Public libraries; maintenance and operation, contracts; cooperation to avoid duplication.

The officers, agency or other authority charged by law with the maintenance and operation of any library for general public use may enter into and perform contracts or arrangements with the officers, agency or other authority likewise charged in respect of any other such library for cooperation and coordination in the maintenance and operation of the libraries to avoid unnecessary duplication and at the same time promote the widest public use of books, manuscripts and other materials and facilities and bring about the supplementing of the 1 library by the other, which may include the accumulating of books, manuscripts and other materials and facilities, to whichever library belonging, of the same general nature or pertaining to the same general subject in such library as will best facilitate access thereto and promote the best use thereof by the members of the public desiring so to do. The officers, agencies or other authorities, jointly or severally, may enter into contracts or arrangements to make available to political subdivisions of the state, including school districts, otherwise authorized by law to maintain libraries, such library services and facilities as will promote the widest public use of books and avoid unnecessary duplication and expense.