Okla. Stat. tit. 65, § 65-4-115

Appointment of public library board.

Except as otherwise provided in this section, the board of

county commissioners, in counties which do not have countywide

library services through a rural single county library or as

otherwise determined by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, may

appoint a public library board consisting of not less than five nor

more than seven members. There shall be at least one member

appointed from each of the county commissioner districts.

Additional members shall be appointed as follows:

1. One member appointed by the municipal governing board of the

county seat; and

2. If the county seat is not the municipality having the

largest population, then one member to be appointed by the municipal

governing board of the municipality having the largest population.

Initial appointments shall be distributed among one-, two- and

three-year terms, with two of the appointments to be made for one

year, two to be made for two (2) years and three to be made for

three (3) years. Subsequent appointments shall be for three-year

terms, except in the case of an appointment to fill a vacancy in the

membership of the board, which appointment shall be for the

remainder of the unexpired term of the member when death,

resignation or removal has created the vacancy. No person shall

serve more than two (2) successive terms or be appointed for another

full term or temporary term until at least two (2) years have

elapsed from the end of the second successive term until the

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 65. Public Libraries Page 29

beginning of the new term. All tenure of initial and future

appointees shall expire on June 30 of the designated year. A member

of a board once qualified can thereafter be removed by the

appointive authority during his or her term of office only for

misconduct or neglect of duty.

Appointments to the board shall be made on the basis of ability,

a sound understanding of the total responsibilities and objectives

of public libraries and an active interest in the attainment of

these comprehensive goals. Appointive members shall be qualified

electors and bona fide residents of the county.

All board members shall serve thereon without compensation

except actual and necessary travel expenses as authorized by the

State Travel Reimbursement Act, Section 500.1 et seq. of Title 74 of

the Oklahoma Statutes. Individual memberships for board members in

state, regional, and national library associations and expenses

incurred in attending board meetings and other library and library-

related meetings may be paid from library funds upon proper

authorization of the board.

If a multicounty library system or a rural single county library

system is formed on or after July 1, 1992, which includes a county

with a public library board and provides countywide service to the

county, the public library board appointed pursuant to this section

may be terminated. All powers, duties and responsibilities of the

public library board may be transferred to the Board of Trustees of

the multicounty library system or the rural single county library

system.