Each county with a population of eight thousand or more shall have a county law library, which shall be governed and maintained as hereinafter provided.

(1) Unless a regional law library is created pursuant to RCW 27.24.062, every county with a population of three hundred thousand or more must have a board of law library trustees consisting of five members to be constituted as follows: The chair of the county legislative authority is an ex officio trustee, the judges of the superior court of the county shall choose two of their number to be trustees, and the members of the county bar association shall choose two members of the bar of the county to be trustees.

(2) Unless a regional law library is created pursuant to RCW 27.24.062, every county with a population of eight thousand or more but less than three hundred thousand must have a board of law library trustees consisting of five members to be constituted as follows: The chair of the county legislative authority is an ex officio trustee, the judges of the superior court of the county shall choose one of their number to be a trustee, and the members of the county bar association shall choose three members of the county to be trustees. If there is no county bar association, then the lawyers of the county shall choose three of their number to be trustees.

(3) If a county has a population of less than eight thousand, then the provisions contained in RCW 27.24.068 shall apply to the establishment and operation of the county law library.

(4) If a regional law library is created pursuant to RCW 27.24.062, then it shall be governed by one board of trustees. The board shall consist of the following representatives from each county: The judges of the superior court of the county shall choose one of their number to be a trustee, the county legislative authority shall choose one of their number to be a trustee, and the members of the county bar association shall choose one member of the bar of the county to be a trustee. If there is no county bar association, then the lawyers of the county shall choose one of their number to be a trustee.

(5) The term of office of a member of the board who is a judge is for as long as he or she continues to be a judge, and the term of a member who is from the bar is four years. Vacancies shall be filled as they occur and in the manner directed in this section. The office of trustee shall be without salary or other compensation. The board shall elect one of their number president and the librarian shall act as secretary, except that in counties with a population of eight thousand or more but less than three hundred thousand, the board shall elect one of their number to act as secretary if no librarian is appointed. Meetings shall be held at least once per year, and if more often, then at such times as may be prescribed by rule.

The board of law library trustees shall have power:

(1) To make and enforce rules for their own procedure and for the government, care and use of the library, and for the guidance of employees.

(2) To remove any trustee, except an ex officio trustee, for neglect to attend the meetings of the board.

(3) To employ a librarian and assistants and to prescribe their duties, fix their compensation and remove them at will.

(4) To purchase books, periodicals and other property suitable for the library and to accept gifts and bequests of money and property for the library, and to sell property which is unsuitable or not needed for the library.

(5) To examine and approve for payment claims and demands payable out of the county law library fund.

The board of law library trustees shall, on or before the first Monday in September of each year, make a report to the county legislative authority of their county giving the condition of their trust, with a full statement of all property received and how used, the number of books and other publications on hand, the number added by purchase, gift or otherwise during the preceding year, the number lost or missing, and such other information as may be of public interest, together with a financial report showing all receipts and disbursements of money.

Two or more counties each with a population of from eight thousand to less than one hundred twenty-five thousand at the time of creation of the regional law library may, by agreement of the respective law library boards of trustees as described in RCW 27.24.020(2), create a regional law library and establish and maintain one principal law library at such location as the regional board of trustees may determine will best suit the needs of the users: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That there shall be at all times a law library in such size as the board of trustees may determine necessary to be located at the courthouse where each superior court is located.

Purpose—Captions not law—1991 c 363: See notes following RCW 2.32.180.

The county legislative authority of each county that is required to maintain a county law library shall upon demand by the board of law library trustees, provide a room suitable for the law library, with adequate heat, light, and janitor service.

The use of the county law library shall be free to the judges of the state, to state and county officials, and to members of the bar, and to such others as the board of trustees may by rule provide. Residents of counties with a population of three hundred thousand or more shall have free use of the law library.

In each county with a population of less than eight thousand, there may be a county law library which shall be governed and maintained by the prosecuting attorney who shall also serve as trustee of such library without additional salary or other compensation.

The use of the county law library shall be free to the judges of the state, to state and county officials, and to members of the bar, and to such others as the prosecuting attorney may by rule provide.

Purpose—Captions not law—1991 c 363: See notes following RCW 2.32.180.

In each county pursuant to this chapter, the county treasurer shall deposit in the county or regional law library fund a sum equal to seventeen dollars for every new probate or civil filing fee, including appeals and for every fee for filing a counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim in any civil action, collected by the clerk of the superior court and seven dollars for every fee collected for the commencement of a civil action and for the filing of a counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim in any civil action in district court for the support of the law library in that county or the regional law library to which the county belongs: PROVIDED, That upon a showing of need the seventeen dollar contribution may be increased up to twenty dollars or in counties with multiple library sites up to thirty dollars upon the request of the law library board of trustees and with the approval of the county legislative body or bodies.

Intent—2005 c 457: See note following RCW 43.08.250.

Effective date—1992 c 54: See note following RCW 36.18.020.

Effective date—1985 c 389: "Sections 2 through 9 of this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1985." [ 1985 c 389 § 10.]

Court Improvement Act of 1984—Effective dates—Severability—Short title—1984 c 258: See notes following RCW 3.30.010.

Intent—1984 c 258: See note following RCW 3.34.130.

County clerk's fees: RCW 36.18.020.

District courts, filing fees in civil cases: RCW 3.62.060.

The collection of the fees directed in RCW 27.24.070 shall be discontinued whenever the board of trustees of a county library or the prosecuting attorney, as the case may be, files with the county clerk and clerks of the district courts a written resolution to the effect that the county library fund in its county is sufficient for all present needs, which resolution shall remain effective until it is later rescinded. Upon its rescission, the county clerk and clerks of the district courts shall resume the collection of such fees.

Intent—1987 c 202: See note following RCW 2.04.190.

This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect April 1, 1992.