To
all local library advocates:
Good news! As noted below, the $20 million
cuts in library aid proposed by the Governor will not happen this year
and the remaining library aid is being released. My thanks to all local library
advocates who took the time to contact their legislators by phone, fax, visits,
or through the NYLA website, and those that went to Albany for the November 18th
Rally.
You DID make a difference. Advocacy does
count. Everybody benefits from this library aid, as noted below in the message
from NYLA - public and school libraries through their system, academic libraries
through CCDA and Conservation/Preservation aid, all libraries through the
subsidy that pays for needed medical
information.
Thank
you!
Kathy
Miller
Message from
NYLA:
Dear Library Advocate, I want to let you
know that your participation in NYLA's advocacy efforts has helped release $26
million in undistributed Library Aid from the approved 2008-09 State Budget.
As you know, the
state was holding onto the undistributed funds pending an agreement with the
state Legislature on further mid-year budget cuts. Since those cuts were not
agreed to by the state Legislature (and the NYLA Library Rally on November 18th
impacted that decision), the remaining funds have been authorized to be
released. These undistributed funds include aid for the NYC libraries, library
systems, Conservation and Preservation Program, Indian Libraries and Coordinated
Collection Development Aid (CCDA) for college libraries.
So thanks again to
all of you in the library community who joined us in advocating on behalf of all
libraries. United we stand, divided we fall!
Stay tune for
further NYLA Legislative Alerts. The Governor will be releasing his 2009-10
Executive Budget next week on December 16th, and there will be more work for
NYLA and library advocates to do. In addition, President-Elect Obama and
Congress are discussing an economic stimulus package for public works projects
and we are working with ALA to insure that libraries receive their fair share of
any stimulus package.
Michael J. Borges
Executive Director
New York Library
Association
252 Hudson Avenue
Albany, New York 12210
(518) 432-6952, ext. 101
(518) 427-1697 Fax