A 4226: Requires elementary and secondary school libraries provide equitable access to physical and digital media.
The proposed law aims to establish requirements for elementary and secondary school libraries. A school library must be kept in the school building at all times and be devoted to the exclusive use of the school. Each school library must provide physical and digital access to resources, including books, technology, and other documents, as well as equitable and flexible access to library space and staff. The library must also receive a budget allocation on a per-student basis to ensure resources and services remain relevant. School districts must annually evaluate their school libraries using a prescribed rubric. The commissioner of education will regulate the purchase, recording, and loaning of books in school libraries, as well as the use of books by pupils and teachers. School libraries in districts with free libraries may be used by the public. The law will take effect on July 1st of…
| Jan. 07, 2026 | referred to education |
| Jan. 31, 2025 | referred to education |
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4226 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 31, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. JENSEN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing require- ments for elementary and secondary school libraries The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 274 of the education law is amended to read as 2 follows: 3 § 274. Use and care of school library. 1. The school library shall be 4 a part of the school equipment and shall be kept in the school building 5 at all times. Such library shall be devoted to the exclusive use of the 6 school, except as otherwise provided by the rules of the commissioner of 7 education and except in a district where there is no free library, in 8 which case such school library shall be a circulating library for the 9 use of the residents of the district. 10 2. Each school library shall: 11 a. provide physical access to resources including, but not limited to, 12 books, technological equipment, media, and other tangible documents; 13 b. provide digital access to resources including, but not limited to, 14 e-books, databases, software and media; 15 c. provide equitable, flexible access to library space and its staff 16 by school students, staff and faculty; and 17 d. receive a budget allocation on a per student basis to ensure 18 resources and services remain relevant. 19 3. Each school district shall annually evaluate their school library 20 using a school library program rubric created by the department. 21 4. The commissioner of education shall prescribe rules regulating 22 [1.] a. The purchase, recording, safekeeping and loaning of books in 23 school libraries, and the use of such books by pupils and teachers in 24 the public schools. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD06742-01-5A. 4226 2 1 [2.] b. The conditions under which books in a school library may be 2 used by the public in a district in which a free library is situated. 3 [3.] c. The management of school libraries and their use as circulat- 4 ing libraries by the residents of the district in which they are situ- 5 ated. 6 [4.] d. The contents and submission of reports of school librarians, 7 teachers and other school authorities as to school libraries. 8 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding 9 the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the 10 addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary 11 for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized 12 to be made and completed on or before such effective date.