Relates to the empire state development corporation conducting a study at least once every five years, on the economic impact of public libraries and public library systems in New York state.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3010
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 19, 2017
___________
Introduced by Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT relating to studying the economic impact of public libraries and
public library systems in New York state
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Study of the economic impact of public libraries and public
2 library systems. The empire state development corporation, in consulta-
3 tion with the state education department, shall conduct a study on the
4 economic impact of public libraries and public library systems in New
5 York state. Such study shall include, but not be limited to, the follow-
6 ing:
7 a. The return on investment New York state and local governments
8 receive from public libraries and public library systems;
9 b. The direct, indirect, and induced economic impact of all public
10 library expenditures on the state and local economies;
11 c. An examination of the resources, services, and programs provided to
12 library patrons for career development;
13 d. An examination of the resources, services, and programs provided to
14 current and prospective business owners; and
15 e. An analysis of public library systems and the value they provide
16 to public libraries.
17 § 2. For the purposes of this act, the following terms shall be
18 defined as follows:
19 a. "public library" shall mean any public or association library,
20 other than professional, technical or public school library, established
21 for free public purposes by official action of a municipality or
22 district or the legislature, where the whole interests belong to the
23 public; the term "association" library shall be construed to mean a
24 library established and controlled, in whole or in part, by a group of
25 private individuals operating as an association, closed corporation or
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08576-01-7
S. 3010 2
1 as trustees under the provisions of a will or deed of trust; and the
2 term "free" as applied to a library shall be construed to mean a library
3 maintained for the benefit and free use on equal terms of all the people
4 of the community in which the library is located.
5 b. "public library system" shall mean:
6 (1) A library established by one or more counties.
7 (2) A group of libraries serving an area including one or more coun-
8 ties in whole or in part.
9 (3) A library of a city containing one or more counties.
10 (4) A cooperative library system established pursuant to section 255
11 of the education law, the plan of library service of any of which shall
12 have been approved by the commissioner of the department of education.
13 § 3. The empire state development corporation shall conduct such study
14 at least once every five years beginning on January 1, 2019. Such study
15 shall be provided to the governor, the speaker of the assembly, the
16 temporary president of the senate, the chair of the assembly libraries
17 and education technology committee, and the chair of the senate select
18 committee on libraries. Such study shall also be posted on the New York
19 state library's website.
20 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
