(1) The department, after consultation with the board, may permit the state librarian to employ other administrative and general assistants and employees as are necessary for the care and management of the library, including the law library branch of the library. Employment shall be offered first to those persons who are employed by the state library on March 30, 1983. No library employee shall convert for personal or partisan use, unrelated to library business, any supplies, services, facilities or staff provided by the state. Nor may a library employee be required to work during paid or unpaid time to affect the result of an election.

    (2) Subject to subsection (3), employees of the library on the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection shall be transferred to the department in accordance with the department of civil service rules and shall be assumed into the classified service.

    (3) The transfer of employees under subsection (2) shall not include 9 employees from the Michigan library and historical center operations and 3 employees from the library’s computer website staff operations. Employees who are not transferred under this subsection shall remain employees of the legislative council.