A Message from SHPO

Instructions to Grant Applicants

Many libraries in New York State are considered historic or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. This importance can be attributed to a variety of reasons: the architectural significance of the building; its association with persons or events that are important to the community, county or state; the central role it plays in community life as a civic institution fostering education and personal growth.

If your building is more than 50 years old, there is a good chance it meets these criteria. If so, you must consult with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO for State Construction funds. Consultation is a two-step process. The first determines if there are historic resources that may be affected by a project; the second evaluates the proposed work to determine what effect it will have on those resources. Where effects are adverse, the consultation continues to see if there are prudent and feasible alternatives that meet your program needs and avoid or reduce the project's effects.

We cannot over stress the importance of consulting with the SHPO early in your planning process: the SHPO office has 30 days after receipt of complete information to provide comments, which are required by the New York State Library prior to the release of grant funds. Note that the requesting library not the SHPO needs to supply the NYS Library with a copy of the SHPO’s response. Here's how the consultation works.

1. Fill out a "Historic Resource Inventory Form" and include all available information (clear original photograph, map locating building and major streets). Mail the form to the SHPO:

NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation
Historic Preservation Field Services Bureau
Peebles Island State Park
P.O. Box 189
Waterford, New York 12188-0189
(518) 237-8643 (phone)
(518) 233-9049 (facsimile)

You can move immediately to step 2 if:

• You know that your building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, either individually or as a contributing component of a larger historic district.
• You submitted one of these forms for an earlier project and the SHPO advised that your property was historic ("eligible for listing in the National Register" or a "contributing component of a district that is eligible for listing in the National Register").
• You telephone the SHPO and are advised that the building is historic. The SHPO has a computerized database with information about thousands of buildings in New York State. You can phone that office at the number listed above, and ask the operator to connect you with the staff person covering your County.

2. The second step involves documenting with photos those areas of the building where work will occur, and describing your projects so its effect can be evaluated. This may be done with a combination of sketches, floor plans, narratives, etc. If you have any questions about what you should include, phone the SHPO and ask the operator to connect you with the technical staff person for your County.

3. You may NOT have to consult with the SHPO if:

• You submitted a form for an earlier project and the SHPO advised that your property was NOT historic ("not eligible for listing in the National Register"). However, some letters state that your project will have "No Effect" or "No Adverse Effect" on a property; this DOES NOT mean that the property is not historic, only that the work proposed at that time would not affect the structure's historic qualities. The letter must state that the property is not eligible for listing in the National Register.
• Your building is less than 50 years old, or your project is located entirely within a part of the building that is less than 50 years old.

Please note that for each of these situations you should phone the SHPO to discuss what documentation, if any, should be provided for their files.

7/99; revised 7/25/05