Part 1—Basic Program Requirements
§9131. Reservations and allotments
(a) Reservations
(1) In general
From the amount appropriated under the authority of
(A) shall reserve 2.25 percent to award grants in accordance with
(B) shall reserve 3.75 percent to award national leadership grants or contracts in accordance with
(2) Special rule
If the funds reserved pursuant to paragraph (1)(B) for a fiscal year have not been obligated by the end of such fiscal year, then such funds shall be allotted in accordance with subsection (b) for the fiscal year succeeding the fiscal year for which the funds were so reserved.
(b) Allotments
(1) In general
From the sums appropriated under the authority of
(2) Remainder
From the remainder of any sums appropriated under the authority of
(3) Minimum allotments
(A) In general
For purposes of this subsection, the minimum allotment for each State shall be $680,000, except that the minimum allotment shall be $60,000 in the case of the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.
(B) Ratable reductions
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), if the sum appropriated under the authority of
(C) Exception
(i) In general
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), if the sum appropriated under the authority of
(I) the minimum allotment for each State otherwise receiving a minimum allotment of $680,000 under subparagraph (A) shall be increased to $1,000,000; and
(II) the minimum allotment for each State otherwise receiving a minimum allotment of $60,000 under subparagraph (A) shall be increased to $100,000.
(ii) Insufficient funds to award alternative minimum
If the sum appropriated under the authority of
(4) Data
The population of each State and of all the States shall be determined by the Director on the basis of the most recent data available from the Bureau of the Census.
(
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2018—Subsec. (a)(1)(A).
Subsec. (b)(3)(C).
2010—Subsec. (b)(3)(A).
Subsec. (b)(3)(C), (D).
2003—Subsec. (b)(3).
"(A)
"(B)
"(C)
"(i)
"(ii)
"(iii)
"(iv)
1997—Subsec. (a)(1)(A).
Subsec. (a)(1)(B).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2003 Amendment
Amendment by
§9132. Administration
(a) In general
Not more than 4 percent of the total amount of funds received under this subchapter for any fiscal year by a State may be used for administrative costs.
(b) Construction
Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit spending for evaluation costs under
(
§9133. Payments; Federal share; and maintenance of effort requirements
(a) Payments
Subject to appropriations provided pursuant to
(b) Federal share
(1) In general
The Federal share shall be 66 percent.
(2) Non-Federal share
The non-Federal share of payments shall be provided from non-Federal, State, or local sources.
(c) Maintenance of effort
(1) State expenditures
(A) Requirement
(i) In general
The amount otherwise payable to a State for a fiscal year pursuant to an allotment under this part shall be reduced if the level of State expenditures, as described in paragraph (2), for the previous fiscal year is less than the average of the total of such expenditures for the 3 fiscal years preceding that previous fiscal year. The amount of the reduction in the allotment for any fiscal year shall be equal to the allotment multiplied by a fraction—
(I) the numerator of which is the result obtained by subtracting the level of such State expenditures for the fiscal year for which the determination is made, from the average of the total level of such State expenditures for the 3 fiscal years preceding the fiscal year for which the determination is made; and
(II) the denominator of which is the average of the total level of such State expenditures for the 3 fiscal years preceding the fiscal year for which the determination is made.
(ii) Calculation
Any decrease in State expenditures resulting from the application of subparagraph (B) shall be excluded from the calculation of the average level of State expenditures for any 3-year period described in clause (i).
(B) Decrease in Federal support
If the amount made available under this subchapter for a fiscal year is less than the amount made available under this subchapter for the preceding fiscal year, then the expenditures required by subparagraph (A) for such preceding fiscal year shall be decreased by the same percentage as the percentage decrease in the amount so made available.
(2) Level of State expenditures
The level of State expenditures for the purposes of paragraph (1) shall include all State dollars expended by the State library administrative agency for library programs that are consistent with the purposes of this subchapter. All funds included in the maintenance of effort calculation under this subsection shall be expended during the fiscal year for which the determination is made, and shall not include capital expenditures, special one-time project costs, or similar windfalls.
(3) Waiver
The Director may waive the requirements of paragraph (1) if the Director determines that such a waiver would be equitable due to exceptional or uncontrollable circumstances such as a natural disaster or a precipitous and unforeseen decline in the financial resources of the State.
(
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1997—Subsec. (c)(1)(A)(i).
§9134. State plans
(a) State plan required
(1) In general
In order to be eligible to receive a grant under this subchapter, a State library administrative agency shall submit a State plan to the Director once every 5 years, as determined by the Director.
(2) Duration
The State plan shall cover a period of 5 fiscal years.
(3) Revisions
If a State library administrative agency makes a substantive revision to its State plan, then the State library administrative agency shall submit to the Director an amendment to the State plan containing such revision not later than April 1 of the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the amendment will be effective.
(b) Contents
The State plan shall—
(1) establish goals, and specify priorities, for the State consistent with the purposes of this subchapter;
(2) describe activities that are consistent with the goals and priorities established under paragraph (1), the purposes of this subchapter, and
(3) describe the procedures that such agency will use to carry out the activities described in paragraph (2);
(4) describe the methodology that such agency will use to evaluate the success of the activities established under paragraph (2) in achieving the goals and meeting the priorities described in paragraph (1);
(5) describe the procedures that such agency will use to involve libraries and library users throughout the State in policy decisions regarding implementation of this subchapter;
(6) describe how the State library administrative agency will work with other State agencies and offices where appropriate to coordinate resources, programs, and activities and leverage, but not replace, the Federal and State investment in—
(A) programs and activities under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [
(B) early childhood education, including coordination with—
(i) the State's activities carried out under subsections (b)(4) and (e)(1) of
(ii) the activities described in the State's strategic plan in accordance with
(C) workforce development, including coordination with—
(i) the activities carried out by the State workforce development board under section 101 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act [
(ii) the State's one-stop delivery system established under section 121(e) of such Act [
(iii) the activities carried out by the State in support of adult education and literacy under title II of such Act [
(D) other Federal programs and activities that relate to library services, including economic, business, and community development, health information, critical thinking skills, digital literacy skills, financial literacy and other types of literacy skills;
(7) provide assurances that the State will comply with subsection (f); and
(8) provide assurances satisfactory to the Director that such agency will make such reports, in such form and containing such information, as the Director may reasonably require to carry out this subchapter and to determine the extent to which funds provided under this subchapter have been effective in carrying out the purposes of this subchapter.
(c) Evaluation and report
Each State library administrative agency receiving a grant under this subchapter shall independently evaluate, and report to the Director regarding, the activities assisted under this subchapter, prior to the end of the 5-year plan.
(d) Information
Each library receiving assistance under this subchapter shall submit to the State library administrative agency such information as such agency may require to meet the requirements of subsection (c).
(e) Approval
(1) In general
The Director shall approve any State plan under this subchapter that meets the requirements of this subchapter and provides satisfactory assurances that the provisions of such plan will be carried out.
(2) Public availability
Each State library administrative agency receiving a grant under this subchapter shall make the State plan available to the public, including through electronic means.
(3) Administration
If the Director determines that the State plan does not meet the requirements of this section, the Director shall—
(A) immediately notify the State library administrative agency of such determination and the reasons for such determination;
(B) offer the State library administrative agency the opportunity to revise its State plan;
(C) provide technical assistance in order to assist the State library administrative agency in meeting the requirements of this section; and
(D) provide the State library administrative agency the opportunity for a hearing.
(f) Internet safety
(1) In general
No funds made available under this subchapter for a library described in section 9122(1)(A) or (B) of this title that does not receive services at discount rates under
(A) such library—
(i) has in place a policy of Internet safety for minors that includes the operation of a technology protection measure with respect to any of its computers with Internet access that protects against access through such computers to visual depictions that are—
(I) obscene;
(II) child pornography; or
(III) harmful to minors; and
(ii) is enforcing the operation of such technology protection measure during any use of such computers by minors; and
(B) such library—
(i) has in place a policy of Internet safety that includes the operation of a technology protection measure with respect to any of its computers with Internet access that protects against access through such computers to visual depictions that are—
(I) obscene; or
(II) child pornography; and
(ii) is enforcing the operation of such technology protection measure during any use of such computers.
(2) Access to other materials
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit a library from limiting Internet access to or otherwise protecting against materials other than those referred to in subclauses (I), (II), and (III) of paragraph (1)(A)(i).
(3) Disabling during certain use
An administrator, supervisor, or other authority may disable a technology protection measure under paragraph (1) to enable access for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.
(4) Timing and applicability of implementation
(A) In general
A library covered by paragraph (1) shall certify the compliance of such library with the requirements of paragraph (1) as part of the application process for the next program funding year under this subchapter following the effective date of this subsection, and for each subsequent program funding year thereafter.
(B) Process
(i) Libraries with Internet safety policies and technology protection measures in place
A library covered by paragraph (1) that has in place an Internet safety policy meeting the requirements of paragraph (1) shall certify its compliance with paragraph (1) during each annual program application cycle under this subchapter.
(ii) Libraries without Internet safety policies and technology protection measures in place
A library covered by paragraph (1) that does not have in place an Internet safety policy meeting the requirements of paragraph (1)—
(I) for the first program year after the effective date of this subsection in which the library applies for funds under this subchapter, shall certify that it is undertaking such actions, including any necessary procurement procedures, to put in place an Internet safety policy that meets such requirements; and
(II) for the second program year after the effective date of this subsection in which the library applies for funds under this subchapter, shall certify that such library is in compliance with such requirements.
Any library covered by paragraph (1) that is unable to certify compliance with such requirements in such second program year shall be ineligible for all funding under this subchapter for such second program year and all subsequent program years until such time as such library comes into compliance with such requirements.
(iii) Waivers
Any library subject to a certification under clause (ii)(II) that cannot make the certification otherwise required by that clause may seek a waiver of that clause if State or local procurement rules or regulations or competitive bidding requirements prevent the making of the certification otherwise required by that clause. The library shall notify the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services of the applicability of that clause to the library. Such notice shall certify that the library will comply with the requirements in paragraph (1) before the start of the third program year after the effective date of this subsection for which the library is applying for funds under this subchapter.
(5) Noncompliance
(A) Use of General Education Provisions Act remedies
Whenever the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services has reason to believe that any recipient of funds this 1 subchapter is failing to comply substantially with the requirements of this subsection, the Director may—
(i) withhold further payments to the recipient under this subchapter,
(ii) issue a complaint to compel compliance of the recipient through a cease and desist order, or
(iii) enter into a compliance agreement with a recipient to bring it into compliance with such requirements.
(B) Recovery of funds prohibited
The actions authorized by subparagraph (A) are the exclusive remedies available with respect to the failure of a library to comply substantially with a provision of this subsection, and the Director shall not seek a recovery of funds from the recipient for such failure.
(C) Recommencement of payments
Whenever the Director determines (whether by certification or other appropriate evidence) that a recipient of funds who is subject to the withholding of payments under subparagraph (A)(i) has cured the failure providing the basis for the withholding of payments, the Director shall cease the withholding of payments to the recipient under that subparagraph.
(6) Separability
If any provision of this subsection is held invalid, the remainder of this subsection shall not be affected thereby.
(7) Definitions
In this subsection:
(A) Child pornography
The term "child pornography" has the meaning given such term in
(B) Harmful to minors
The term "harmful to minors" means any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that—
(i) taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion;
(ii) depicts, describes, or represents, in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, an actual or simulated sexual act or sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or a lewd exhibition of the genitals; and
(iii) taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.
(C) Minor
The term "minor" means an individual who has not attained the age of 17.
(D) Obscene
The term "obscene" has the meaning applicable to such term in
(E) Sexual act; sexual contact
The terms "sexual act" and "sexual contact" have the meanings given such terms in
(
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsec. (b)(6)(A), is
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(6)(C)(iii), is
For the effective date of this subsection, referred to in subsec. (f)(4), as 120 days after Dec. 21, 2000, see §1(a)(4) [div. B, title XVII, §1712(b)] of
The General Education Provisions Act, referred to in subsec. (f)(5)(A), is title IV of
Amendments
2018—Subsec. (b)(6)(A).
Subsec. (b)(6)(C)(iii).
Subsec. (b)(6)(D).
2015—Subsec. (b)(6)(A).
2014—Subsec. (b)(6)(C)(i).
Subsec. (b)(6)(C)(ii).
2010—Subsec. (b)(6) to (8).
Subsec. (e)(2).
2003—Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (b)(5).
Subsec. (f).
Subsec. (f)(1).
Subsec. (f)(7).
Subsec. (f)(7)(D).
2000—Subsec. (b)(6), (7).
Subsec. (f).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2015 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 2014 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 2000 Amendment
Availability of Certain Funds for Acquisition of Technology Protection Measures
"(1)
"(2)