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Early last week, Governor Hochul released her Executive Budget, this is a proposal for the legislature's consideration. Support for library aid, construction aid, and NOVELny are all going in the right direction thanks to some new advocacy tactics deployed by the New York Library Association and library community:
“Support for Libraries. The Executive Budget supports public libraries by providing $102.1 million of Library Aid, a $2.5 million increase over FY 2024 Enacted Budget levels, and $34 million for Library Construction to fund various capital projects. In addition, the Executive Budget appropriates $3 million to ensure continued access to the New York Online Virtual Electronic Library (NOVELny), a free online library of magazines, newspapers, maps, charts, research, and reference books available to all New Yorkers.”
This is good, but not good enough.
- A 2.4% increase after years of flat funding and cuts in the face of record-setting inflation has set system finances on a dangerous path. This needs to be course-corrected now before real damage is done to system services.
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What you can do: We need you, your trustees, and other stakeholders to speak up and tell your legislators that the System matters - stories about how system services impact your institution, save you local tax dollars, and enhance real outcomes for your patrons is what is called for in this moment.
- Construction needs throughout the state top out at $1.75 BILLION. Need in our system alone is more than $34 million. The state can do better, and needs to, before library infrastructure in the state gets worse.
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What you can do: We need libraries with stark needs to speak up. Building not fully accessible? Tell that story. Meetings spaces inadequate to meet community needs? Tell that story. The stories are what sticks. Visuals make a difference.
Get Ready Now for Advocacy Day on February 7th:
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