§9331. Qualification in general.

(a) General rule.--A local library shall comply with standards under this chapter and regulations promulgated under this chapter regarding hours of operation, staffing, continuing professional development, collections expenditures and any other standards related to library operations.

(b) Submission of plan.--The following shall apply:

(1) Any local library desiring to receive State aid under this chapter shall submit a plan for the use of the funds to the State Librarian.

(2) No payments shall be made until the plan is approved by the State Librarian in accordance with rules and regulations approved by the advisory council.

(3) Subsequent changes and modifications in a library plan may be submitted at any time for approval by the State Librarian.

(c) Partial State aid.--A local library may receive partial State aid under this chapter, as determined by the State Librarian, if the local library:

(1) is not able to comply with all standards under this chapter and regulations promulgated under this chapter regarding hours of operation, staffing, continuing professional development, collections, expenditures and any other standards related to library operations; and

(2) is ineligible for a waiver pursuant to section 9332 (relating to waiver of standards).

(d) Participation in district library center cooperative program; referendum.--No State aid shall be given to a local library until the library participates in the district library center cooperative program through either of the following procedures:

(1) The local library board shall commit the library to participate in the district library center cooperative program, including attendance at district meetings and the use of interlibrary loans and interlibrary references.

(2) If the local library board does not act to participate in the district library center cooperative program:

(i) A petition regarding participation is circulated within the direct service area of the library and signed by at least 3% of the total number of persons voting in the last preceding general or municipal election.

(ii) The petition is presented to the municipal officers who shall forward the petition to the county board of elections.

(iii) After determining that the petition contains a sufficient number of signatures, the county board of elections places the question of participation in the district library center cooperative program on the ballot in the municipalities comprising the direct service area from which the petition was submitted.

(iv) A majority of the persons vote on the question in the affirmative.

(e) Internet access policy.--A local library that provides access to the Internet or an online service shall adopt a policy regarding access by minors to Internet and online sites that contain or make reference to explicit sexual materials as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 5903 (relating to obscene and other sexual materials and performances).