Illinois Code § 4

§ 4.

Organizations formed under this Act shall be bodies corporate and politic to be known under the names stated in the respective articles of incorporation; and by such corporate names they shall have and possess the ordinary rights and incidents of corporations, and shall be capable of taking, holding and disposing of real and personal estate for all purposes of their organization. The provisions of any will, deed or other instrument by which endowment is given to the library and accepted by the trustees, managers or directors shall, as to such endowment, be a part of the organic and fundamental law of such corporation. The trustees, managers or directors of any such corporation shall compose its members, and shall not be less than 7 nor more than 25 in number; shall elect the officers of the corporation from their number; and shall have control and management of its affairs and property; may accept donations, and in their discretion hold the same in the form in which they are given, for all purposes of science, literature and as are germane to the object and purpose of the corporation. They may fill by election, vacancies occurring in their own number by death, incapacity, retirement or otherwise, and may make lawful by-laws for the management of the corporation and of the library, which by-laws shall set forth what officers there shall be of the corporation, and shall define and prescribe their respective duties. They may appoint and employ from time to time such agents and employees as they may deem necessary for the efficient administration and conduct of the library and other affairs of the corporation. Whenever any trustee, manager or director shall be elected to fill any vacancy, a certificate under the seal of the corporation, giving the name of the person elected, shall be recorded in the office of the recorder of the county where the articles of incorporation are recorded. Whenever, by the provisions of such will, deed or other instrument by which an endowment is created, the institution endowed is free and public, the library and other property of such corporation shall be forever exempt from taxation. The trustees, managers or directors of such corporation shall, in the month of January in each year, cause to be made a written report to the Secretary of State for the year ending on the preceding December 31 of the condition of the library and of the funds and other property of the corporation showing the assets and investments of such corporation in detail. This report shall be verified by the secretary, or by some other responsible officer of such corporation. It shall contain (1) an itemized statement of the various sums of money received from the library fund and from other sources; (2) an itemized statement of the objects and purposes for which those sums of money have been expended; (3) a statement of the number of books and periodicals available for use, and the number and character thereof circulated; (4) a statement of the real and personal property acquired by legacy, purchase, gift or otherwise; (5) a statement of the character of any extensions of library service which have been undertaken; (6) any other statistics, information and suggestions that may be of interest. A report shall also be filed, at the same time, with the Illinois State Library. (Source: P.A. 96-66, eff. 1-1-10.)