§9103. Director of Institute

(a) Appointment

(1) In general

The Institute shall be headed by a Director, appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

(2) Term

The Director shall serve for a term of 4 years.

(3) Qualifications

Beginning with the first individual appointed to the position of Director after September 30, 1996, every second individual so appointed shall be appointed from among individuals who have special competence with regard to library and information services. Beginning with the second individual appointed to the position of Director after September 30, 1996, every second individual so appointed shall be appointed from among individuals who have special competence with regard to museum services.

(b) Compensation

The Director may be compensated at the rate provided for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5.

(c) Duties and powers

The Director shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as may be prescribed by law, including awarding financial assistance for activities described in this chapter.

(d) Nondelegation

The Director shall not delegate any of the functions of the Director to any person who is not an officer or employee of the Institute.

(e) Coordination

The Director shall ensure coordination of the policies and activities of the Institute with the policies and activities of other agencies and offices of the Federal Government having interest in and responsibilities for the improvement of museums and libraries and information services. Where appropriate, the Director shall ensure that activities under subchapter II of this chapter are coordinated with activities under section 6383 of this title.

(f) Regulatory authority

The Director may promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary and appropriate to implement the provisions of this chapter.

(g) Application procedures

(1) In general

In order to be eligible to receive financial assistance under this chapter, a person or agency shall submit an application in accordance with procedures established by the Director by regulation.

(2) Review and evaluation

The Director shall establish procedures for reviewing and evaluating applications submitted under this chapter. Actions of the Institute and the Director in the establishment, modification, and revocation of such procedures under this chapter are vested in the discretion of the Institute and the Director. In establishing such procedures, the Director shall ensure that the criteria by which applications are evaluated are consistent with the purposes of this chapter, taking into consideration general standards of decency and respect for the diverse beliefs and values of the American public.

(3) Treatment of projects determined to be obscene

(A) In general

The procedures described in paragraph (2) shall include provisions that clearly specify that obscenity is without serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific merit, and is not protected speech.

(B) Prohibition

No financial assistance may be provided under this chapter with respect to any project that is determined to be obscene.

(C) Treatment of application disapproval

The disapproval of an application by the Director shall not be construed to mean, and shall not be considered as evidence that, the project for which the applicant requested financial assistance is or is not obscene.

(Pub. L. 94–462, title II, §204, as added Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, §101(e) [title VII, §702], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–233 , 3009-294; amended Pub. L. 108–81, title I, §103, Sept. 25, 2003, 117 Stat. 992 .)

References in Text

This chapter, the second place it appears in subsec. (g)(2), was in the original "this Act" and was translated as reading "this title", meaning title II of Pub. L. 94–462, known as the Museum and Library Services Act, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 204 of Pub. L. 94–462 was classified to section 963 of this title prior to the general amendment of title II of Pub. L. 94–462 by Pub. L. 104–208.

Amendments

2003-Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 108–81, §103(1), inserted at end "Where appropriate, the Director shall ensure that activities under subchapter II of this chapter are coordinated with activities under section 6383 of this title."

Subsecs. (f), (g). Pub. L. 108–81, §103(2), added subsecs. (f) and (g).

Service of Individuals Serving on September 30, 1996

Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, §101(e) [title VII, §705], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–233 , 3009-311, which provided that the individual who was appointed to the position of Director of the Institute of Museum Services and was serving in such position on the day before Sept. 30, 1996, would serve, at the pleasure of the President, as the first Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, was repealed by Pub. L. 108–81, title V, §505(b), Sept. 25, 2003, 117 Stat. 1004 .