(1)   

      (a)    In a federated public library system whose territory lies within a single county, the system board shall consist of 7 members nominated by the county executive, or by the county board chairperson in a county without a county executive, and approved by the county board. At least 3 members of the system board, at the time of their appointment, shall be active voting members of library boards governing public libraries of participating municipalities, and at least one of these shall be a member of the library board governing the resource library. At least one but not more than 2 members of the county board shall be members of the system board at any one time.

      (b)   

         1.    Except as provided in subd. 2., in a federated public library system whose territory lies within 2 or more counties, the system board shall consist of at least 11 and not more than 20 members nominated by the county executive in each county in the system, or by the county board chairperson in a county without a county executive, and approved by each county board in the system. Appointments shall be in proportion to population as nearly as practical, but, except as provided in subd. 2., each county shall be represented by at least one member on the system board. Each county board may appoint one county board member to the system board. The public library board governing the designated resource library shall have at least one member on the system board. The remaining system board members shall include such representatives of the library boards governing public libraries of participating municipalities and counties and public members appointed from the counties at large as the county board determines.

         2.    A system board appointed under subd. 1. may consist of more than 20 members if the county boards, acting jointly, determine that each county in the system shall be represented by at least 2 members on the system board.

   (2)   

      (a)    Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, a federated public library system whose territory lies within a single county shall be deemed an agency of the county and a federated public library system whose territory lies within 2 or more counties shall be deemed a joint agency of those counties. A federated public library system whose territory lies within 2 or more counties constitutes a separate legal entity for the purposes of having the exclusive custody and control of all system funds, holding title to and disposing of property, constructing, enlarging and improving buildings, making contracts and suing and being sued. A federated public library system whose territory lies within a single county with a population of 750,000 or more constitutes a separate legal entity solely for the purposes of having the exclusive custody and control of all system funds, making contracts and providing benefits to its employees under ch. 40.

      (b)    A federated public library system board shall have the powers of a public library board under s. 43.58 with respect to system-wide functions and services. The local library boards shall retain responsibility for their public libraries in all other areas.