§ 31.34 PUBLIC LIBRARY.
   (A)   Established; purpose. There is established and shall be maintained a free public library for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of the city to be known as the Nashville Public Library.
(1978 Code, § 2.36.010)
   (B)   Board of Trustees appointed by Mayor; powers and duties.
      (1)   The Mayor, with the approval of the City Council, shall appoint a Board of nine trustees who shall be chosen from the citizens at large with reference to their fitness for such office, and not more than one member of the City Council shall be at any one time a member of such Board.
      (2)   The Board shall have such powers, perform such duties, and exercise such authority conferred by the statutes of the state governing such bodies.
(1978 Code, § 2.36.020)
   (C)   Board of Trustees; term. The members of the Board of Trustees shall hold their respective offices for such term and in such manner, and may be removed, and vacancies in the Board shall be filled, as provided by the laws of the state governing the establishment and maintenance of free public libraries in cities.
(1978 Code, § 2.36.030)
   (D)   Free use for inhabitants of city. The Library shall be forever free to the use of the inhabitants of the city, subject always to such reasonable rules and regulations as the Library Board may adopt in order to render the use of the Library and reading room of the greatest benefit to the greatest number, and the Board may exclude from the use of the Library any and all persons who shall willfully violate such rules. The Board may extend the privileges and use of such Library to persons residing outside of the city upon such terms and conditions as the Board may from time to time by its regulations prescribe.
(1978 Code, § 2.36.040)
   (E)   Donations. Any person desiring to make donations of money, personal property, or real estate for the benefit of the free Public Library shall have the right to vest the title to the money, personal property, or real estate so donated in the Board of Trustees to be held and controlled by such Board when accepted, according to the terms of the deed, gift, devise, or bequest of such property, and as to such property the Board shall be held and considered to be special trustees.
(1978 Code, § 2.36.050)
   (F)   Board of Trustees; organization; bond.
      (1)   The Board of Trustees of the Public Library shall, immediately after appointment, meet and organize by the election of their number president, by the election of one of their number Treasurer, and by the election of such other officers as they may deem necessary.
      (2)   The Board of Trustees shall require the Treasurer of the Board to give a bond to be approved by the Board in an amount to be fixed by the Board sufficient to cover twice the amount of annual receipts.
(1978 Code, § 2.36.060)
   (G)   Board of Trustees; financial recommendations; tax rate.
      (1)   It shall be the duty of the Board of Trustees of the Library, annually and at least three weeks prior to the passage of the annual tax levy ordinance by the city, to make written recommendations to the City Council as to the financial requirements of the free Public Library and the rate of tax, which in the judgment of the Trustees, will be necessary to levy for library purposes.
      (2)   The City Council shall levy an annual tax sufficient for the establishment and maintenance of the Library, the rate of which shall be determined by the City Council but which shall not exceed .60% on each dollar of the assessed value of the taxable property in the city.
      (3)   All monies for the Public Library shall be paid over by the person charged with the collection thereof to the Board, in accordance with the provisions of the statutes of the state relating to public libraries in cities.
(1978 Code, § 2.36.070)
   (H)   Board of Trustees; annual report.
      (1)    Within 60 days after the expiration of the fiscal year of the city, the Board shall make an annual report to the City Council stating:
         (a)   The condition of their trust on the last day of the year;
         (b)   The various sums of monies received from the Library Fund and from other sources, and how such monies have been expended and for what purposes;
         (c)   The number of books and periodicals on hand; and
         (d)   The number of books loaned out, with such other statistics, information, and suggestions as they may deem of general interest.
      (2)   All such portions of said report as related to the receipt and expenditure of money as well as the number of books on hand shall be verified by affidavit. A copy of the report shall be transmitted to the State Library in accordance with the provisions of the statutes of the state relating to public libraries in cities.
(1978 Code, § 2.36.080)
   (I)   Injury to Library material; fine. Any person who willfully or maliciously writes upon, injures, defaces, tears, or destroys any book, newspaper, plats, pictures, engraving, or statue or piece of furniture belonging to the Nashville Public Library shall be liable for the cost of replacing the item.
(1978 Code, § 2.36.090)
   (J)   Failure to return books; fine. Any person who fails to return any book belonging to such Library in the time and manner required by the laws thereof shall be liable to a fine which will be maximized at 25% of the cost of an item when the item was returned. If an item is not returned, the fine will not exceed the replacement cost of the item.
(1978 Code, § 2.36.100)
   (K)   Fines to be paid to the Nashville Public Library. All fines collected under the provisions of this section shall be credited to the Library Fund and be kept as a part of such fund. The librarian shall keep a record of all receipts from fines and penalties and report them to the Library Board at its regular monthly meeting.
(1978 Code, § 2.36.110)
(Ord. 217, passed - -1943; Ord. 232, passed - -1945; Ord. 2015-7, passed 9-3-2015)