2013NYLALE

2014NYLABUDGETTALKINGPOINTS

BUDGETPRIORITY:Fullyfundlibrariesat$102.4MasmandatedinstateEducationLaw

Background: NewYorkStateEducationLawspecifiesthatstatelibraryaidforFY20142015shallbe$102.4M.Thisfigureis basedonthemostrecentcensusdata. IntheFY201415proposedExecutiveBudget,GovernorCuomobrokewithhisownyearsoldprecedentand failedtoincludelastyearsenactedlibraryaid($85.6M)asthebaselinelibraryaidforthisyear.Proposedlibrary aidis$81.6Ma$4Mcut.Thisnotonlydoesnotkeepupwithinflation,butamountstoa4.7%cutwhen proposedstateeducationaidwillincreaseatleast3.8% Eveniflibraryaidwaspartofthe3.8%educationincreaseinthisyearsExecutiveBudget,itwouldstillbe$15M lessthanmandatedinEducationLaw. Localvotersapprovelibrarybudgets97%ofthetime.Communitiesdemandqualitylibraries! LibrariesareanincredibleinvestmentaccordingtotheStateEducationDepartment,patronsrealize$7in servicesforevery$1instateaid. Messaging:talkaboutYOURexperiencesinYOURlibrary! Libraryfundingisanequityissue: o Statelibraryaid,liketheeducationfundingformula,ensuresthateconomicallydisadvantagedandrural communitieshavequalitylibraries,butmuchmoreneedstobedone. o Librariesarethe#1sourceofinternetaccessinhouseholdsearninglessthan$30kannually. o Librariesaretheprimarysourceofinternetaccessfor33%ofresidentsincommunitiesofcolor. o Librariesfeatureexpensiveaccessibilitysoftwaretoassistindividualswithdisabilities. Librarieshavesignificanttechnologyneedsthathavebeendeferredduetochronicunderfunding: o Thelibraryfundingformulawasadoptedseveraldecadesagoandcontemplatedneedsbasedon traditionallibraryfunctions.Theformulaneverconsideredtechnologicalneeds,letalonetechnological innovation,andtheemergingservicesNewYorkslibrariesarenowaskedtoprovide. o OverthreehundredpubliclibrarianstrainedbyNewYorkStateprovidedirectsupportforenrollmentin theNewYorkStateofHealthMarketplace,andhavehelpedtensofthousandsofpeoplestatewidegain accesstoaffordablehealthcare. o PubliclibrariesaretheprimaryportalstoonlinejobresourcesformillionsofNewYorkers.Increased technologyfundingforlibrarieswillhelptoreduceunemploymentinNewYorkState. o PubliclibrariesenableaccesstoeBooksandothercurrenttechnologies,allowingaffordableand accessibletoelderly,disabledandlowincomecommunities. LibrariesareakeypartofoureducationsystemLibrariesAREeducation: o Forpreschoolagedchildren,librarieshavecontinuouslyprovidedopportunitiesforenrichmentinan environmentdedicatedtocreativityandfreeinquiry.Whenschoolscloseattheendofeachday,each weekandeachschoolyear,librariesremainopentochildrenandNewYorksfamilies.Inmany communitieslibrariesarethesolesourceoffreetutoringandhomeworkhelpafterschool,andprovide expensivereviewandstudybooksforSATprepandfinalexams. o LibrariesarethePeoplesUniversity.Foradultlearners,includingthosethatdidnotattendorcould notaffordcollege,librariesprovideanavenueforfree,lifelongintellectualenrichment. o LibrariesaretheleadingdigitalliteracyeducatorsinNewYorkState.