Central Library (CAP. 80 1

CHAPTER 80

THE CENTRAL LIBRARY ACT

Arrangement of Sections
Section

1. Short title.
2. Establishment of Central Library.
3 . Appointment of librarian, Officers and servants.
4. Central Library Board.
5. Chairman of Board.
6. Meeting of Board.
7. Status of Board.
8. Functions of Board.
9. Regulations.

10. Financial.
11. Recovery of penalties.

CENTRAL LIBRARY

(23rd August, 1951.) 1811989. 4 51
S. I . 3911989.

1. This Act may be cited as the Central Library Act. short title.

2. The Governor-General, after consulting the Board Establishment Central Library. of
established under this Act, may establish and maintain, out
of the existing library facilities known as the Public Library
established under the Public Library Act, 1907, and such 411907.

funds as may be available to him for that purpose, such
library facilities to be called "The Central Library of An-
tigua and Barbuda" as in his opinion are desirable in order

LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

CAP. 80) Central Library

to further the provision of an efficient public library service
throughout Antigua and Barbuda and may enter into
arrangements with other official and unofficial libraries within
and without Antigua and Barbuda.

Appointment
of librarian, 3. The Public Service Commission may appoint a
Officers and librarian and such other Officers and servants as thev mav
servants. deem fit, for the purpose of carrying out this Act at such

salaries as they may, with the consent of Parliament, from
time to time direct.

Central Library
Board.

4. (1) For the purpose of this Act there shall be
established a Board to be styled the Central Library Board
hereinafter called "the Board" and composed of not less than
five members nominated by the Minister and of such other
members as may be co-opted by the Board under subsec-
tion (2).

(2) The Board may, with the approval of the Minister,
co-opt as members, for a stated period not exceeding twelve
months, persons with expert knowledge or experience re-
quired by the Board in the discharge of its duties. The total
number of members thus co-opted shall not exceed three.

(3) The period of service of members of the Board
nominated by the Minister shall be two years, but any
member may be renominated by the Minister.

(4) Any member of the Board may resign his seat by
letter addressed to the Minister, and the Minister may at
any time revoke any nomination which he has made.

(5) Any member of the Board who has not, on the 3 1st
day of December in each year, attended at least one-third
of the meetings of the Board during the preceding twelve
months or during his tenure of office in such months. shall "
be considered to have vacated his seat on the Board, unless
he has been absent owing to ill-health or with the leave of
the Minister.

(6) In case of the absence on leave or by reason of ill-
health of any member of the Board, the Minister may appoint
any person suitably qualified to act in his stead.

LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

Central Library (CAP. 80 3

5 . The Chairman of the Board shall be nominated g,h,":~ of
by the Minister. If he be absent from any meeting, the Board
may elect one of its members as Chairman of that meeting.

6. (1) The Board shall meet at such times as may be :,";:Eg
necessary or expedient for transacting its business.

(2) The Chairman may at any time summon a meeting
of the Board, and on a requisition by any three members
he shall summon a meeting. Such requisition shall state the
object for which the meeting is required to be summoned.

(3) Decisions of the Board may be taken at meetings
or, in cases in which the Chairman shall so direct, by the
recording of the opinions of members on papers circulated
among them. The Chairman may direct that papers shall
not be circulated to any member who through interest, illness,
absence from Antigua and Barbuda or otherwise is, in the
opinion of the Chairman, incapacitated from voting on such
papers.

(4) The quorum of the Board at any meeting or for
the purpose of voting on papers circulated shall be three.

(5) The decisions of the Board shall be by the majority
of votes. The Chairman shall have an original vote and in
any case in which the voting is equal he shall have a second
or casting vote.

(6) The librarian, or in his absence any other suitable
person appointed under section 3, shall be Secretary to the
Board and shall attend each meeting of the Board and may
speak but shall have no vote.

7. The Board shall be primarily a consultative body *Oard.
constituted to advise on any matter which concerns the
Central Library of Antigua and Barbuda or public libraries
generally and which the Minister may include within its
scope.

8. The functions of the Board shall be- Functions of
Board.

(a) to advise the Minister in regard to public library
policy and principles and to submit its views on any

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4 CAP. 80) Central Library

Regulations.

Financial.

question concerning public libraries which the Minister
may refer to it or on any aspect of public library policy
or administration which in its opinion requires attention;

(b) to undertake such executive duties as the
Minister may from time to time impose, either
indefinitely or for a stated period.

9. The Minister, after consulting the Board, may
make regulations for regulating the use by any person or
body of persons of the library facilities provided under this
Act, for prescribing the duties and powers of the librarian
and other officers and servants appointed under this Act,
and generally for carrying out the purposes of this Act, and
may attach to the breach of any such regulation a penalty
not exceeding one hundred dollars recoverable on summary
conviction.

10. The expenses of carrying out this Act shall be
defrayed out of-

(a) such moneys as may from time to time be
appropriated for the purpose by Parliament out of the
general revenue of Antigua and Barbuda;

(b) penalties and fines imposed and recovered
under the provisions of any regulations made under this
Act;

(c) gifts, grants, subscriptions and bequests derived
from any public or private source.

Recovery of
penalties. 11. (1) All penalties and fines imposed by regulations

made under the provisions of this Act shall be recoverable
in the manner provided by the Magistrate's Code of

Cap. 255. Procedure Act, and proceedings may be instituted and
conducted by the librarian or by any person authorized by
the Board either generally or for any particular proceedings.

(2) All penalties and fines received by a Magistrate
under this Act shall be paid by him to the librarian.