THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

 

TO:	The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents
FROM:	Carole F. Huxley
COMMITTEE:	Cultural Education
TITLE OF ITEM:	New Century Libraries legislative initiative
DATE OF SUBMISSION:	December 20, 2004
PROPOSED HANDLING:	Discussion
RATIONALE FOR ITEM:	To discuss the 2005 Regents priorities and strategies for the New Century Libraries legislative initiative
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goal 4
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY:

 

In January 2004, the Executive’s budget proposed a 5-percent cut to New York State funding for libraries. This cut of over $4 million still holds today.  The loss of funds will significantly hurt the many services provided to New Yorkers by the State’s thousands of libraries and library systems.  The cut in State funding also translates to a comparable 5-percent decrease in Federal funding, and New York’s libraries are expected to lose $500,000 in Federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds.   

 

Due to these expected losses and the possibility of further cuts to library funding, it is essential that the Regents priorities and strategies for the New Century Libraries legislative initiative be revisited. New Century Libraries is based on the Regents Commission on Library Services 2000 report, Meeting the Needs of All New Yorkers—Library Service in the New Century, and has been a Regents Priority since its introduction. 

 

At the January meeting, Janet M. Welch will provide an overview of the current library funding situation in New York State, and present the 2005 plan for funding restoration and promotion of New Century Libraries as the long term vision.