Looking Ahead to 2025
Fund - Protect - Empower
With the 2024 legislative session behind us, now is the time to turn our collective attention to 2025 and the goals we wish to realize as a library community in the coming year.
Last month, the members of NYLA's Legislative Committee met and determined our FY 2026 and 2025 legislative priorities. Through their deliberations, the Committee decided to adjust budgetary requests to more accurately reflect the financial needs of our community and to focus primary legislative priorities around a set of "core" objectives, while work on other ongoing priorities will continue in the background.
In 2025, our library community will be direct in our requests and articulation of needs. 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!
The Legislature
Senate Library Committee
Assembly Libraries Committee
New York State Senate Directory
New York State Assembly Directory
Senate X Directory
Assembly X Directory
New York State Senate Website
New York State Assembly Website
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Policy Initiatives
Freedom to Read
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.
Freedom to Read Act
S.6350-B / A.6873-B - NYLA Memo of Support
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.
Protection in Public Libraries
S.7677-A / A.7843-B - 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 ensure library materials, services, and programming shall not be proscribed or removed due to partisan or doctrinal disapproval. Conversations on this issue are ongoing and responsive to new information from ongoing efforts around the country.
eBooks Licensing Reform
S.6868-A / A.10544 - NYLA Memo of Support
This bill would allow library access to electronic books and digital audiobooks, providing requirements for contracts between libraries and publishers for access to electronic library material.
Media Literacy in New York State
Media Literacy Professional Development
NYLA supports legislation that would require teachers and certified school librarians to receive professional development related to media literacy.
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
NYLA supports legislation to require, based on student population and other specified criteria, that all New York schools are staffed by certified school librarians across all grade levels.
Media Literacy Advisory Group
NYLA supports legislation that would direct the Commissioner of Education to appoint a Media Literacy Advisory Committee to study the teaching of media literacy across New York State.
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
NYLA supports legislation that would direct the State Education Department to develop a set of media literacy standards and ensure media literacy education is being provided to students across New York State.
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.
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The State Budget
NYLA Budget Requests
NYS Library Operating Aid: $176.8
Increased 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.
History of Library Aid Chart
Impact of Underfunding
NYS Library Construction Aid: $175M
Increased 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 $1.5B.
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
History of Construction Aid Chart
NYLA Testimony at the Assembly Standing Committee on Libraries and Education Technology's Public Hearing on Construction Aid - 10/25/2023
Increase Rate for Library Materials Aid: $11.33/pupil
The 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.
Secure Funding for NOVELny: $3.1M
Building 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.
Doing so would ensure equity of access to essential e-resources for all New Yorkers, from students in K-12 classrooms to life-long learners in the public setting.
Historic Priorities
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