What's happening
This bill requires every school in New York to maintain a library with a certified media specialist, with possible waivers for shortages or shared arrangements.
Why it matters
Access to qualified library staff. By requiring every school to have a certified school library media specialist, the bill aims to ensure that all students benefit from professional support in information literacy, research skills, and access to diverse reading materials—key for academic success and digital citizenship.
Equity across districts. Mandating libraries and certified specialists in both elementary and secondary schools seeks to reduce disparities between wealthier and less-resourced districts, potentially leveling the playing field for students who might otherwise lack access to robust library services.
Flexibility for local realities. The option for waivers in cases of media specialist shortages, or for districts that have sharing arrangements with public libraries, acknowledges staffing and resource challenges—allowing the law to be implemented realistically without penalizing districts facing unique barriers.
Potential impact on curriculum and enrichment. With more schools required to have active, professionally staffed libraries, students may have increased exposure to reading programs, research opportunities, and technology integration, potentially enriching the overall educational environment.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require School Libraries
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1227
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 11, 2019
Introduced by Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to maintaining school libraries
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 274-a to read as follows:
§ 274-a. School libraries. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary and subject to the provisions of subdivision two of this section, each school district shall maintain a school library in each elementary and secondary school in the district, and shall employ a certified school library media specialist for each such school library, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the commissioner, within three years of the effective date of this section.
2. The commissioner may, upon application by a school district, waive the applicability of the provisions of subdivision one of this section to such school district upon a determination by the commissioner that the school district is within a designated shortage area for library media specialists or that such school district's needs are adequately met through a written sharing arrangement with a public library and such arrangement provides for adequate library access.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04215-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to maintaining school libraries
Purpose
To ensure that each elementary and secondary school in New York State maintains a school library and employs a certified school librarian.
Summary of provisions
This bill adds a new Section 274-a to the Education Law to require all school districts to maintain a school library in each elementary and secondary school and to employ a certified school library media special- ist or duly licensed teacher of library for each such school library.
The bill also provides a waiver process that can be used by districts that fall within a designated shortage area for library media special- ists or by districts that have demonstrated that their needs can be met through a sharing amendment with a public library.
Justification
School libraries are an integral part of the educational program. They support and complement all phases of the formal instructional program in the various areas of the curriculum, and enrich each student's life. For many, the school library is the first introduction the student has to any library facility. Because of this unique aspect, the school library will be the only place the student can learn the proper usage of a library and its valuable resources.
An adequate, comprehensive school library program is essential in providing quality education for all students in today's modern and progressive society. The library, therefore, becomes that place where the student can reinforce his language art and reading skills, become aware of how to retrieve background reference materials for his everyday life and school assignments, and learn to think and act as an independ- ent individual to gain the necessary information to attain intellectual maturity.
It is of utmost importance that competent professionally trained person- nel who are certified or licensed in their area of responsibility staff a school library. The librarian should be a professional trained to look at and work for a total school program. The librarian should be profes- sionally astute to be able to select and acquire those materials that will assist each student to reach out for his or her intellectual poten- tial and to be able to achieve a wide, unencumbered view of the world and how the student can best fit into it. Only a competent certified or licensed librarian can add that dimension to a child's life.
If maintaining a school library would place an extreme financial burden on a district, the waiver provision allows the district to explore alternative ways to meet the needs of their students through a sharing arrangement with a public library. The waiver process is also available if there is a shortage locally of library media specialists.
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
The first day of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.