City of Socorro, NM Chapter 48 Library

[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Socorro 1-5-1987 by Ord. No. SPL-1987-1 (Ch. 3, Art. 2, of the 1977 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 48-1 Established.

A free public library is established in the City of Socorro to be hereafter known as the "Socorro Public Library." Such library is hereby declared to be a proper and legitimate object of expenditure and operation of the City of Socorro.

§ 48-2 Public Library Board.

The Socorro Public Library Board of Trustees (hereinafter referred to as the "Library Board") is created as an administrative agency of the City of Socorro. The Library Board shall act in an administrative and an advisory capacity, and shall advise and assist the City Council of the City of Socorro in every possible way to ensure the efficient and economical management and operation of the Socorro Public Library. It shall be the duty of the Library Board to advise the Library Director of the Socorro Public Library in all matters pertaining to the management and operation of said library.

A. The Library Board shall operate the Socorro Public Library and shall have the control and management thereof, including the powers to:

(1) Receive gifts, bequests and donations of all kinds.

(2) Make bylaws, rules and regulations for the operation of the library, not in conflict with the ordinances of the City of Socorro or the laws of the State of New Mexico. The rules and regulations so made by the Library Board for regulating the public use of the facilities of the library shall be made available in the library for public inspection and information.

B. The Library Board shall consist of nine members who shall be bona fide residents of Socorro County. The members shall be appointed by the Mayor of the City of Socorro, with the approval of the City Council. Each member shall be named from a list of two or more recommendations by the Library Board. The terms shall be for a period of six years and shall expire on July 1. In addition to the nine members appointed by the Mayor, the following shall be ex officio members, without the right to vote: the President of the Socorro Consolidated School Board or his or her representative; the Mayor of the City of Socorro or his or her representative; a representative of the New Mexico-Socorro Section of the Women's Auxiliary to the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers; the President of the Friends of the Socorro Public Library or his or her representative; and the Library Director.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

C. The Library Board shall elect from its membership a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and such other officers as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the Library Board. Officers shall be elected in July for a one-year term.

D. No member of the Library Board shall be removed from the Board except for good and sufficient cause and by a vote of two-thirds of the entire membership of the Socorro City Council.

E. On the death, removal, resignation, change of residence to a place outside Socorro County, or inability to act of a member of the Library Board, a vacancy on the Library Board shall be declared by the Library Board and such vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the Mayor of the City of Socorro, in accordance with normal procedures, to fill the unexpired term of such member.

§ 48-3 Board officers.

A. The President of the Library Board shall preside at all meetings, appoint all committees, call special meetings when necessary and generally perform the duties of a presiding officer.

B. In the absence of the President, the Vice President of the Library Board shall assume the duties of the President of the Library Board.

C. The Secretary of the Library Board shall keep a record of all proceedings of Library Board meetings, shall issue notices of all regular meetings and, upon authorization of the President of the Library Board, of all special meetings. The Secretary shall notify the Mayor of any vacancies on the Library Board.

D. The Treasurer of the Library Board shall have charge of special library funds and income outside the regular library appropriations that are in the charge of the City Treasurer, and shall report at each meeting of the Library Board on the state of such funds.

§ 48-4 Board meetings.

The Library Board shall hold regular monthly meetings. The time and place of its meetings may be changed by the Library Board by resolution duly adopted at any regular or special meeting.

§ 48-5 Library fund and budget; donations, bequests and gifts.

A. Within the municipal budget of the City of Socorro shall be a library fund supported by the City of Socorro. Such library fund shall be administered by the Treasurer of the City of Socorro as are the other funds of said City. All monies derived from any charges, fines or penalties, together with appropriations from other funds by the City of Socorro for salaries, books, supplies, maintenance of the building, and other purposes relative to the operation of the library, shall be placed in said fund. The Library Director, with approval of the Library Board, shall each year prepare an annual library budget. The Library Director shall present the library budget to the Mayor of the City of Socorro in sufficient time for the library budget to be included in the total City budget.

B. The Library Board shall have the authority to create a committee made up of Board members to receive and disperse for the benefit of the Socorro Public Library donations, bequests, and gifts. Money so received shall be deposited in and dispersed from a separate bank account by the Treasurer of the Library Board. The Library Board shall set up its own rules for the expenditure of this money.

§ 48-6 Director and other personnel.

A. A duly qualified Library Director and such other assistants or personnel necessary for the operation and maintenance of the library shall be regularly employed by the Library Board, as approved by the Mayor and City Council.

B. The Library Director shall have such duties as are usually imposed on like persons in like employment and shall be the executive officer of the Library Board. The Library Director shall be solely responsible for the administration of the Socorro Public Library under the direction and review of the Library Board and shall attend all Library Board meetings.