Library Law : Ohio and Federal: School Libraries

The US Supreme Court stated that a school board lacks authority to ban library books just because they contain ideas that school board members find repugnant.

Ohio Department of Education

Just Security 10/3/23

It is not an infringement of copyright for a library to reproduce or distribute one copy of a copyrighted work if it is done without any purpose of commercial advantage, the institution's collections are open to the public or generally available to persons doing research in a specialized field, and a notice of copyright is included or a legend stating that the work may be protected by a copyright.

Proposed Ohio legislation would "prohibit teaching, advocating, or promoting divisive concepts." Introduced 5/21/21

5th Cir. Court of Appeals enjoined the law would have required independent bookstores, national chain bookstores, large online book retailers, book publishers and other vendors to review and rate millions of books and other library materials according to sexual content if those books are sold to school libraries, and to do so according to vague labels dictated by the state without any process for judicial review.

The board of education of any city, exempted village, or local school district may provide for the establishment, control, and maintenance of school libraries for the purpose of providing school library service to the pupils under its jurisdiction. Such board of education may contract with any public board, association, or other organization operating a public library in a community to furnish such school library service, the board of education paying all or such part of the expense thereof, including the salaries of school librarians, as compensation for the service rendered.

Tax levy by board of education for operation of library.

Contract for library service - tax levy

Board of education may issue bonds for libraries.

Special levy for public or public school library - resolution - submission to electors