KRS 171.140: General powers and duties.

(1) The department shall give assistance and advice to all state institutional and public

libraries, and to all counties in the state which propose to establish public libraries,

as to the best means of their establishment and operation and may send any of its

members to aid in organizing such libraries or assist in the improvement of those

already established.

(2) It may receive gifts which may be used or held for the purpose given, and may

purchase and operate traveling libraries under such conditions and rul es as it thinks

necessary to protect the interests of the state and best increase the efficiency of its

service to the public.

(3) The department may issue printed material, such as lists and circulars of

information, and in the publication thereof may coo perate with other state library

commissions and libraries, in order to secure the more economical administration of

the work for which it was formed. It may provide for library educational

opportunities in various parts of the state.

(4) The department sha ll perform such other service in behalf of public libraries as it

considers for the best interests of the state.

(5) The department shall maintain a strong central collection of library materials in a

variety of formats and assure access to those materials and to other information

resources throughout the state and nation for the purposes of providing information

and reference services to state government agencies and of supplementing the

resources of local libraries.