1. (1) To be eligible for state aid under section 16(2) of the act, MCL 397.566(2), and in addition to the state aid eligibility requirements prescribed by the act and by R 397.41 to R 397.46, a public library shall meet all of the following:

   1. (a) A public library shall be lawfully established under state law and local action or special act of the legislature.
   2. (b) A public library shall provide library service to its legal service area population.
   3. (c) A public library shall employ the requisite number of paid certified persons for every hour the library is required to be open, subject to the following exceptions:
   4. (i) The personnel requirements do not apply with respect to personnel with valid certificates who were employed by a public library as of October 1, 2009. When a person employed as of October 1, 2009 leaves the position, the position shall be filled in compliance with the minimum requirements for the library to remain eligible for state aid.
   5. (ii) A public library that does not comply with personnel requirements due to a change in class level following the application of a decennial census is eligible for state aid if the personnel continue to present valid certificates and were employed before the library received notification of the change in class level. When a person employed before the change in class level leaves the position, the position shall be filled in accordance with the personnel requirements in order for the library to remain eligible for state aid.
   6. (d) The minimum hours of accessibility requirements prescribed by R 397.41 to R 397.46 shall be maintained for not less than 9 months during the 12-month operating period and as follows:
   7. (i) Accessible hours shall include evening hours or weekend hours, or both.
   8. (ii) If a public library has more than 1 branch and if the hours for the main library building and each established branch library are different, the unduplicated hours may be added together to satisfy the minimum open hours requirement.
2. (2) A public library that shifts to a higher class level because of a change in its legal service area population shall meet the higher level of standard for accessibility and personnel not later than the beginning of its next reporting year after the library has received notice from the department of the change of library class.
3. (3) A public library is eligible for state aid under section 16(4) of the act, MCL 397.566, if it complies with these rules and is a participating member of a cooperative library for not less than 30 days prior to September 30 of the reporting year.
4. (4) A public library is eligible for state aid under section 16(5) of the act, MCL 397.566, if it meets county reimbursable salary requirements as required by the act.

History: 2009 AACS.