# Title 54 — State Government

## Chapter 54-24 — State Library Commission

### § 54-24-01. State library - State librarian appointed by the superintendent of public

instruction.
The superintendent of public instruction shall appoint an executive officer to be known as
the state librarian, who shall report to the superintendent and must receive a salary within the
amount appropriated for salaries by the legislative assembly. The state librarian shall control the
work and is the director of the state library. The position of state librarian is included in the
classified service, as provided in section 54-44.3-20. The state library is an autonomous agency
and retains a budget and staff separate from that of the superintendent of public instruction.
### § 54-24-02. Library offices.

The state library must be furnished with adequate office room, with such suitable quarters
as may be necessary for the proper shelving of its library materials.
### § 54-24-03. Powers and duties of state librarian.

The state librarian shall:
1. Make rules for the operation of the state library.
2. Provide and care for all books and library materials in all collections of the state library
and work to focus the collections.
3. Employ qualified library personnel to care for all library procedures.
4. Make library materials available to libraries throughout the state, to individuals
connected with departments of state, and to citizens of North Dakota.
5. Work to improve library services to citizens by providing assistance to librarians and
library trustees and staff and by encouraging the extension of networking and regional
and statewide cooperation among libraries.
6. Coordinate the efforts of librarianship throughout the state, advising and assisting the
extension of qualified public libraries into centers of county or multicounty libraries.
7. Compile statistics on all North Dakota public libraries and their services and their
larger counterparts of county and multicounty libraries, regional library cooperatives,
and multitype library authorities. Make a full biennial report to the superintendent of
public instruction and the governor of the work done at the state library. The state
librarian may not require a private sector library to submit information relating to the
provisions of this subsection.
8. Collect, maintain, and make available informational materials that supplement and
support the needs of all libraries in the state, either by direct loan or by consultation,
and that form a reference source for the officers of the state in performing their duties.
9. Assist libraries in developing local standards and guidelines defining the basic level of
service that they will provide.
10. Conduct, or have conducted, research into the conditions of library service in the state
and produce written plans for the development and betterment of that service.
11. Promote and assist in the development of regional library cooperatives, including
multitype library authorities.
12. Establish levels of certification for libraries of the state that meet the standards
recommended by the American library association and the North Dakota library
association.
13. Promote and assist libraries in this state in developing and maintaining a
computerized, comprehensive, bibliographic statewide database for storing
bibliographic records of libraries which allows residents unmediated, seamless, direct
access to library catalogs with a common interface and a common set of commands
and the ability to search the library collections of the entire state at one time or only the
collections of the local library, regional libraries, or select group of libraries.
14. Coordinate interlibrary loan activities throughout this state.
15. Arrange for continuing education and training programs for library personnel.

16. Provide technical assistance and counsel to library personnel.
17. Distribute grants to libraries within the limits of legislative appropriations for the
purpose of developing or improving library services or programs.
18. Provide staff services to the North Dakota library coordinating council.
19. Disburse surplus library materials to libraries throughout the state.
### § 54-24-03.1. Acceptance of federal aid.

The state library is hereby authorized to accept and to expend in accordance with the terms
thereof any grant of federal funds which may become available to the state for library purposes.
For the purpose of qualifying to receive such grants, the state library is authorized to make such
applications and reports as may be required by the federal government as a condition thereto.
### § 54-24-03.2. State library operating fund.

The state library's operating fund is a special fund in the state treasury. All moneys received
for book replacement, cataloging services, and other miscellaneous library services must be
deposited in this fund. Moneys in the fund are to be used pursuant to legislative appropriation
for provision of services under this chapter.
### § 54-24-04. Who may borrow books from state library.

Repealed by S.L. 1965, ch. 352, § 10.
### § 54-24-05. Commission to give advice and aid.

Repealed by S.L. 1965, ch. 352, § 10.
### § 54-24-06. Records kept by commission - Report to the governor and secretary of

state.
Repealed by S.L. 1965, ch. 352, § 10.
### § 54-24-07. Printing of state library - How paid.

Repealed by S.L. 1997, ch. 453, § 20.
### § 54-24-08. Library contracts for library services.

The state library is hereby authorized and empowered to cooperate with, and to contract
with, cities, governmental subdivisions, and agencies of the state of North Dakota and other
states of the United States, in the extension of library services.
### § 54-24-09. Distribution of certain state publications for certain libraries required.

The office of management and budget shall arrange to deposit with the state library eight
copies of all publications issued by all executive, legislative, and judicial agencies of state
government intended for general public distribution. These publications must be provided to the
state library without charge. If expense and limited supply of state publications, particularly
audiovisual items, make compliance with the depository requirement impossible, the state
library shall accept as many copies as an agency can afford to provide. However, each agency
shall provide no less than two copies to the state library. State publications refer to any
informational materials regardless of format, method of reproduction, or source, originating in or
produced with the imprint of, by the authority of, or at the total or partial expense of, any state
agency. The definition incorporates those publications that may or may not be financed by state
funds but are released by private bodies such as research and consultant firms under contract
with or supervision of any state agency. In circumstances not directly involving the office of
management and budget, a state agency shall comply with the depository requirement by
arranging with the necessary parties for the printing and deposit of eight copies of any state
publication issued. State publications are specifically defined as public documents but not those
administrative or training materials used only within the issuing agency. As the document
acquisition and distribution agency, the state library shall retain for its document collection two
copies of every state document received and transmit the remaining copies to the depository

libraries. These are the libraries of the state historical society, the university of North Dakota,
North Dakota state university, library of Congress, and two others to be designated by the state
library. The state library shall catalog state publications and arrange for their conversion to a
digital format as prescribed by the state records administrator and shall make available for
distribution of the same upon request to the designated depository libraries.
