Instructions: Application for Library Registration

What is registration and why is it important?

Libraries are registered following Regents incorporation by charter. Registration (licensing) of public and association libraries is required by CR 90.1 and CR 90.2 in New York State. Through the registration process a library demonstrates its compliance with Minimum Standards for Public Libraries. Once registered through the State Education Department’s New York State Library (State Library), a public or association library may legally accept local and state public funds. After registration each library provides an annual assurance that minimum standards are met through the annual report to the State Library.

Submitting an application

After a library is chartered the library’s official contact person will receive, via email, information about registration including the registration application. After all policies, other required documents, and the application are completed and approved by the library board and reviewed by the library’s public library system, the library system will submit the library’s application to LIBRARYREGISTRATION@nysed.gov.

Notification of approval

After application submission, the library may receive questions or requests for more information from the library system and/or from the State Library. Once the application is approved, the library’s official contact person will be notified by email from LIBRARYREGISTRATION@nysed.gov. The approval email will include the official letter of approval and the registration certificate.

Documents retention

All documents relating to a library’s establishment should be retained indefinitely. This includes charter documents and related documents as they constitute the library’s legal status as an education corporation that is eligible to receive local and state public funds, registration application, registration approval letter and registration certificate.

Questions?

The library’s public library system is an invaluable source of information about the registration process and required documents. See the State Library’s site for a list of public library systems with contact information.

The State Library has helpful information about meeting minimum public library standards on its website.

For questions about the application itself please email LIBRARYREGISTRATION@nysed.gov.

Instructions for Application for Registration

1. Library Name: The legal name of the library as indicated on the library's charter.
2. Library Community Name: The name of the village, town, or city in which the main library building is located.
3. Library Mailing Address: The address where the library can be reached or to which mail should be sent.
4. Library Email Address: The general email address for sending electronic mail messages to the library (for example: circ@nysed.gov). If the library does not have an e–mail address, enter N/A.
5. County: The name of the county in which the main library building (only) is located. Do not enter the counties within the library's chartered service area.
6. Library System: The name of the public library system of which the library is a member.
7. Name of Board President: The name of the Library Board President
8. Email Address: The email address for contacting the Board President directly.
9. Phone Number: The phone number for contacting the Board President directly.
10. Name of Library Director/Manager: The current director's/manager’s name.
11. Email Address: The email address for contacting the library director/manager directly.
12. Phone Number: The phone number for contacting the library director/manager directly.
13. Director/Manager Education: The highest education level of the library manager/director.
14. Director Certification Number (if applicable): The director’s New York State Public Librarian Certification number.
15. Current FTE Weekly Work Hours for Director/Manager Position: Record the current number of hours per week for the library director/manager position. This should be no more than 40 hours per week.
16. Local Fiscal Year: The beginning and ending dates of the library’s local fiscal year (operating year).
17. Library Type (Public or Association): The type of library as stated in the library's charter.
18. Date Chartered: Date the library was granted its absolute charter or the date of the provisional charter if the library does not have an absolute charter.
19. Charter Type (Provisional or Absolute): The type of charter the library currently holds.
20. Chartered Service Area: The area chartered to serve as stated in the library's charter.
21. Chartered Service Area Population: Population Chartered to Serve (per 2010 Census).
22. Employment Identification Number (EIN): The nine-digit number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service to the library, as an employer, for the purposes of reporting taxes withheld.
23. Minimum Hours Open Per Week: Minimum weekly total scheduled public service hours for the library.
24. Who owns library building?: Indicate who owns the library building.
25. Who owns land?: Indicate who owns the site on which the building is located.
26. Library Income - Local Public Funds: Specify by name the municipalities or districts which are the source of funds. Indicate the amount of funds for each funding source.
27. Library Income - System Cash Grants to Member Library: Funding sources include Local Library Services Aid (LLSA), Central Library Aid, Additional State Aid received from the System, Federal Aid received from the System, and Other Cash Grants.
28. Library Income - Other State Aid: State Aid other than LLSA, Central Library Aid or other State Aid reported as system cash grants. Other State Aid includes monies received directly by the library, such as direct Special Legislative Grants, Conservation/ Preservation Grant, NYS Council on the Arts Grant, etc.
29. Library Income - Federal Aid: Funding sources include LSTA and Other Federal Aid (funds received directly from any other Federal Programs, which are used for library operations).
30. Library Income – Other: Funding sources include Gifts and Endowments, Fund Raising, Income from Investments, Library Charges, Other.
31. Library Income – Total: Total of library income categories listed above.
32. Library Expenditures - Salary of Library Director/Manager: Current annual salary for this position, even if vacant.
33. Library Expenditures - Salaries of Other Staff: Salaries of any librarians and all other staff employed by the library.
34. Library Expenditures – Employee Benefits Total: Employer's contribution for employee benefits.
35. Library Expenditures – Collections: Operating expenditures for print materials, electronic materials, and other materials (such as audio and video physical units, microform, audio, video, DVD, and materials in all other forms.)
36. Library Expenditures – Capital Expenditures from Operating Funds: Local Public and/or Other funds. Record the cost of all capital expenditures from operating funds including the cost of all vehicles and equipment purchased from operating funds.
37. Library Expenditures – Operation and Maintenance of Buildings: Costs related to the operation and maintenance of buildings, including but not limited to fuel and utilities (fuel, electricity, gas, etc.), insurance (other than those reported under employee benefits), custodial supplies, rental of quarters, and contracts for janitorial service, window washing, snow removal, etc.
38. Library Expenditures – Miscellaneous: Expenses including Office and Library Supplies, Telecommunications, Binding Expenses, Postage and Freight, Professional & Consultant Fees, Equipment, and Other Miscellaneous (all expenses not in other categories; include here contract money paid to libraries that are not members of a New York State public library system and contract money paid to library systems).
39. Library Expenditures – Total: Total of library expense categories listed above.
40. Library Capital Income – from Capital Funds: Record all receipts to the Capital Fund from local government sources, state aid for capital projects, federal aid for capital projects, transfers from operating fund and other.
41. Library Capital Expenditures – from Capital Funds: Record all disbursements from the Capital Fund for project expenses, transfers to operating fund and other expenses.
42. Minimum Public Library Standards Compliance – Indicate compliance status by answering Y for Yes or N for No. For more information on the standards see Helpful Information for Meeting Minimum Public Library Standards.
43. Additional Documents Required for Library Registration: Please provide the URL for each document. Each of these documents must be approved by the board, must indicate the date of board approval on each document and must be posted online and available to the public as separate documents. Each document should represent the current library governance structure and library operations in accordance with the library’s special legislation (if applicable); charter and NYS laws, rules and regulations. All documents posted online by the library should be available in accessible formats.
    
    Required documents include by-laws, long-range plan, annual report to the community, and library budget. Required policies include open meeting policy, confidentiality of library records, internet use policy, conflict of interest policy, sexual harassment prevention policy, and whistle blower policy. In addition to the documents listed in this question, the Library is required to provide current library information online (location, hours open, borrowing rules, services, phone numbers, email addresses, website address, Board of Trustees and library staff contact information, and Board of Trustees meeting information as required by Open Meetings Law).
44. Application for Registration – Date of Library Board Approval: Date the library board approved the application.
45. Application for Registration – Date System Director Completed Review: Date the public library system director completed reviewing the application.