T.C.A. § 10-5-101 provides the foundation for local maintenance of effort for public libraries. That section includes the wording that, in order to participate in the state’s multi-county regional library program, counties must make “the minimum local appropriation of funds as…required by the Secretary of State.” Should a county commission decide to decrease local funding to the public library and fail in meeting MOE, the county risks losing the following benefits:
Additional information concerning the benefits of meeting library MOE can be found by contacting the State Librarian and Archivist at (615) 741-7996. AG Opinion No. 08-193 on MOE: State Grants for Libraries and Emergency Communications Boards.