What's happening
This bill requires all New York school districts to employ certified school library media specialists in every school, with staffing levels based on enrollment.
Why it matters
Guaranteed access to library professionals. By mandating certified school library media specialists in every school, the bill aims to ensure all students have expert guidance in accessing and evaluating information, supporting literacy and research skills across grade levels.
Staffing tailored to enrollment. The law sets specific staffing ratios based on school size, which could improve service quality in larger schools while ensuring even small schools have at least part-time library expertise.
Potential impact on educational equity. Standardizing access to certified library staff could help reduce disparities between wealthy and under-resourced districts, potentially benefiting students in lower-income or rural areas who might otherwise lack such support.
Limits and flexibility built in. The bill allows for temporary waivers in areas facing certified librarian shortages, balancing the push for higher standards with recognition of current workforce limitations—though these waivers are capped to prevent long-term noncompliance.
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Who cares
School districts
The bill would require a library in every elementary and secondary school and certified school library media specialist staffing based on enrollment within three years of its effective date.
Certified school library media specialists
The bill would establish minimum staffing levels ranging from part-time positions in smaller schools to multiple full-time positions in larger schools.
Library clerks
Schools enrolling at least 1,000 pupils would have to employ a full-time library clerk, with another full-time clerk for each additional 1,000 pupils.
State education commissioner
The bill would authorize limited waivers for schools in designated specialist shortage areas when districts demonstrate that an actual employment offer was made to a certified specialist.
Headline styles
Require Certified School Librarians
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 7
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require School Librarians Statewide
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Michaelle C. Solages
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2421
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 24, 2019
Introduced by Sen. KAPLAN -- 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 librarians of school libraries; and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating thereto
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 275 of the education law is REPEALED and a new section 275 is added to read as follows:
§ 275. Librarians of school libraries. 1. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, and subject to the provisions of section two hundred seventy-four of this part, and subdivision three of this section, each school district in the state shall have and 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 within three years of the effective date of this section.
2. Employment of certified school library media specialists shall be in accordance with the following standards:
a. In each elementary or secondary school with an enrollment of not more than one hundred pupils, a certified school library media specialist shall be employed as fifteen hundredths of a full-time equivalent staff member;
b. In each elementary or secondary school with an enrollment of more than one hundred but not more than three hundred pupils, a certified school library media specialist shall be employed as a three-tenths of a full-time equivalent staff member;
c. In each elementary or secondary school with an enrollment of more than three hundred but no more than five hundred pupils, a certified school library media specialist shall be employed as a one half of a full-time equivalent staff member;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04251-01-9
S. 2421 2
d. In each elementary or secondary school with an enrollment of more than five hundred pupils, a certified school library media specialist shall be employed as a full-time equivalent staff member;
e. (i) In each elementary or secondary school with an enrollment of more than two thousand pupils, two certified school library media specialists shall each be employed as a full-time equivalent staff member;
(ii) An additional certified school library media specialist shall be employed as a full-time equivalent staff member for each additional one thousand pupils enrolled in an elementary or secondary school.
f. (i) In each elementary or secondary school with an enrollment of at least one thousand pupils, a full-time equivalent staff member shall be employed as a library clerk.
(ii) An additional full-time equivalent staff member shall be employed as a library clerk for each additional one thousand pupils enrolled in an elementary or secondary school.
3. The commissioner may, upon application by a school district, waive the applicability of the provisions of subdivisions one and two of this section for up to one year, if such application demonstrates the elementary or secondary school is within a designated shortage area for certified school library media specialists, and such application demonstrates that an actual offer of employment was made to a certified school library media specialist; however, no such waiver shall be granted for more than two consecutive school years, and no more than two waivers may be granted with a five year period.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
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 librarians of school libraries; and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating thereto
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 repeals Section 275 and adds a new section 275 of the Educa- tion 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 specialist 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 specialists.
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 modem and progressive society. The library, therefore, becomes that place where the student can reinforce language and reading skills, become aware of how to retrieve and evaluate background reference materials and learn to think and act as an independent individual to gain the necessary infor- mation to attain intellectual maturity.
It is of utmost importance that a school library be staffed by competent professionally trained personnel who are certified or licensed in their area of responsibility. The librarian should be a professional trained to look at and work for a total school program. The librarian should be professionally astute to be able to select and acquire those materials which will assist each student to reach out for his or her intellectual potential 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 certi- fied 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.
Legislative history
A6784A of 2017/18; Referred to Education
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
The first day of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.