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Stinley's avatar

What do you need to do to set up a library?

Asked by Stinley (11525points) February 18th, 2014

At my work we’re in the process of setting up a little sub-library of the main university library which will be housed in another building. The manager of that department is making trouble (even though they have been asking us to do this for a year!) by saying that we need a licence to set up a library. Now I have been a librarian for 20 years and have never heard of this, and it is probably a moot point anyway since it will be a sub-library but we want to go back to him with full certainty that he is very much mistaken! I believe that you can just have a collection of books and lend them to anyone as you like. There would be laws about income from fines and charitable status etc of course but is there anything which you know about that would even come close to needing permission or licencing for a library?

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6 Answers

keobooks's avatar

Different cities and towns have very different laws regarding this. I’d call your city hall and ask.

thorninmud's avatar

He may be thinking of the PLR (Public Lending Rights) registration process that public libraries in the UK have to undergo, but university libraries are exempt from this.

Stinley's avatar

@thorninmud That might be just the thing we are looking for to keep him quiet!

jca's avatar

Maybe he is thinking of something you may need to have the Fire Department certify how many people are allowed in a public space?

janbb's avatar

It sounds like @thorninmud is on the right track.

bea2345's avatar

That sounds very odd, @Stinley . In the universities the only bars to setting up a departmental library are, usually, the university regulations and policy (especially as they relate to the university library system). Perhaps you might ask the manager to explain more.

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