Monday (Tuesday) Briefing - June 1, 2021

Construction Grant Intent to Apply due June 25, 2021

The FY 2022 State Aid for Library Construction Intent to Apply is due on June 25, 2021.

Click here to review the Construction Grants page on OWWL Docs and access the Intent to Apply

DLD has released the FY 2022 Allocation Chart and Pioneer Library System has been appropriated $916,863 to award.

As mentioned at the last System Meeting, there are two bills before the Legislature that may result in some changes to the Construction program, specifically the three-year timeframe and the portion of each system's allocation that may be funded at up to 90% funding. Information will be distributed by DLD if either or both bills are passed by the Legislature and are signed by the Governor.

If you have any questions, please email Suzanne.

NYLA's Legal Defense Fund

To support NYLA's fundraising goals and a favorable outcome for the Flower Memorial Library, the System Board has approved a $3,000 donation to NYLA's Legal Defense Fund. The outcome of this case could impact all Municipal Libraries, so we followed NYLA's suggested donation and pledged $500 per Municipal Library in our System.

Here is a bit of background information from NYLA:

The Flower Memorial Library is chartered as a municipal library and is located in the city of Watertown, NY. Like many municipal libraries, the Flower Memorial Library uses the provisions of Education Law 259 to place their budget levy before the local voters on the school district budget ballot.

In 2019, a local anti-tax activist challenged the Flower Memorial Library’s (Watertown, NY – North County Library System), use of 259(1)(a) to place their budget proposition on a school district ballot. Because of the potentially destructive statewide impact an adverse finding, in this case, would have, the New York Library Association agreed to provide assistance from the NYLA Legal Defense Fund to help defray legal costs.

Though NYLA is grateful that the petitioner vacated their challenge, we remain troubled by the circumstances of this action. The anti-tax activist who pursued this matter created a playbook for future legal challenges – threaten a small, local library with limited resources to attempt to effect statewide policy changes through the courts.

Source: NYLA Email

PLSDAC Meeting Friday, June 4, 2021

No permission to view Members

Financial Oversight Trustee Workshop - Thursday, June 10 at 6:00 PM

Discussion Points:

• Roles of financial officers
• Types of funding
• Funding votes
• Audits
• Investments

Click here to register

Legislative Updates

Senate Bill S4435

• Summary: Relates to requiring members of a board of trustees of public, free association and Indian libraries to complete two hours of continuing education per year
• Status: On floor calendar; updated language to read, "beginning January 1, 2023, to complete a minimum of ten hours of trustee education over the course of their term, not to exceed three hours annually..."; this will most likely have other changes as well.
• Link: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/S4435

I have questions about the updated language to this bill since it requires a total of 10 hours of training during a trustee's term, however, the training cannot exceed three hours a year. This would mean that three-year terms would only receive nine hours of training. From the answers I have been receiving from the state, this is being investigated and will hopefully result in a clearer requirement. My guess is that it will revert back to two hours of training every year of a trustee's term.