Libraries Co-operation Act, L-14.01

1 LIBRARIES CO-OPERATION c L-14.01 The Libraries Co-operation Act being Chapter L‑14.01 of the Statutes of Saskatchewan, 1996 (effective December 31, 1996), as amended by the Statutes of Saskatchewan, 2014, c E‑13.1. NOTE: This consolidation is not official. Amendments have been incorporated for convenience of reference and the original statutes and regulations should be consulted for all purposes of interpretation and application of the law. In order to preserve the integrity of the original statutes and regulations, errors that may have appeared are reproduced in this consolidation. 2 c L-14.01 LIBRARIES CO-OPERATION Table of Contents SHORT TITLE AND INTERPRETATION 9 Terms of office 1 Short title 10 Reimbursement and honoraria 2 Interpretation PROVINCIAL LIBRARY PURPOSE 11 Role of Provincial Library 3 Purpose of the Act AGREEMENTS BOARD 12 Participation agreement 4 Board established 13 Entering into agreements 5 Objects of the board REGULATIONS 6 Procedures 14 Regulations 7 Chairperson 8 Reports and advice 3 LIBRARIES CO-OPERATION c L-14.01 CHAPTER L-14.01 An Act to enable Co‑operation among all Types of Autonomous Libraries for the Provision of Library Services SHORT TITLE AND INTERPRETATION Short title 1 This Act may be cited as The Libraries Co-operation Act. Interpretation 2 In this Act: (a) “board” means the Multitype Library Board established pursuant to section 4; (b) “information provider” means any person or organization that provides information; (c) “library” has the same meaning as in The Public Libraries Act, 1996; (d) “library director” means the librarian who is the chief administrative officer of a library or library system; (e) “library system” means a group of libraries that are linked together by agreement and that are organized to provide library services for a specific geographic area or a specific clientele; (f) “minister” means the member of the Executive Council to whom for the time being the administration of this Act is assigned; (g) “multitype library agreement” means an agreement entered into pursuant to section 13; (h) “multitype library system” means a system composed of any combination of libraries and other information providers who have entered into multitype library agreements in order to share services and resources for mutual benefits; (i) “post-secondary library” means a library that is part of a college, university, or other institution of higher education; (j) “Provincial Library” means the Saskatchewan Provincial Library continued pursuant to The Public Libraries Act, 1996; (k) “public library” has the same meaning as in The Public Libraries Act, 1996; (l) “school library” means a library established by a board of education or a conseil scolaire as defined in The Education Act; 4 c L-14.01 LIBRARIES CO-OPERATION (m) “special library” means a library established and supported by a business, agency, association, government, or other organization or group. 1996, c L‑14.01, s 2. PURPOSE Purpose of the Act 3 The purpose of this Act is to provide a mechanism for formalized co‑operation, across jurisdictional boundaries, in accordance with principles respecting continued individual responsibility on behalf of participants and respecting the importance of achieving consensus before making important decisions, between: (a) public libraries; (b) post‑secondary libraries; (c) school libraries; (d) special libraries; (e) the Provincial Library; and (f) other information providers. 1996, c L‑14.01, s 3. BOARD Board established 4(1) The Multitype Library Board is established. (2) The board consists of the persons appointed by the minister pursuant to this section. (3) The minister must appoint the following persons as members of the board: (a) a library director from a public library or public library system; (b) a library director from a school library or school library system; (c) a library director from a post‑secondary library or post‑secondary library system; (d) a library director from a special library or special library system; (e) the Provincial Librarian; (f) a person chosen from a list of persons nominated by the Saskatchewan Library Trustees’ Association; (g) a person chosen from a list of persons nominated by the Saskatchewan School Trustees’ Association; 5 LIBRARIES CO-OPERATION c L-14.01 (h) a person chosen from a list of persons nominated by the Saskatchewan Library Association; (i) one other person employed by a post‑secondary library in any capacity; (j) one other person employed by a special library in any capacity. (4) The minister may appoint any or all of the following persons as members of the board: (a) one person who is, or who is employed by, an information provider; (b) one person appointed after consultation with the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association; (c) one person appointed after consultation with the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities; (d) one or two other persons. 1996, c L‑14.01, s 4. Objects of the board 5(1) The objects of the board are to: (a) advise and make recommendations to the minister on the development of the multitype library system; (b) make recommendations to libraries and library systems with respect to the development of the multitype library system; (c) involve libraries and other persons, organizations and information providers in the development of the multitype library system; (d) advise the Provincial Librarian with respect to planning for the multitype library system; and (e) advise the Provincial Librarian in the administration of funding for the purposes of multitype library systems. (2) The board shall exercise any other functions assigned to it by the minister. 1996, c L‑14.01, s 5. Procedures 6(1) The board may make rules governing the procedures for its meetings and the conduct of its business. (2) The board must meet at least three times every year. 1996, c L‑14.01, s 6. Chairperson 7(1) The first chairperson of the board is to be appointed by the minister. (2) The first chairperson holds office for a term of one year and, notwithstanding the expiry or his or her term of office, continues to hold office until a successor is chosen. 6 c L-14.01 LIBRARIES CO-OPERATION (3) Subsequent chairpersons are to be chosen annually by the board from among its members, in accordance with any rules and procedures set by the board. (4) Subject to subsection (5), the board shall determine the duties of the chairperson. (5) The minister may set other duties for the chairperson, and the chairperson shall fulfil those duties. 1996, c L‑14.01, s 7. Reports and advice 8(1) In accordance with section 13 of The Executive Government Administration Act, in each year the board shall: (a) prepare an annual report respecting its business and affairs during the previous fiscal year; and (b) forward the annual report to the minister and to any other parties that the board considers to have an interest in its activities. (2) In accordance with section 13 of The Executive Government Administration Act, the minister shall lay before the Legislative Assembly each annual report that the minister receives. (3) The board shall report to the minister, at any other times required by the minister, concerning any matter within the objects of the board. 1996, c L‑14.01, s 8; 2014, c E‑13.1, s 62. Terms of office 9(1) The minister shall appoint at least half of the members of the first board of directors to hold office for a term of three years. (2) The minister shall appoint the remainder of the members of the first board of directors to hold office for a term of two years. (3) Subject to subsection (4), all subsequent appointments to the board are to be for a term of two years. (4) Where a member of the board dies, resigns, or is otherwise unable to complete his or her term of office, the minister may appoint another person to the board to complete the unexpired portion of that member’s term. (5) Notwithstanding the expiry of the term of office of a member of the board, the member continues to hold office until a successor is chosen. (6) No member may serve more than two consecutive terms. 1996, c L‑14.01, s 9. 7 LIBRARIES CO-OPERATION c L-14.01 Reimbursement and honoraria 10 Members of the board who are not members of the Public Service of Saskatchewan: (a) are entitled to be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred for the purpose of attending meetings of the board; and (b) if provided for in the regulations, are entitled to honoraria at rates established by the regulations. 1996, c L‑14.01, s 10. PROVINCIAL LIBRARY Role of Provincial Library 11 For the purposes of supporting the multitype library system, the Provincial Library, in consultation with the board, may: (a) provide research and planning services to the board, libraries, library systems, and information providers; (b) establish policy and procedures for the multitype library system; (c) work with potential participants in the multitype library system; (d) collect data and develop a database of multitype library service information; (e) develop a province‑wide electronic library network; (f) facilitate co‑operation in providing library services; (g) establish protocols and standards for operation of the multitype library system; (h) work with the libraries and library systems to assure access to collections of significance to Saskatchewan; (i) act as a central agency to receive multitype library system funds and to disburse funds; (j) with the approval of the minister, provide financial planning assistance to the board; (k) co‑ordinate and facilitate training opportunities; (l) provide communication and public awareness services for the development of the multitype library system; and (m) facilitate access to government by developing information by, for and about the Government of Saskatchewan on electronic information networks. 1996, c L‑14.01, s 11. 8 c L-14.01 LIBRARIES CO-OPERATION AGREEMENTS Participation agreement 12(1) The board shall establish model multitype library agreements. (2) The terms set out in the model agreements must include any protocols and standards established by the Provincial Library pursuant to section 11. (3) The board and the Provincial Library are responsible for making libraries aware of the terms of the model agreements. 1996, c L‑14.01, s 12. Entering into agreements 13(1) Any library or information provider, including the minister on behalf of the Provincial Library, may enter into a multitype library agreement with any combination of other libraries or other information providers, or both, for the purpose of extending or providing library or information services. (2) A multitype library agreement entered into pursuant to this section must comply with a model agreement made pursuant to section 12, including any amendment or variations made to that model agreement from time to time. (3) A multitype library agreement may contain any other provisions, not inconsistent with the model agreement or with any other Act or law, that the parties to the agreement consider acceptable. (4) Nothing in this section detracts from any other power that a library or other information provider has to enter into agreements or to co‑operate with another library or information provider. 1996, c L‑14.01, s 13. REGULATIONS Regulations 14 The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations: (a) respecting honoraria for members of the board; (b) respecting mechanisms for resolving disputes between participants in a multitype library system; (c) respecting the operation of a multitype library system; (d) requiring participants in multitype library agreements to report to the board annually or at any other time, and prescribing the information that is to be contained in those reports; (e) respecting any other matter or thing that the Lieutenant Governor in Council considers necessary to carry out the intent of this Act. 1996, c L‑14.01, s 14. REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN Printed by the authority of THE QUEEN’S PRINTER Copyright©2014