Each board of library directors of a system shall carry out the spirit and intent of this Act and, in addition to the other powers conferred by this Act, shall have the following powers:
1.To develop and to amend the bylaws and the plan of service for the system subject to the approval of the State Librarian.2.To have the exclusive control of the expenditure of all moneys and funds held in the name of the library system.3.To make and adopt such policies, rules and regulations for the government and operation of the library system as necessary.4.To purchase or lease ground and to construct, purchase or lease, and occupy an appropriate building or buildings for the use of the library system including but not limited to the power to purchase or lease either real or personal property for system purposes through contracts which provide for the consideration for such purchase or lease to be paid through installments at stated intervals during a certain period not to exceed 20 years together with interest at a rate not to exceed the interest rate specified in Section 2 of the Bond Authorization Act on the unpaid balance owing and to purchase real estate for system purposes upon a mortgage basis for up to 75% of the total consideration therefor, the remaining balance to be paid through installments at stated intervals for a period not to exceed 20 years together with interest at a rate not to exceed the interest rate specified in Section 2 of the Bond Authorization Act on the unpaid balance owing, except that in the case of a library system consisting of a single public library or multitype library system serving a city of over 500,000 population, this power shall be governed by the provisions of Division 10 of Article 8 of the Illinois Municipal Code.5.To appoint and to fix the compensation of a competent librarian, who shall have the authority to hire such other employees as may be necessary, to fix their compensation, and to remove such appointees, subject to the approval of the board. The board may also retain counsel and professional consultants, as needed.6.To contract with any public or private corporation or entity for the purpose of providing or receiving library service or of performing any and all other acts necessary and proper to carry out the responsibilities and the provisions of this Act. This power includes, but is not limited to participation in interstate library compacts and library systems, and the expenditure of any federal or State funds made available to any county, municipality, township or to the State of Illinois for library purposes.7.To accrue and accumulate funds in special reserve funds pursuant to the provisions of a plan to acquire realty, improved or unimproved, for library system purposes.8.To be a body politic and corporate, to contract and to hold title to property by the name of the "Board of Directors of the .... Library System, ...., Illinois", and in that name to sue and be sued and to take any action authorized by law.9.To undertake programs for the purpose of encouraging the addition to the district of adjacent areas without local tax-supported library service, and to expend funds for this purpose.10.To join the library system as a member in the Illinois Library Association and the American Library Association, non-profit, non-political, 501(c)(3) associations, as designated by the federal Internal Revenue Service, having the purpose of library development and librarianship; to provide for the payment of annual membership dues, fees and assessments and act by, through and in the name of such instrumentality by providing and disseminating information and research services, employing personnel and doing any and all other acts for the purpose of improving library development.11.To take and to have title to any personal or real property acquired by it for library system purposes.12.To borrow funds for the purpose of expanding or improving the system's facilities through the mortgaging of system owned property or of borrowing against other system owned assets. The mortgaging of system owned property or the borrowing against other system owned assets shall not exceed 75% of the value thereof. P.A. 91-357, eff. 7/29/1999.