TITLE 20 - US CODE - CHAPTER 34 - NATIONAL COMMISSION ON LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

20 USC 1501 - Congressional statement of policy

The Congress hereby affirms that library and information services adequate to meet the needs of the people of the United States are essential to achieve national goals and to utilize most effectively the Nations educational resources and that the Federal Government will cooperate with State and local governments and public and private agencies in assuring optimum provision of such services.

20 USC 1502 - Establishment

(a) Independent agency within executive branch
There is hereby established as an independent agency within the executive branch, a National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (hereinafter referred to as the Commission).

(b) Repealed. Pub. L. 102–95, § 2, Aug. 14, 1991, 105 Stat. 479

20 USC 1503 - Contributions

The Commission is authorized to solicit, accept, hold, administer, invest in the name of the United States, and utilize gifts, bequests, and devises of services or property, both real and personal, for the purpose of aiding or facilitating the work of the Commission. Gifts, bequests, and devises of money and proceeds from sales of other property received as gifts, bequests, or devises shall be deposited in the Treasury and shall be available for disbursement upon the order of the Commission.

20 USC 1504 - Functions and powers

(a) Advice to President and Congress; studies and surveys, plans; annual report
The Commission shall have the primary responsibility for developing or recommending overall plans for, and advising the appropriate governments and agencies on, the policy set forth in section 1501 of this title. In carrying out that responsibility, the Commission shall

(1) advise the President and the Congress on the implementation of national policy by such statements, presentations, and reports as it deems appropriate;

(2) conduct studies, surveys, and analyses of the library and informational needs of the Nation, including the special library and informational needs of rural areas, of economically, socially, or culturally deprived persons, and of elderly persons, and the means by which these needs may be met through information centers, through the libraries of elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education, and through public, research, special, and other types of libraries;

(3) appraise the adequacies and deficiencies of current library and information resources and services and evaluate the effectiveness of current library and information science programs;

(4) develop overall plans for meeting national library and informational needs and for the coordination of activities at the Federal, State, and local levels, taking into consideration all of the library and informational resources of the Nation to meet those needs;

(5) be authorized to advise Federal, State, local, and private agencies regarding library and information sciences;

(6) promote research and development activities which will extend and improve the Nations library and information-handling capability as essential links in national and international communications and cooperative networks;

(7) submit to the President and the Congress (not later than January 31 of each year) a report on its activities during the preceding fiscal year; and

(8) make and publish such additional reports as it deems to be necessary, including, but not limited to, reports of consultants, transcripts of testimony, summary reports, and reports of other Commission findings, studies, and recommendations.

(b) Contract authority
The Commission is authorized to contract with Federal agencies and other public and private agencies to carry out any of its functions under subsection (a) of this section and to publish and disseminate such reports, findings, studies, and records as it deems appropriate.

(c) Hearings
The Commission is further authorized to conduct such hearings at such times and places as it deems appropriate for carrying out the purposes of this chapter.

(d) Cooperation with other agencies
The heads of all Federal agencies are, to the extent not prohibited by law, directed to cooperate with the Commission in carrying out the purposes of this chapter.

20 USC 1505 - Membership

(a) Appointment; terms of office; Chairman; vacancies
The Commission shall be composed of the Librarian of Congress, the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (who shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting member), and fourteen members appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Five members of the Commission shall be professional librarians or information specialists, and the remainder shall be persons having special competence in or knowledge of the needs of our society for library and information services, at least one of whom shall be knowledgeable with respect to the technological aspects of library and information services and sciences, and at least one other of whom shall be knowledgeable with respect to the library and information service and science needs of the elderly. One of the appointive members of the Commission shall be designated by the President as Chairman of the Commission. A majority of members of the Commission who have taken office and are serving on the Commission shall constitute a quorum for conduct of business at official meetings of the Commission^[1] The terms of office of the appointive members of the Commission shall be five years, except that

(1) a member of the Commission appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the members predecessor was appointed, shall be appointed only for the remainder of such term; and

(2) any member of the Commission may continue to serve after an expiration of the members term of office until such members successor is appointed, has taken office, and is serving on the Commission.

(b) Compensation; travel expenses
Members of the Commission who are not in the regular full-time employ of the United States shall, while attending meetings or conferences of the Commission or otherwise engaged in the business of the Commission, be entitled to receive compensation at a rate fixed by the Chairman, but not exceeding the daily equivalent of the maximum rate authorized for a position above grade GS15 of the General Schedule under section 5108 of title 5, for each day (including traveltime) during which the members are engaged in the business of the Commission. While so serving on the business of the Commission away from their homes or regular places of business, they may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5 for persons employed intermittently in the Government service.

(1) The Commission is authorized to appoint, without regard to the provisions of title 5 covering appointments in the competitive service, such professional and technical personnel as may be necessary to enable it to carry out its function under this chapter.

(2) The Commission may procure, without regard to the civil service or classification laws, temporary and intermittent services of such personnel as is necessary to the extent authorized by section 3109 of title 5, but at rates not to exceed the rate specified at the time of such service for grade GS18 in section 5332 of title 5, including traveltime, and while so serving on the business of the Commission away from their homes or regular places of business they may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5 for persons employed intermittently in the Government service.

[1] So in original. Probably should be followed by a period.

20 USC 1506 - Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated $911,000 for fiscal year 1992 and such sums as may be necessary for each succeeding fiscal year thereafter to carry out the provisions of this chapter.