Library Law and Regulations

Authorizes the Farmingdale Public Library to submit an application for real property tax exemption to the assessor of the county of Nassau for a parcel of land located in Oyster Bay. Signed by Governor, 7/18/12

Dissolves the Bancroft Public Library in the town of Salem, Washington County, which was established in chapter 206 of the laws of 1851, as amended by chapter 329 of the laws of 1889, and as further amended, and transfers the library’s assets to the new Bancroft Public Library established in 2011. Signed by the Governor, 7/18/12

Amends Education Law section 1950 to authorize BOCES and public libraries to enter into contracts for any available services. Signed by Governor, 8/17/12

Repeals Chapter 349 of the Laws of 1973 related to the Orangetown Library District. Creates four separate taxing districts within the town of Orangetown related to providing funding for four libraries (Blauvelt Free Library, Tappan Library, Palisades Free Library, Orangeburg Library); modifies the boundaries of the taxing districts; authorizes each of the individual libraries to apply to the Town of Orangetown for appropriations on an individual basis. Signed by Governor, 12/17/12

Provides for the creation of the Grinnell Public Library District in the towns of Wappinger and Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess, if approved by the voters of such proposed district. Signed by Governor, 7/18/12

Amends chapter 672 of the laws of 1993, allowing the Guilderland Public Library in Guilderland, New York  to be eligible for financing through the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York.  Signed by Governor, 8/1/12

Amends Chapter 349 of the Laws of 1973, special legislation concerning the organization and funding of the Orangetown public library district.

Enacts the Academic Research Information Access Act (ARIA) under the Department of Economic Development.  ARIA leverages New York State's public and private higher education sector, the largest and most diverse in the nation, to implement a cost-effective information infrastructure for research, scholarship, and innovation in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. When implemented, ARIA will lower costs for higher education and small business, expand access to cutting-edge research, and support economically beneficial innovation and entrepreneurialism. This bill will allow libraries to collaborate through the Department of Economic Development when purchasing expensive math, science and technology online resources, which will reduce costs.

Establishes the Clinical Information Resource Access Program (CIRA) to provide information to medical institutions and facilities. Under the program, electing institutions and universities will participate in the program with the Health Department, who will, in conjunction with the board of regents and board of trustees of the state university, contract on behalf of the participating universities and institutions for electronic and print resources on medical information related to clinical practice. This will allow libraries to collaborate in the purchase of medical materials in order to reduce costs.

Amends Chapter 349 of the Laws of 1973, special legislation concerning the organization and funding of the Orangetown public library district.

Enacts major components of legislation relating to real property tax levies, rent regulation, exemption from local taxation and mandate relief.

Local governments and school districts may not adopt a budget that requires a tax levy that exceeds the prior year’s levy by more than 2 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less, unless they officially override the tax levy limitation. For the purpose of the tax cap law, state policymakers have placed all types of public libraries into the local government section of the legislation under the category of "special districts."(signed by the Governor 6/24/11)

This bill amends Section 249 of the Education Law.  It requires the New York State Library to be open for at least eight hours each day on five days every week of the year except for specified legal holidays.  Previously the State Library was required to be open Monday through Friday. (signed by the Governor 8/2/11)

Amends chapter 420 of the laws of 1998 and establishes the Dennis P. McHugh Piermont Public Library as the polling place for library elections and polling hours from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (signed by the Governor 8/3/11)

An act to amend the public service law, the public authorities law, the real property law, the state finance law, and the environmental conservation law, in relation to establishing the Power NY Act of 2011. Power NY is related to the "Green Jobs/Green New York" program which was added by chapter 487 of the laws of 2009. It reauthorizes and modernizes Article X, Section 164 of the Public Service Law, regarding siting of major electric generating facilities. This bill requires public libraries serving the district of  each  member of the state legislature in whose  district  any  portion  of the facility is to be located as proposed or in any alternative location listed, to provide copies of applications for the construction and operation of major electric generating facilities to the public. This includes information on the potential impact of the facility on the environment, health and safety of the surrounding communities and would also identify any alternative locations for the proposed facility. The act recognizes public libraries as centers for dissemination of information to their local communities. (signed by the Governor 8/5/11.)

Amends Chapter 158 of the Laws of 1988 for the Hurley public library district, changing the library's annual election hours and the organization of the board of trustees. (signed by the Governor 8/17/11)

Relates to the dissolution of the Wadsworth Library created by Chapter 262 of the laws of 1869 and allows for the redistribution of any funds and/or assets held by such library to the Wadsworth Library, a school district public library. (signed by the Governor 8/17/11)

An act to amend the education law relating to the apportionment of state aid for libraries, teachers of tomorrow teacher recruitment and retention program and duties of school districts; provides for extending the effectiveness of certain chapters relating to educational programs. (signed by the Governor 2/14/11)

Provides an appropriation of $542,000 for 2011-2012 to the State Education Department for the New York State Library for the conservation / preservation program (Education Law 273(7)) and the Talking Book Braille Library (Education Law 273(8)). Also provides an appropriation of $331,400 for 2011-2012 to the State University of New York for the library conservation / preservation program (Education Law 273(7)). (signed by the Governor 4/11/11)

Summary: Provides a local assistance appropriation for 2011-2012 Library Aid of $79,012,000. (signed by the Governor 4/11/11)

Provides a $14,000,000 capital appropriation for 2011-2014 grants for public library construction, renovation and rehabilitation (Education Law 273-a). (signed by the Governor 4/11/11)

Made Permanent in Ed Law – Supplemental Library System Operating Aid Formula Aid. Summary: Amends Education Law 273 (12) to annualize in statute the supplemental library system operating aid for public library systems, reference and research library resources systems and school library systems.

Library Aid Allocations – Hold Harmless to 2001-2002 and Proportionate Reductions. Summary:  States that funds appropriated for the support of public libraries by the chapter of the laws of 2011 will be apportioned for the 2011-2012 state fiscal year.  Libraries, library systems and programs will not received less aid than they were provided in 2001-2002, and the total amount of aid will not exceed the total appropriations.

2011-2012 Public Library Construction Capital Funds. Summary: Amends the Public Protection Law and section 1689-I of the Public Authorities Law, authorizing the dormitory authority to issue bonds to finance library construction projects.

School Library Materials Aid, Software and Computer Hardware Aid.
Summary: Amends section 711 of the education law, so that school districts may use software aid (751) and computer hardware aid (753) to purchase school library materials that are eligible for purchase under 711. School library materials aid may not, however, be used to purchase software or computer hardware.

Conditions Under Which Library Systems are Entitled to State Aid. Summary: Amends Education Law 272 to update the name of the "state department of corrections" to the "state department of corrections and community supervision."

Amends the state finance law to include public library systems within the definition of entities that are eligible to apply for local government efficiency grants. (signed by the Governor 8/17/11)

Conditions Under Which Library Systems are Entitled to State Aid. Summary: Amends section 272 of the education law to update the name of the "state department of corrections" to the "state department of corrections and community supervision." (signed by the Governor 3/31/11)