with this act, shall render to the department, at the end of each calendar year, a report setting forth a complete itemized statement of expenditures made with a view to the prevention and suppression of forest fires, and stating such other information as the department may request. The financial statement and facts relating thereto shall be accompanied by an affidavit subscribed to by the person authorized to make the report.

Sec. 2, Act of June 4, 1915, P. L. 815.

CHAPTER XIV.

PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

See supra Section 685.

(902). The term "municipality," whenever used in this act, shall be interpreted as meaning any [county, city,] borough, [town, or township,] as the case may be, but shall not be interpreted as meaning school district.

Sec. 1, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(903). The term "municipal authorities," wherever used in this act, shall be interpreted as meaning [the mayor and council of any city,] the burgess and council of any borough [or town, the supervisors of any township, or the commissioners of any county, as the case may be].

Sec. 2, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(904). Any municipality may make appropriations to establish or maintain, or both, a free, public, nonsectarian library, for the use of the residents of such municipality. The appropriations for maintenance shall not exceed two mills on the dollar on all taxable property, annually. Special taxes for these purposes may be levied on the taxable property of the municipality, or the same may be levied and collected with the general taxes.

Sec. 3, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(905). The municipal authorities of any municipality may submit to the qualified electors of such municipality, at any election, the question of establishing or maintaining, or both, a free, public, nonsectarian library, and must submit such question, if petitioned for by three per centum of the voters, at the next preceding general election. At such election the question of establishing an annual tax at a certain rate, not exceeding two mills on the dollar, on all taxable property of the municipality, shall be submitted and voted upon.

Sec. 4, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(906). If the majority of votes cast upon this question shall be in favor of establishing such tax rate, the municipal authorities, at the first meeting following the official announcement of the result of such election, shall take the necessary steps to levy and collect the tax so levied, and shall appoint a board of library directors as provided in section nine of this act. Said board shall have exclusive control of the library so established or maintained, or both, and shall be governed as provided in other sections of this act.

Sec. 5, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(907). The rate of tax so voted shall be an annual tax rate until another vote is taken changing the same: Provided, That the municipal authorities may increase said rate, not to exceed two mills on the dollar, on all taxable property of the municipality, without submitting the question to a vote. The tax shall be levied and collected in like manner as other taxes in the municipality, and shall be in addition to all other taxes, and shall be used for no other purpose than that of establishing or maintaining, or both, a free, public library. The money so raised shall be under the exclusive control of the board of library directors provided in section nine of this act.

Sec. 6, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(908). If the residents of any municipality shall raise by popular subscription a sum equal to or exceeding the gross amount of a twomill tax on all taxable property in the municipality, and shall offer the sum so subscribed to the municipality for the purpose of establishing a free, public, nonsectarian library, said sum shall be accepted by the municipal authorities, and shall be used for the sole purpose of establishing such library; provided, not more than two per centum of the said sum shall be subscribed by one individual or firm. Said subscription may be made payable in four quartely payments, and shall be in such form as to be collectible by legal process if necessary.

Sec. 7, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(909). In case of the establishment of a free, public, nonsectarian library under the provisions of section seven of this act, the municipal authorities shall immediately place the sum so subscribed under the control of a board of library directors, appointed as provided in section nine of this act, and proceed to levy and collect a tax at the annual rate of not less than one-half mill nor more than two mills on the dollar on all taxable property in the municipality, for the purpose of maintaining the library so established.

Sec. 8, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(910). The affairs of all public libraries established or maintained, or both, under the provisions of the preceding sections of this act,

shall be under the exclusive control of a board of library directors, to be composed of not less than five nor more than seven members, as may be decided by the municipal authorities, who shall appoint the members and fill any vacancies occuring from any cause. The first appointees shall be appointed as nearly as may be,-one-third for one year, one-third for two years, and one-third for three years. All appointments to fill the places of those whose terms expire shall be for a term of three years. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired terms. No member of this board shall receive any salary for his services as such.

Sec. 9, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(911). The board of library directors shall organize as soon as may be after appointment, by the election of a president, a secretary, and a treasurer from its membership, and such other officers and agents as the board may deem necessary. The treasurer shall give bond to the municipality, with satisfactory surety, in such amount as the board may determine.

Sec. 10, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(912). Two or more municipalities may unite in establishing or maintainng, or both, a free library, under the terms of an agreement. entered into between them. Said agreement shall be in writing, and shall set forth the purpose, the terms as to support and control, and the conditions under which the agreement shall be altered or terminated. Said agreement shall not be valid until it has been accepted by a majority vote of the municipal authorities of each of the municipalities agreeing thereto, and signed by the proper officer of each of said municipalities.

Sec. 11, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(913). Any municipality may make appropriations, not to exceed two mills on the dollar on all taxable property in the municipality, to maintain or aid in the maintenance of a free library established otherwise than under the provisions of sections three, four, and seven of this act: Provided, That the municipal authorities shall be represented by two members of the board having control of the affairs of said library.

Sec. 12, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(914). Any municipality may contract with the managers or owners of any existing nonsectarian library for the free use of such library by the residents of such municipality, whether said library is located in the same or in another municipality. The term of such contract shall be three years, but it may be renewable as therein provided.

Sec. 13, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(915). The municipality may appropriate annually, from the taxes levied and collected for municipal purposes, an amount not to exceed two mills on the dollar on all taxable property in the municipality, for the purpose specified in section thirteen of this act.

Sec. 14, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(916). When the county commissioners of any county levy a tax for the purpose of establishing or maintaining, or both, a free, public, nonsectarian library, they are hereby authorized to exempt from said levy all taxable property in any municipality which is already levying a tax for the purpose of maintaining a free library: Provided, however, That the municipal authorities of such municipality may elect to join with the county in establishing or maintaining, or both, such library; in which case the taxable property in such municipality shall be included in such tax levy by the county commissioners, and the free library in such municipality shall become a part of the county library system and be supported from the tax for maintaining the county library.

Sec. 15, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(917). All moneys appropriated for the establishment or maintenance, or both, of a free, public, nonsectarian library, and all moneys, if any, received from other sources for its use, shall be under the exclusive control and shall be disbursed under the direction of the board of library directors, who shall make an annual report to the proper municipal authorities. The accounts of the treasurer of the board of library directors shall be audited as in the case of other municipal expenditures.

Sec. 16, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(918). The annual report required by the last preceding section shall cover the fiscal year of the municipality. Said report shall contain an itemized statement of all receipts from whatever source and expenditures, and shall show the condition of the library and any branches thereof; the number of volumes, maps, pamphlets, and other material; the number added by purchase, gift, or otherwise; the number lost or withdrawn; the number of registered borrowers and readers; a classified statement of the circulation of material, with such other information and suggestions as may seem desirable. A copy of each report made to the municipal authorities shall be sent to the State Free Library Commission.

Sec. 17, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(919). The board of library directors may establish branches, deposit stations, traveling libraries, and such other agencies as it may deem necessary to bring the books within convenient reach of all the residents.

Sec. 18, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(920). Every library established or maintained, or both, under the provisions of this act, shall be free to the use of all the residents of the municipality, subject to such reasonable rules and regulations as the board of library directors may adopt, and the board may exclude from the use of the library any person who may wilfully violate such rules. The board may extend the privileges of such library to persons residing outside the limits of such municipality, upon such terms and conditions as the board may prescribe.

Sec. 19, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(921). It shall be lawful for any municipality or any corporation, owning or managing a free, public, nonsectarian library, to take and hold any property, real or personal, or both, for library purposes; and any person desiring to make donations of books, money, personal property, or real estate for the benefit of a free, public, nonsectarian library, whether established or maintained under the provisions of this act or not, may vest the title thereto in the municipality or the corporation having control of the affairs of the said library, to be held and controlled by said municipality or corporation according to the terms of the deed, gift, devise, or bequest; and, as to such property, the said municipality or corporation shall be held to be special trustee; but in the absence of restrictions by the terms of such donation, deed, gift, devise, or bequest, the said property shall be controlled and administered by the board of library directors or by the corporation, as the case may be.

Sec. 20, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(922). Whenever there is in any municipality a free, public, nonsectarian library which is open to the use of all the residents thereof, no new library shall be there established under the provisions of this act, but all public aid hereby authorized shall be given to such existing library, under proper agreement, to enable it to meet as far as possible the needs of such residents: Provided, however, That wherever there may be, at the time of the passage of this act, two or more such libraries receiving aid from the same municipality, the appropriation authorized by this act shall be divided between said libraries according to the terms of an agreement previously entered into between said libraries.

Sec. 21, Act of July 20, 1917, P. L. 1143.

(923). Any municipality is hereby authorized to purchase or set apart lands and buildings, or parts of buildings already owned by it, or both, or to erect or lease buildings, to be used for free library work, or to alter buildings already erected so as to make them suitable for