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The 2025 Legislative SessionThe 2025 Legislative Session is in full swing and New York's library community needs your help to secure key budgetary and legislative wins in the coming months. With her FY 2026 Executive Budget, Governor Hochul has proposed both a mix of moderately increased State Aid for Libraries, sharply cut State Aid for Library Construction, and stable funding for NOVELny. Now is the time to use your voice to make sure your legislators speak up for increased library funding in the Assembly and Senate One House Budget proposals before they are released next month. Click here to contact your elected officials via email and take action now! Thank you for your continuous, year-round advocacy in all corners of our great state and profession, and I look forward to your actions bringing another year of success! Be sure to check back regularly for updates to bill numbers, bill sponsors and supporting documentation. Click here to download NYLA's LAD25 Materials for Legislators!
NYLA's FY 2026 State Budget RequestsLibrary Operating Aid: $176.8 millionIncreased aid is needed to support the foundational framework of New York State libraries, improving the lives of residents of all ages, abilities and economic status. Adequate funding is needed to support school, public, and academic libraries and library systems. Library Construction Aid: $175MIncreased investment is needed to maintain and develop the physical infrastructure of New York State’s libraries, in order to ensure a safe, accessible and sustainable environment for the future. The New York State Library estimates the deferred maintenance need at over $1.75B. Over half of New York’s libraries are over 60 years old. Investments allow libraries to invest in energy-efficiency and support the local construction industry. Library Construction Aid 1 Pager History of Construction Aid Chart NYLA Testimony - Public Hearing on Construction Aid Library Materials Aid: $11.33/pupilThe per pupil rate of $6.25 has remained stagnant since 2007. We are seeking an increase to the rate to reflect general inflation and the rising costs of materials in school libraries. NOVELny: $3.1MBuilding on the successful campaign to save NOVELny from funding-related termination via the inclusion of $3 million in the FY 2025 budget, NYLA is advocating for $3.1 million in FY 2026 to ensure no resources are lost due to annual cost increases.
FY2026 Executive BudgetOn January 21st, 2025, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled her FY 2026 Executive Budget. The core funding levels included in her proposal are as follows: Library Operating Aid: $104.6 million
Library Construction Aid: $34 million
NYLA's 2025 Policy InitiativesFreedom to Read ActS.1099 (May) - NYLA Memo of Support Libraries across our state face rapidly expanding efforts to censor materials and programming they deem objectionable based on subjective personal sensibilities and partisan ideologies. We require legislation that empowers library professionals to exercise their expertise and ensure public access to materials, services, and programs that represent their interests. If enacted, this bill would require the commissioner of education to develop policies to ensure that school libraries and library staff are empowered to curate and develop collections that provide students with access to the widest array of developmentally appropriate materials available. Open Shelves ActS.1100 (May) A.3119 (Kelles)- NYLA Memo of Support Multiple pieces of legislation intended to curb threats to patron access to materials and services in the public library setting have been introduced in the State Assembly and Senate. NYLA has helped craft the above legislation that would include in the state's Standards of Library Service a requirement that libraries adopt policies and procedures that that ensure library staff are able to curate and develop collections, services, and programming that reflect the interests of all people of the community that the library serves. eBooks Licensing ReformA.3589 (Carroll) - NYLA Memo of Support This bill would help ensure libraries are able to provide patrons access to electronic books and digital audiobooks, providing requirements for contracts between libraries and publishers that involve electronic library materials. Media Literacy in New York StateMedia Literacy Professional Development This training, 5 hours for teachers and 15 hours for librarians, would be deducted from the required 100 hours required by education law and support the existing role of school librarians as leaders in media literacy education. Library Media Specialist Requirement Media Literacy Advisory Group The assembled group would include staff from school library systems, school libraries and individuals from high education institutions that offer information studies programs. Media Literacy Standards Such standards will ensure that all students, grades K-12, are receiving broad media literacy education that is inclusive of the use of technology and social media, responsible online behavior, proper use of online resources for research, curating a positive digital footprint, internet safety, civility and more. There are nearly a dozen other initiatives that NYLA is currently in the researching, drafting, and advocating for. Please contact [email protected] for more information on any additional priorities that NYLA is pursuing. The Legislature
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