Trustee Briefing - January 21, 2026

FY 2027 Construction Aid - Early Planning Reminder

Libraries considering facility projects should begin planning for the FY 2027 State Aid for Library Construction cycle. The intent to apply is due in May, and strong applications are built well in advance.

Libraries should be:

• Assessing building needs and project scope.
• Confirming alignment with board priorities and long-range plans.
• Initiating conversations with architects, municipal partners, and funders.
• Planning for local match and reimbursement-based cash flow.

This year's informational session is in a couple of weeks and will review the process, timelines, and planning considerations.

Construction Aid Information Session

• Date: Monday, February 9, 2026
• Time: 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm
• Registration: https://owwl.libcal.com/event/16234769

This session will be recorded and added to both the Trustee and Director Academies.

For more information, visit:

• https://docs.owwl.org/Community/Construction
• https://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/construc

Annual Advocacy Participation

This year, OWWL is asking member libraries to opt in to being listed on legislative letters and advocacy communications. Trustees are encouraged to talk with their Library Director about whether participation aligns with the library’s priorities and governance approach.

Legislative timelines are often short, and letters carry more weight when many member libraries are listed. Participation signals shared purpose across the System, not isolated advocacy. Libraries that opt in retain control and may opt out of any specific letter before it is sent.

This opt-in applies only to legislative letters aligned with established library advocacy priorities and intended to benefit the broader library community. It does not apply to non-legislative or niche issues.

The form has been sent to all member library directors. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions.

Supporting Director Participation in Key Meetings like the OWWL Directors Advisory Council

The OWWL Directors Advisory Council, OWWLDAC, is a core governance and coordination body of our library community. Director participation supports effective System planning, shared problem solving, and timely communication between member libraries and the System.

Participation in OWWLDAC is essential. It is part of a Library Director’s professional responsibility to engage in the library community, contribute to advisory discussions, and bring information back to their local board and staff. Many System-wide initiatives, policy interpretations, and operational expectations are shaped through this forum before they reach local libraries.

Directors have raised concerns when participation is treated as discretionary or unsupported at the local level. Inconsistent attendance limits the council's effectiveness and places individual directors in a difficult position when System expectations conflict with local scheduling or staffing constraints. Of our library community, we generally have between 20 - 30 regular participants out of the 42 directors. Boards play a key role in enabling effective participation.

Trustee support typically includes:

• Recognizing OWWLDAC participation as part of the Director’s job responsibilities.
• Approving paid work time and travel costs for meeting attendance.
• Supporting staffing coverage or schedule adjustments when meetings occur during open hours.
• Valuing the information and context Directors bring back from system discussions.

When boards actively support Director participation, the benefits flow back to the library. Directors are better informed, less isolated in decision-making, and more prepared to advise trustees on emerging issues, compliance expectations, and best practices across the system.

Next action: Trustees are encouraged to talk with their Library Director about OWWLDAC participation and confirm that expectations, time, and coverage are aligned to support meaningful engagement.

Understanding What Member Libraries Contribute to the System

What Libraries Pay For and What Is Subsidized

Questions sometimes arise about what member libraries pay to the OWWL Library System and what those contributions represent. This brief explanation is intended to clarify the structure and purpose of System costs.

Member libraries do not pay the System for general services. Instead, libraries contribute a portion of the cost of three specific, System-wide functions that are essential to maintaining an independent, chartered public library.

• Evergreen - our shared integrated library system.
• OverDrive Fiction - our shared digital content catalog.
• PC Security Software (Ninite) - to keep computers up-to-date and secure.

These functions are not optional enhancements. They are foundational requirements that allow each library to operate as an independent entity while meeting New York State expectations for chartered public libraries.

Importantly, member contributions cover only a portion of the actual cost of these critical services. The majority of System expenses are subsidized through state aid and System-level funding. In practical terms, libraries receive substantially more in required infrastructure, coordination, and compliance support than they directly pay for.

This cooperative funding model allows local libraries to remain independent while benefiting from economies of scale that would be difficult or impossible for a single library to provide alone. It also supports consistent compliance with state requirements that protect local library charters.

Key takeaway for Trustees: Member libraries are not paying for optional services. They are contributing a share of the cost of essential, charter-sustaining infrastructure that is largely funded and managed at the system level.

You can learn more by reviewing the Cooperative Costs and System Funded Resources to Member Libraries for Fiscal Year 2026 document.

Annual Report Update: Survey Platform Transition

The New York State Division of Library Development is securing a new vendor to host the annual report survey platform following the unexpected closure of Baker and Taylor. As a result, the deadline for all public and association library annual reports, as well as public library system reports, has been extended to April 1. DLD will share additional updates as the opening date becomes clearer and may extend the deadline further if needed.

DLD has indicated confidence that the transition will be smooth. Based on recent conversations, they appear to be pursuing a shorter term vendor contract while a formal RFP process is completed. This assessment is based on verbal context and should be treated as informed but unconfirmed.

To support libraries during the transition, DLD has shared an Excel file containing last year’s annual survey questions, along with a second tab outlining new question areas. The 2025 annual survey will not match last year’s questions exactly. Libraries that wish to begin compiling data may use this file as a working tool. All information will still need to be entered into the new online platform once it opens.

Updated question areas we know to date

The following question areas have been shared by DLD as preliminary.

Meeting room usage questions:

• Total number of meeting spaces available to the public
• Number of reservable meeting spaces available to the public
• Number of times members of the public reserved meeting spaces

Board approved policy questions related to proposed regulation updates. A proposed update to section 90.2 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education would require libraries to adopt specific policies on or before January 1, 2027. The annual report is expected to include yes or no questions confirming whether each policy has been adopted. All questions remain to be finalized.

• Board approved policy for the selection of library materials and reconsideration of such selection
• Board approved policy explaining public use of library space and meeting rooms
• Board approved codes of conduct
• Board approved policy explaining the confidentiality of library records
• Board approved personnel policies supporting consistent staff management and fair employment practices
• Board approved disaster preparedness policy
• Board approved financial control policies supporting legal and fiduciary responsibilities, fiscal oversight, accountability, and sustainable management

In connection with the section 90.2 regulation update, I am currently leading a statewide committee to update the Helpful Information for Meeting Minimum Standards on Written Policies. This guidance will be shared as soon as it is finalized.

Next action: Trustees may wish to check in with their Library Director about the annual report timeline and whether staff plan to begin compiling data while the new reporting platform is under development.

Question of the Week: Meeting Room Policies and Religious Use

Question: Can a library include the statement “Meeting spaces may not be used for religious services” in its meeting room policy?

Short answer: Possibly, but it carries legal risk and requires careful drafting and consistent application.

Library meeting rooms are generally treated by courts as limited public forums. In this setting, a library board may place reasonable, viewpoint-neutral limits on how the space is used. The key legal distinction is between restricting an activity and restricting a viewpoint.

What courts have said:

• Courts have allowed libraries to prohibit religious worship services as a category of activity when the purpose is to avoid the space functioning as a house of worship. This has been upheld as subject matter regulation in some federal cases.
• Courts have also made clear that libraries may not exclude a group because it is religious when it is engaging in otherwise permitted activities, such as discussion, education, or civic engagement. Excluding religious groups in those situations is considered viewpoint discrimination.

Practical risks for libraries:

• Professional guidance cautions that denying access based solely on religious identity increases legal exposure.
• Staff are often placed in a difficult position trying to distinguish between worship and religious discussion in real time.
• Inconsistent enforcement significantly weakens a library’s legal position.

What this means for policy drafting: A policy that limits religious services may be defensible only if:

• It is clearly framed as an activity restriction, not a ban on religious viewpoints.
• It is applied uniformly across all groups.
• Staff are trained and supported in applying it consistently.

Because the line between worship and speech is often unclear, any policy using this language should be reviewed by the library’s attorney before adoption.

Bottom line: Libraries may limit how a room is used. They may not limit who may speak or the perspective they bring when the activity itself is otherwise allowed.

Next sensible step: If a library is considering this language, pause and consult legal counsel before taking action.

2026 Legal Updates for Employee Handbooks

The 2026 legal updates to the Employee Handbook Template are now available on OWWL Docs and have been sent to all library directors. Both the fully updated base handbook and a document containing only the 2026 legal updates have been posted.

Even if a library does not use the OWWL template, these updates reflect legal requirements that apply to all employers.

Next action: Trustees may wish to ask their Library Director how required legal updates are being reviewed and incorporated into local personnel policies.

Trustee Education

Register for upcoming workshops by visiting the OWWL Library System Trustee Education Calendar .

Recordings of past trustee trainings are available through the OWWL Trustee Academy .