Amd §§271, 273, 284 & 285, add §286, Ed L; amd §99-l, St Fin L
Enacts the "New Century Libraries; Libraries 2017 act"; increases the apportionment of state aid to libraries and library services throughout the state; provides for adult and family literacy grants; authorizes the commissioner to provide grants and expend monies on a variety of library programs and services.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A1685
SPONSOR: Pretlow (MS) TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the education law and the state
finance law, in relation to establishing the "New Century Libraries:
Libraries 2017 act"
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:
The purpose of this bill, known as the New Century Libraries: Libraries
2002 Act, is to provide the people of New York with access to 21st
century information and library services. Funding requests in this bill
grow from the comprehensive set of ten policy recommendations of the
Regents Commission on Library Services, Meeting the Needs of All New
Yorkers: Library Service in the New Century WWW.NYSL,NYSED.GOV). The
Regents adopted the Commission's recommendations as Regents policy in
July 2000. This bill will enable libraries, library systems, the New
York State Library, and the New York State Education Department to begin
implementing the Commission's recommendations.
The New Century Libraries Act includes four major components:
*It will create NOVEL, the New York Online Virtual Electronic Library,
to deliver high-quality, reliable full-text digital information to all
New Yorkers.
*It will support public library construction, expansion, and renovation
to ensure that New York's libraries are accessible to all library users
and can accommodate advances in technology.
*It will provide significantly higher standards of access to library
services for all New Yorkers through equity and excellence initiatives,
including need-based aid, a New York Excellence in Library Services (NY
EXCELS) program, an urban library initiative, and an academic and
research initiative.
*It will promote quality local public library service for all New York-
ers and improve local support for public libraries through incentives
for the voluntary formation of Public Library Districts.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS OF THE BILL:
This bill would amend Education Law §§ 271, 273, 273-a, 284, and 255 and
create a new § 286 to provide increased State aid as follows:
Amendment Funding Amount to Purpose Educa-
tion Law
§§ 273 and 284 Implementation of the New York
Online $14 million
Virtual Electronic Library
in partnership with libraries
and library systems
§ 273-a Aid for public library construction
$20 million project
§§ 271, 273, 284, 285 Achieving higher standards 286
of access $36 million
to library services
§ 273 Promoting availability of local
public $10 million library
service and formation of Public
Library Districts
Total for 2001-2002 Fiscal Year: $80 million
The New York State Education Department proposes the following funding
for public library construction:
2001-02: $20 million
2002-03: $30 million
Subsequent years: $20 million
The Department is likely to propose that funds for other components of
the New Century Libraries Act, including NOVEL, will be increased in
subsequent fiscal years to achieve full implementation of the Regents
Commission's recommendations.
In addition to increasing State aid to implement the Commission's recom-
mendations, this bill will amend the Education Law to do the following:
* Update outmoded terms and definitions, and
* Consolidate and streamline program planning and reporting require-
ments.
STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL:
New Yorkers depend on libraries more than ever. Seventy-three percent of
households used their library in the past year, well above the national
average. Yet space to accommodate new programs and technology is at a
premium. Many library buildings need to be replaced, and others need
major renovation to accommodate technology and provide access to those
with disabilities. Improvement of the physical and technological
infrastructure of public libraries will enable them to serve as communi-
ty and educational resources for all families, particularly those at
risk. Libraries represent a substantial, cumulative investment of
public dollars. Through the programs described in the New Century
Libraries Act, the state will leverage this investment many times over.
*All materials will be easier to locate, use, and share.
*Availability of digital resources will make more information readily
available to more people.
*Sharing of library collections online will make them more valuable.
*Cooperation and resource-sharing among different types of libraries and
library systems will grow as new networks and links are established. The
New Century Libraries Act will position New York's libraries to support
the state's education priorities: achieving higher learning standards,
targeting urban/high-needs areas, and development of a skilled and
productive workforce. It will help New York's libraries provide library
and information services that- are essential to students, parents, and
educators; recent immigrants who want to learn English and need informa-
tion about community and educational services; the unemployed and under-
employed seeking jobs; and businesses seeking educational and labor
market information.
This bill will help to increase tax revenues through more productive
enterprise development. It will create a more capable workforce as a
result of better education and self-guided learning. In particular,it
will foster the specific skills of locating, evaluating, and effectively
using information in electronic form. These skills are critical in an
information-based society in which resources are increasingly available
in electronic foam.
Overall, this bill will help achieve the Regents' vision for New Century
statewide network Libraries: Libraries 2003 by strengthening the state-
wide network of libraries, public library systems, reference and
research library resources systems, school library systems, and New York
State Library.
NOVEL (New York Online Virtual Electronic Library)
NOVEL, a statewide digital library or "library without walls," will be
freely available to all New Yorkers, even those in the most geograph-
ically isolated communities. By using an electronic library card issued
by their local libraries, New Yorkers will have access to the rich
resources of NOVEL:
*a vast array of electronic books, journals, and full-text articles
*the resources of libraries throughout the state via online catalogs
*digitized collections of photographs, images, maps, manuscripts, and
documents
*commercial databases.
Much information is publicly available on the Internet. Some of it is
valuable, e.g., information provided by public agencies. However, much
of the information is inaccurate or outdated. In general, the most valu-
able information is copyrighted material that is accessible only for a
fee. Just as libraries purchase books and journals for public use, now
they must purchase licenses that permit use of the most valuable elec-
tronic information: full-text collections of journals, encyclopedias,
reference books, and databases of current information. Although some
individual libraries have purchased such licenses, state- wide licensing
is far more cost-effective. Statewide licenses are on average about 1/25
the cost per user of individual library licenses. Through NOVEL,
libraries will be able to provide the high-quality, reliable sources of
electronic information that New Yorkers need--and do so at great cost
savings to their communities and library systems.
Many New Yorkers still lack Internet access. According to a study
released in October 2000 by the National Telecommunications and Informa-
tion Administration, while 41.5 percent of American households have
Internet access, the following still do not have ready access to the
internet:
*73 percent of those with a disability *76 percent of minority house-
holds
*more than 64 percent of single-parent households
*more than 77 percent of single-parent female-headed households in
central cities.
NOVEL will make electronic information accessible to everyone through
local libraries so that all New Yorkers, regardless of economic circum-
stances, geographic location, or disabilities, will have access.
Even those who already have access often need expert assistance in
locating the best and most reliable information--assistance that trained
library staff can provide. Internet users are increasingly turning to
librarians as advisors and instructors in their research. A November
2000 CNN survey revealed that 75 percent of Internet users also use the
library, and the number of reference specialists in public libraries has
increased by 56 percent in the past five years.
The New Century Libraries Act will provide $14 million for developing
and implementing NOVEL:
*$5 million for statewide licensing of commercial online full-text mate-
rials and databases and statewide services to support and maintain
NOVEL.
*$8 million for New York's 74 library systems to help local libraries
obtain access to NOVEL.
*$1 million for competitive, cooperative projects to digitize library
research materials of lasting benefit to the people of the State and
make them readily available to the public.
Most library systems already operate shared library computer networks
and provide access to shared electronic services that generate signif-
icant cost savings for local communities. Today more than 95 percent of
New York's public libraries provide Internet access for their users;
however, they continue to need the technical assistance and support
provided by system staff. Also, ongoing training of all library staff is
needed as information technology changes. Library systems are well posi-
tioned to partner with the State Library, other systems, and their
member libraries in creating, developing, and expanding access to NOVEL,
but systems will need additional, ongoing resources to do so.
Public Library Construction
New York's public libraries need more than an estimated $800 million to
renovate and modernize facilities. Survey data show that seven in ten
library buildings outside New York City need facility improvements.
Half the respondents said their library building is more than 60 years
old.
Subject to an appropriation, the New Century Libraries Act will provide
$20 million during 2001-02, $30 million during 2002-03, and then $20
million per year, for matching grants for construction, remodeling, and
retrofitting of public library buildings to accommodate technology and
provide access for the disabled.
New York State currently invests $600,000 a year in public library
construction. The State invested an additional $1 million in 200001, but
much more remains to be done to improve public library facilities,
particularly in economically disadvantaged communities.The proposed
legislation will permit State funding of up to 75 percent of the cost of
construction projects for libraries located in economically disadvan-
taged communities and up to 50 percent of the cost of projects for other
libraries.
Experience shows that libraries typically leverage such funding to
obtain local public funding and private gifts. On average, State money
has funded about 16 percent of individual project costs. Therefore, the
proposed $20 million could drive as much as $125 million in library
construction and renovation, boosting local and State economies.
Higher Access Standards
Significant numbers of New Yorkers live in communities with substandard
funding for their public library. A recent study of the Regents Commis-
sion concluded that a minimum funding level of $20 per capita is neces-
sary for a public library to meet the basic needs of its users. The per
capita support for public libraries in New York ranges from as low as $2
to more than $200. Communities that could benefit most from improved
library services are those least able to support them through local tax
revenues. They include inner-city and isolated rural communities that
are experiencing the highest levels of unemployment and other social and
economic challenges.
In addition to substandard funding, libraries and library systems are
facing rising costs, rapidly changing technologies, and more diverse
user needs. Libraries need help to provide the following:
* high-speed access to information networks and electronic resources *
library service in currently unserved areas
*the availability and assistance of certified and skilled library staff
*expanded hours of service to meet community needs.
Through the New Century Libraries Act, $36 million will assist libraries
and library systems of all types in providing significantly higher stan-
dards of access to library services. The proposal includes the following
funding to help libraries and systems:
*$4.5 million in State aid to achieve a base level of services, includ-
ing cost-of-living increases to shore up the existing statewide library
and library system infrastructure.
*$10 million in need-based aid to eliminate the grossly uneven levels of
support for public library services across the State.
*$9.7 million for an urban library initiative to help public libraries
serving 63 cities meet the diverse needs and expectations of their
users.
*$2 million in incentive and enabling aid to promote excellence in
library services for all types of libraries and library systems through
the NY EXCELS program.
*$3 million for 42 school library systems to enable them to provide
leadership, support, and services to strengthen school library services
for students and faculty, particularly in high-need school districts.
*$1 million to enhance library-based literacy programs and expand state-
wide reading programs to every community.
*$5.1 million for an academic and research initiative to open the vast
resources of research, academic, and special libraries to all New York-
ers, to extend access to health and medical information, and to preserve
fragile items.
*An increase of $700,000 annually to improve and expand library services
for individuals with disabilities, including outreach and programming
through the New York State Library's Talking Book and Braille Library
(TBBL), the New York Public Library's Andrew Heiskell Library for the
Blind and Physically Handicapped, and the two sub-re- gional libraries
located at the Nassau Library System and the Suffolk Cooperative Library
System.
Formation of Public Library Districts
Most of New York's public libraries began as community-based, grassroots
educational organizations. Over time, this has led to a patchwork of
isolated local districts that leave some 1.3 million New Yorkers living
outside any library district and without a local public library in their
community.
The New Century Libraries Act will provide $10 million in enabling and
incentive aid to promote the availability of local public library
service to all New Yorkers and improve local support for public
libraries as follows:
*$4 million in incentives to libraries and systems to support and
promote the voluntary formation of Public Library Districts over a five-
year period.
*$2.6 million for improvement incentives to strengthen existing non-ur-
ban public libraries.
*$3 million for public library systems and $400,000 for the New York
State Library to assist local libraries and communities in converting to
Public Library Districts.
In forming Public Library Districts, existing libraries could be recon-
figured to conform to school district boundaries or follow another
available model, possibly leading to the formation of new districts or
the expansion of existing ones. A successful conversion to Public
Library Districts will ensure that all New Yorkers live within the
service area of a public library, and will increase local accountability
by providing for public votes on the library budget and the library
districts governing board of trustees.
BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS OF THE BILL:
It is estimated that the following additional State appropriations would
be needed as a result of this bill:
State Fiscal Year State Cost
2001-2002 $80 million
2002-2003 $107 million
2003-2004 $118 million
2004-2005 $118 million
2005-2006 $118 million
The programs would be coordinated through the New York State Library.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
Similar legislation was introduced in 1999 and amended in 2000 to
include portions of this bill (S.3166-A and A.6048-A), but no further
action was taken. Legislation relating to State aid for electronic door-
way services was also introduced in 1997-98 (S.2628-C and A.4321-B) and
in 1995-96 (S.2180 and A.3318).
01/12/15 referred to libraries and education technology
01/06/16 referred to libraries and education technology
EFFECTIVE DATE:
April 1,2017; provided that in the event this act shall have become a
law after such date, this act shall take effect immediately and shall be
deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after April 1,2017,
and provided further that for the purposes of computing the apportion-
ments of calendar year State aid, grants or other financial assistance
to libraries and library systems for the 2017 calendar year, this act
shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to have been in full
force and effect on and after January 1, 2017.
