(a)  Any city or town may enter into an agreement with another city or town, or more than one other, to establish or maintain free public library service, or one or more aspects thereof to citizens therein, and those agreements for cooperative library service shall be valid when approved and accepted by the boards of trustees or other governing bodies of the libraries concerned, and by the respective city or town councils of the cities and towns parties to the agreement, and signed by the appropriate library officers and city or town officials thereunto authorized.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 29-6-5

  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9

(b)  Agreements for cooperative library service may be entered into by, and between, two (2) or more free public libraries, whether or not they are in the same city or town; provided, however, in the case of a free public library established or existing under the provisions of § 29-4-1, the agreement shall not be valid until it has been approved and accepted by the council of the city or town where the library is located.

(c)  These agreements shall be reported to the office of library and information services, and such appropriate and equitable adjustments in annual grants-in-aid under this chapter shall be made as the circumstances may require.

History of Section.
G.L. 1956, § 29-6-5; P.L. 1964, ch. 233, § 3; P.L. 2010, ch. 191, § 2; P.L. 2010, ch. 211, § 2.