; 1985, c. 278; 1998, c. 212.