1708 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 980

be used subject to any conditions specified by the appro-
priating agency or imposed consistently with this sub-title.

All money herein required to be levied or appropriated
shall be used for current operations of the county library
and not for the purchase of land, the erection of buildings,
or for debt reduction.

The State Superintendent of Schools is directed to au-
thorize the Comptroller to withhold state funds from any
county which fails to levy the amount prescribed by law or
which fails to meet the requirements of the law or of the
State Board of Education regarding the operation of the
county library.

(d) Libraries in operation before January 1, 1945, whose
boards, by the terms of their charters or articles of incor-
poration are self-perpetuating or otherwise specifically con-
stituted, shall be deemed eligible for all benefits specified
in this Act provided they meet all other requirements under
this Act, and their boards may continue to be constituted
as in the same manner before.

(e) The county commissioners of any county are hereby
authorized and empowered to levy for and appropriate the
necessary moneys for the Public Library Fund of said
county, as provided for in Sub-section (a) of this section,
any law to the contrary notwithstanding.

168. Any city or village in which a tax supported free
public library has been established before January 1, 1945,
shall have the option of joining the county library system
and of sharing in its benefits. Any city or village in which
a tax supported free public library has been established
before January 1, 1945, and which chooses not to join the
county library system shall be exempt from the county
library taxation.

169. The State Board of Education is hereby
authorized to accept for the State of Maryland any appro-
priation of money and/or materials for any library pur-
poses which may hereafter be made from the Federal
Treasury or from Federal property, by any act or acts of
the Congress of the United States, or pursuant thereto,
or from any other source. The State Board of Education
is hereby constituted the agency for the expenditure and
administration of any such funds or materials.

All such moneys received by the State shall be deposited
in the State Treasury. The Treasurer shall receive and
provide for the custody of such moneys, and shall make
disbursements therefrom for the purposes of this sub-title
in the same manner as he disburses other funds for the
State Department of Education.