Relates to aid for coordinated collection development grants

Summary of provisions

Section 1 details the legislative findings indi- cating the intent to modernize the coordinated collection development aid formula. Section 2 amends subdivision (5) (b) (1) of section 273 of the Education Law by itemizing the grant amount for each institution in the following manner: five thousand five hundred dollars in fiscal year 2013-2014, six thousand eight hundred seventy- five in fiscal year 2014-15, eight thousand six hundred in fiscal year 2015-2016, ten thou- sand in fiscal year 2016-2017. Subdivision (5) (b) (2) is amended to provide that the current aid level of one dollar and four cents for each full-time equivalent student shall be increased annually based on any positive growth in the Consumer Price Index as set by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Section 3 provides the effective date.

Justification

Under the New York State Education Law, the libraries of public and private colleges and universities receive state aid to assist in the development of library collections. This program, known as coor- dinated collection development (CCD), is intended to promote the avail- ability of critical information resources by supporting regionally coor- dinated collections that are available through interlibrary loan. By helping academic libraries to build their collections in specific subject areas through annual grants, New York State ensures that the people of the State have access to more and richer resources. Under a CCD program, regional clusters of higher education institutions would be spared the cost of individual purchases of select titles so long as one of the other collaborating institutions obtained that title. Coordinated reciprocity ensures the availability of titles. The State provides aid to these libraries for the purpose of improving access to resources in a coordinated manner. However, the formula directing state aid to public and private academic and research libraries has not been adjusted since 1984. During that time, prices of published academic materials has outpaced inflation, often rising at a rate of more than three times that of inflation. In 2012, total statewide funding for CCD did not reach $2 million for the more than 200 participating institutions. This program needs an adjustment in its formula if the goals of quality and accessi- ble scholarship are to be maintained. This program provides $1.04 for each full-time equivalent student and proportionate amounts for part- time or graduate students. By modestly revising the CCD funding formula to $1.50 per FTE with future increases indexed to changes in the consum- er price index (CPI), New York State could ensure the viability of this withering program. Updating the CCD formula is needed to maintain the

competitive advantages of New York's higher education sector. It also promotes a model of efficiency needed to combat the exponentially rising costs of books and other information resources.

Legislative history

In Senate S.3390 in Education Committee (2011-2012). In Assembly A.8888 in Libraries and Education Technology Committee (2011-2012).

Fiscal implications

The current aid level is four thousand four hundred dollars per institution. Under this bill, each institution will receive five thousand five hundred dollars in fiscal year 2013-2014, six thou- sand eight hundred seventy-five in fiscal year 2014-2015, eight thousand six hundred in fiscal year 2015-2016, and ten thousand in fiscal year 2016-2017. Additionally, one dollar and four cents will be granted to each institution for each full-time equivalent student enrolled in the academic year prior to state fiscal year 2013-2014 and thereafter setting the rate at the level of the previous fiscal year indexed to any positive growth in the Consumer Price Index as set by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Effective date

Immediately.