Board of Regents Adopts Amendments to Regulations for Librarians

Board of Regents Adopts Amendments to Commissioner’s Regulation 90.7 - Certificates for Librarians in Registered Public, Free Association, and Indian Libraries

Deputy Commissioner for Cultural Education and Interim State Librarian Jeffrey Cannell announced today that the New York State Board of Regents formally adopted proposed amendments to Commissioner’s Regulation 90.7 Certificates for Librarians in Registered Public, Free Association and Indian Libraries the their December meeting. The amended regulations will take effect January 8, 2009.

The State Library will be working in partnership with the New York Library Association and others to implement the amended regulations and to provide online tools and assistance for individuals and employers prior to the January 1, 2010 start date.

The changes to CR 90.7 will affect those individuals who are issued a public librarian professional certificate by the State Education Department beginning on January 1, 2010 and thereafter. Current certificate holders and those issued certificates prior to January 1, 2010 will not be affected.

As of January 1, 2010 new public librarian professional certificate holders will be required to complete 60 hours of professional development every five year period. In order to maintain active certification as a public librarian, individual certificate holders should be able to clearly document completion of the required professional development activities to their employer and if requested, to the State Education Department.

Individuals working in professional librarian positions in public, free association or Indian libraries or in public library systems in New York State are required to possess a public librarian certificate issued by the New York State Education Department. This certification requirement applies regardless of whether the position is fulltime or part-time and has been in effect since 1909.

To see the text of the amended regulations, please visit the State Library website at www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/cert.

For further information on the New York State public librarian certification program, including how to apply for a certificate, please visit the State Library website or contact Maria Hazapis, Education Program Assistant, New York State Library, Division of Library Development at mhazapis@mail.nysed.gov or (518) 486-1330.