(a) The county superintendent of schools of any county in which no county library is maintained may, with the approval of the county board of education, establish and maintain a county school library service for elementary school districts of the county that elect to participate in that service.
(b) Upon the governing board of any elementary school district electing to participate in that service, the governing board of the elementary school district shall enter into an agreement with the county superintendent of schools, and the provisions of Article 4 (commencing with Section 18130) of Chapter 2 of Part 11 shall control and be applicable in the same manner as they apply to a school district that enters into an agreement for school library services from the county library.
(c) The county superintendent of schools shall have the same powers, duties, responsibilities, and jurisdiction with respect to the furnishing and performance of library services to elementary school districts that have elected to participate in the county school library service as may be exercised by a county library with respect to school library services.
(d) Whenever the county superintendent of schools establishes and maintains a county school library service pursuant to subdivision (a), the county superintendent of schools shall employ a librarian holding a valid credential authorizing service as a school librarian issued by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
(e) The county superintendents of schools of two or more contiguous counties that have established county school library services pursuant to this section may cooperate with each other and to that end may enter into agreements with each other, and may do any and all things necessary or convenient to aid and cooperate in carrying out this section.
(Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 471, Sec. 6. (SB 1329) Effective January 1, 2025.)