2012 Voter’s Guide: The Library Advocate’s Guide to the Voting Records of the New York State Legislature

The New Yorkers for Better Libraries PAC has released its 2012 Voter’s Guide: The Library Advocate’s Guide to the Voting Records of the New York State Legislature.

The Voter’s Guide, published since 2001, grade NYS legislators on their voting records concerning library funding and legislative issues.

Scores are calculated based on library aid in the state budget; sponsorship of library priority legislation; recorded votes on library legislation, and letters of support (in the Assembly). The grading scale is based on the number of total points each legislator receives in each category. More details can be found within the Guide.

The guide has also been posted on the New York Library Association’s website, www.nyla.org.

Updated Legislative Spending Posted on Internet

Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada (D-Bronx), spent $880,201 on his legislative office operations and staff in the most recent six-month period reported by the Legislature -- nearly $273,000 more than former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno (R-Brunswick) spent during a comparable period in 2008.

Espada's office expenditures and those of other Senators and Assembly members for the six months ending March 31, 2010, was posted today as part of a searchable database on the Empire Center's government transparency website, SeeThroughNY.net.

The full text of this press release is available here.

Contact: Tim Hoefer - 518.434.3100

The Legislative Gazette

The Legislative Gazette is "the weekly newspaper of the New York State government" issued each Tuesday in Albany under the auspices of the Research Foundation of the State University of New York. It is sponsored and administered by the State University of New York at New Paltz and is produced in part by students.

The Legislative Gazette was not printed during the summer months of 2010 but was issued only online in PDF format. The paper edition resumes on September 7. The most recent edition of the newspaper, five years of digital back issues, and a link to the New York State Library's digital collection can be found at the web site, which also features daily news updates with a live Associated Press wire feed.

Legislation to Benefit Libraries Stalled in Assembly

posted on behalf of Michael J. Borges, Executive Director, New York Library Association

Three of NYLA’s 2010 Legislative Priorities have passed the Senate and all three bills could potentially save libraries and their taxpayers money, yet they remain bogged down in the Assembly Ways and Means or Rules Committees. The three bills are:

Cooperative Bidding for Public Libraries and Library Systems (Passed Senate 3/8 – In Assembly Rules Committee 6/8)
This legislation (S.3903 Oppenheimer/A.6154 Paulin) would add public libraries and library systems to list of public entities, like cities, towns, villages, BOCES, school districts, that are allowed to engage in cooperative bidding. Cooperative bidding allows libraries and library systems to go out to bid for services or products jointly instead of individually, thereby getting a better price and saving money.

Public Library Systems Eligible for Local Government Efficiency Grants (Passed Senate 6/3 – In Ways & Means 4/20)
The bill (S.6875A Oppenheimer/A.10412 Bing) would expand eligibility to apply for local government efficiency grants to include public library systems. Currently libraries are allowed to apply, but not library systems. By allowing library systems to apply for these grants, they can fund new or expand shared services or other cooperative initiatives that would save libraries money.

BOCES-Libraries Internet Partnerships (Passed Senate 3/15 – In Ways & Means 6/16)
This bill (S.4634 Oppenheimer/A.8673 Gunther) would authorize BOCES to contract with public libraries or library systems for internet services. BOCES would be able to add libraries and library systems to their bids for internet services, thereby lowering the price and obtaining higher speeds for internet service.

Another NYLA priority bill is also pending in the Senate and held in Assembly Ways and Means:

Public Library Construction Grants
This legislation (S.4248 Aubertine/A.6155 Paulin) (Reported to Ways and Means 6/3) would modify the public library construction grant program to enable grants to be used to purchase vacant land as well as lower local match to 25% of project costs for libraries in high need areas.

The Legislative Session is due to end either this week or next, so I urge you, your staff and trustees to contact your state Assemblymembers as soon as possible to get them to pass these cost saving measures for libraries.

Visit protectnylibraries.org and click on Vote Button to send letter to your legislators.

Taxation Call Center to be Operational on May 21

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance today announced that a federal court judge has signed a temporary restraining order barring the furlough of state employees. This means that the previously-announced May 21 closure of the Department’s call center will not occur. The call center will be fully staffed and Department employees will not be furloughed on that day.

Taxation Announces Call Center Closure During Employee Furlough

New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Jamie Woodward today announced that the Department's call center will be closed on May 21 during a one-day furlough for unionized state employees, and that taxpayers will be able to use the Department's web site to transact business on that day.

To view the entire document please visit HERE.

Updated Legislative Spending Posted On Internet

Office expenditures of individual state Senators and Assembly members for the six months ending September 30, 2009, the latest period for which data are available, have been posted in a searchable format on the Empire Center's government transparency website, SeeThroughNY.net.

The full text of this press release is available here.

Contact: Lise Bang-Jensen
518.434.3100

2009 State Payroll Posted Online

New Yorkers today can search the complete 2009 state government payroll on www.SeeThroughNY.net, the government transparency website. The updated database includes names, titles, base pay rates and total pay received by the 298,247 people who worked in the state's executive, legislative or judicial branches at any point last year.

The full text of this press release is available here.

Contact: Lise Bang-Jensen. 518.434.3100

Penalty and Interest Discount tax program

As a reminder, the Penalty and Interest Discount (PAID) program gives taxpayers with older unpaid bills the chance to save up to 80% of the penalty and interest they owe.

One can save:
- 80% of accrued penalty and interest on unpaid bills issued on or before December 31, 2003
- 50% of accrued penalty and interest on unpaid bills issued after December 31, 2003 and on or before December 31, 2006.

To take advantage of the program's savings, you must make all payments by March 15, 2010. If you don't pay in full by that date:
- your opportunity for these savings will be lost forever
- any unpaid tax debts will continue to accrue interest at the full statutory rate.

Invitations to taxpayers eligible for PAID were sent in January. Eligible taxpayers who didn't receive a notice because they couldn't be reached through the mail can still participate. See the Web site to learn how to get PAID up.

November 2009 Checklist of Official Publications

The New York State Library has posted the November 2009 Checklist of Official Publications of the State of New York. Links to individual monthly issues in 'rich text format' as well as the annual cumulations in HTML are also available here.

Legislative Office Expenditures

Office expenditures of individual state Senators and Assembly members for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009 have been posted in a searchable format on the Empire Center's government transparency web site, www.SeeThroughNY.net.
The full text of this press release is available here.

Contact: Lise Bang-Jensen
518.434.3100

Governor Paterson to Deliver State of the State Address

Governor David Paterson will give his second State of the State Address on Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 1:00 P.M. To watch a live webcast of the speech, please visit the Governor's website at www.ny.gov/governor.

New York State Assembly supports 2009 Teen Read Week

New York State Assembly members support Teen Read Week and encourage teens to read and visit their local libraries.

The assembly has created a Teen Read reading list based on the 2009 theme, “Read Beyond Reality@ your library.” It encourages teens to read something “out of this world,” just for the fun of it, including sci-fi, fantasy, virtual realities, and much more.
In addition, written materials urge teens to visit their local public libraries.

Teen Read Week, October 18 – 24, is a national literacy initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association. It is aimed at teens, their parents, librarians, educators, booksellers, and other concerned adults.

Contact your local Assembly members with information about your library’s Teen Read Week activities and encourage him or her to work with the library in support of teen reading.

To find the Assembly member for your library, visit here and enter your library’s zip code.

For more information on Teen Read Week, visit www.ala.org/teenread.

State Tax Department Plans Greater Responsiveness

New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Jamie Woodward announced this week new initiatives to ensure that the department is accessible and responsive to taxpayers.

To view the entire document please visit here.

NYS DRAFT 2010 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN

Each year, in order to maintain its eligibility to administer certain federal funds for affordable housing and community development, New York State must prepare an Annual Action Plan and submit it to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Annual Action Plan describes, for one specific Program Year, the State’s proposed use of available federal and other resources to address the priority needs and specific objectives in the Consolidated Plan; the State’s method for distributing funds to local governments and not-for-profit organizations; and the geographic areas of the State to which it will direct assistance.

The Plan also describes New York State’s planned use of approximately $86 million in federal fiscal year 2010 funds for: the NYS Community Development Block Grant Program ($47 million); the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (approximately $34 million); the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program ($1.9 million); and the Emergency Shelter Grants Program ($3.2 million).

New York State encourages public participation in the development of its Annual Action Plan. To provide an opportunity for that participation, New York State invites interested persons to review and comment on the draft Annual Action Plan for 2010 during an upcoming public comment period.

This 30-day public comment period will begin on Thursday, September 10, 2009 and extend through close of business on Friday, October 9, 2009. Beginning on September 10, 2009, New York State’s draft Annual Action Plan for 2010 may be viewed on and downloaded from the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) website at www.nysdhcr.gov. In addition, copies can be requested by e-mail (DHCRConPln@nysdhcr.gov) or by calling 1-866-ASK-DHCR (275-3427).

Comments should be mailed to: NYS DHCR, Attention: Brian McCarthy, 38-40 State Street, Albany, New York 12207 or e-mailed to DHCRConPln@nysdhcr.gov. Comments must be received by close of business Friday, October 9, 2009.

Testimony on Library Procurement

Colleagues:

Last week, I provided testimony at a hearing on Library Procurement before the Assembly Standing Committee's on Governmental Operations (Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito, Chair) and Libraries and Education Technology (Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, Chair).

I am attaching the testimony below for your information.

Best,
Bernie Margolis

*****************************************************************
Testimony of Bernard A. Margolis
State Librarian, New York State Education Department


Before the The Assembly Standing Committee on Government Operations
And The Assembly Standing Committee Libraries and Educational Tech.


July 28, 2009

Good morning, Assemblywoman Destito, Assemblywoman Lifton and members of both committees. I am Bernard Margolis, the New York State Librarian.
Thank you for inviting the State Library, and the State Education Department, to present testimony today on the methods libraries use to procure goods and services.

Information is the oxygen of our economy. As key oxygen providers our libraries are struggling to keep the doors open and to provide information to fuel business development, create jobs, support community health and wellness, assist with research and development and, of course, support high achievement in teaching and learning. Improvements to the state’s procurement laws will help libraries and library systems continue to demonstrate a commitment to stretching their limited resources. With a long tradition of mutual support and collaboration libraries are well positioned to work together with others within government, as well as outside government, to maximize their investments. Changes to the state’s procurement laws that encourage these efforts are welcome as libraries deal with lines of people anxious to connect to this oxygen source. Libraries are vital to helping workers to keep their jobs or get new ones, students to do homework, writers and researchers to do research, senior citizens to get information about health and aging, and all of us to keep up with the news or check our e-mails through access to the Internet. For some, the library is their only source for the information they need.

Today’s hearing asks how libraries and library systems can use various methods, including the state government’s procurement system, to save money and, importantly for their customers, deliver more information resources. My remarks today are focused exclusively on the acquisition and licensing of on-line information resources. Libraries purchase books primarily through a commodity model. It’s simple. The more books they buy, generally at the same time, the lower the unit cost. There are not many variations. The vendors know that given the numbers of books sold they can predict their market and set their prices accordingly. On-line information resources are quite different in many ways and cannot easily be acquired using the same procurement model.
Today, as a result, each state agency, which may be independently licensing the information resources it needs, is often unknowingly and unnecessarily duplicating other agencies’ procurement and creating added expense for state government, and ultimately the taxpayers. This kind of duplication is happening at other levels of government as well.
I will suggest an approach that might be considered to address this matter.

The New York State Library currently uses $2.9 million in federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds for a pilot project called NOVELny. NOVELny is a widely accessible, highly efficient platform that offers over eight database families containing articles from thousands of published sources to every library in New York and directly to every individual, who can login using a driver license or non-driver ID. NOVELny is a form of 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week oxygen for every New Yorker.

Because NOVELny is a pilot project, the 8 percent reduction in the amount of state funds in this year’s budget for libraries may reduce the federal funds it also receives to support it. This maintenance of effort shortfall as well as possible changes in federal rules places this funding in jeopardy. I believe strongly that expanding NOVELny would enable the State Library to develop and administer what I have begun to call the New York State comprehensive information system (NYSCIS). At last count over 5,500 libraries (out of about 7,000) actively rely on the NOVELny databases regularly and continuously. These databases were used 29.6 million times last year. For many libraries these are the ONLY electronic databases they can provide to their users.
Libraries are required to buy a license to use or offer an electronic database. These licenses are expensive, often costing in the thousands of dollars. And, they must be renewed. Many libraries, especially our smallest, just do not have the money for these licenses. With NOVELny, the New York State Library buys the licenses so that libraries and the public can access these databases.

So, building on NOVELny as a foundation, how can our procurement system be tuned to permit state agencies, public libraries and library systems, school libraries and systems, BOCES, academic libraries and others to join together, with State Library coordination and administration, to build a far-reaching vision of the New York State comprehensive information system (NYSCIS) providing hundreds of databases, including commercial, state-created and state-supported, federal, community and “free”? Like the current NOVELny model, many of these databases would be available to any New Yorker at no cost, some would be subsidized with state or federal support and some would be wholly supported by contributions from libraries and library systems. This contributory or collaborative mode of database procurement would require changes to the state’s procurement rules.

Other states have advanced different modes for the delivery of statewide access to information. Most now use state and federal funding for this critical part of the new information landscape. Even Colorado, with about 4.8 million people – compared to New York’s 19 million – spends $1 million in state funds for library database support.
Alabama, with only 4.5 million people, spends $3.5 million annually in state funds. Both Texas and Iowa have procurement structures that permit the public and academic libraries to contribute to the cost of statewide databases.

NYSCIS ideally would be built on a foundation of fully state-funded databases beginning with those now purchased by a wide range of state agencies and organizations, including databases in the law, medicine and health, and the environment. This would require the licensing of these databases for statewide use whenever possible. To provide coverage for the entire state, procurement would need to extend beyond the authority and scope of any single agency. As with NOVELny the State Library could be vested with oversight of these statewide resources. The State Library has begun to informally bring together many of the state agencies that purchase databases. This type of activity would need to be formalized to represent the widest range of input and discussion. Some central coordinating function would be required for efficiency and for communicating among agencies for this type of procurement. In this way the state’s existing investment would be leveraged to maximize access by everyone.

Database producers, publishers and distributors operate in a wide variety of business modes and models. These need to be understood for procurement to be quick, flexible, adaptable, transparent and efficient.
New databases are being created that offer enhancements over older ones. Vendors merge and databases morph as a result. Contracts and procurement rules need to allow for quick changes. Reassessment of a database’s value needs to be regular with changes made when required.
It needs to be clear to users what the databases include and where there is duplication and overlap. Broad assessment of their usability and reliability needs to be part of the on-going administration of the databases offered.

NYCIS would also offer a wide variety of information resources acquired at the state level for statewide use, both with state funds and funds from local libraries and library systems. New York’s 755 individual public libraries, 64 public and school library systems, nine Reference and Research Library Resources Councils, individual academic libraries, the state university libraries, and the state’s health science and medical libraries would all be asked to provide matching support.
Ideally, the procurement rules would permit any and all libraries to bring financial resources to the table to help fund statewide database access. By pooling these resources libraries would be able to acquire more access at a lower price. The delivery of these database resources from one robust state-supported platform would free individual libraries and library systems from the significant costs of negotiation and procurement as well as from some of the related technology costs. Having more database resources available on-line, while not a substitute for an accessible, open and inviting library facility, is nonetheless a welcome way to bring more oxygen into places now starved of information resources because of our economy.

The New York State Library is currently investigating how other states procure statewide database access. This information will help us work with the legislature and the library community to position New York to provide the type of access necessary for our residents to be competitive in today’s information economy. I know you will hear from the New York Library Association and the New York State Higher Education Initiative about their work, which builds on our efforts to maximize our state’s information resources for all. We applaud your interest and your efforts, now and in the future, to equip the library community with tools that will help it be efficient, resourceful and public service-focused in meeting our collective mission to provide the best, most up-to-date and valuable information to all New Yorkers.

Pork-Barrel Spending Is Latest Addition To SeeThroughNY

This week, the Empire Center marked the first anniversary of its government transparency web site, www.SeeThroughNY.net, with the posting of $148.3 million in legislative pork barrel member items for 2009-10. The online database, which also includes $148.1 million in member items for 2008-09, is searchable by legislator, locality and recipient.

For the full text of this press release, click here. Contact Lise Bang-Jensen at 518.434.3100.

Board of Regents Adopts Amendments to Commissioner's Regulation 90.3 related to public library systems;

Assistant Commissioner for Libraries and State Librarian Bernard A. Margolis announced today that the New York State Board of Regents formally adopted amendments to Commissioner's Regulation 90.3, related to public library systems; specifically, Coordinated Outreach Services, Family Literacy Library Services and Adult Literacy Library Services. The amended regulations will take effect on June 11, 2009.

Specifically, the amendments will:

* Certain terminology relating to the approval of public library systems, specifically the Coordinated Outreach Services state aid to public library systems, the Family Literacy Library Services competitive grant program (formerly called "Enriched coordinated outreach program") and the Adult Literacy Library Services competitive grant program, are updated to conform to Education Law, section 273, as
amended by Chapter 57 of the Laws of 2005, Part O, and to accurately reflect the current implementation of the statute.

* The proposed rule adds the definition of "developmentally or learning disabled" to the special populations who are served by coordinated outreach.

* The "Enriched coordinated outreach program" has been replaced with a more appropriate name, the "Family Literacy Library Services Grant Program."

* Current operations of library systems are more accurately reflected and references to obsolete practices and terms are omitted.

To see the text of the amended regulations, please visit the State Library website here. For further information, please contact Cassandra Artale at
518-474-1479.

REGENTS APPOINT CAROLE HUXLEY AS INTERIM EDUCATION COMMISSIONER

The New York State Board of Regents announced today that Carole F. Huxley has been appointed as Interim New York State Education Commissioner, effective July 1, 2009. Carole Huxley had previously served the Education Department as Deputy Commissioner for Cultural Education for 24 years, retiring in November of 2006.

Carole Huxley will begin service on May 15, working alongside current Commissioner Mills until he steps down at the end of June. She will assume the office and duties of Education Commissioner and President of the University of New York on July 1, 2009.

“We are grateful that after such a long and distinguished career Carole Huxley was willing to temporarily place her retirement on hold to continue the critical work the Regents have put in motion,” said Merryl Tisch, Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents. “Having Carole in place will ensure a seamless transition in leadership as the Board continues a wide and exhaustive search for the next Education Commissioner. Carole will be the bridge that connects the leadership of Rick Mills with the next Commissioner.”

“Now is a time of great challenges that we cannot set aside, but must confront. This is also a moment that presents great opportunities that we cannot set aside, even for a few months,” said Interim Commissioner Huxley. “I am eager to continue the work underway and to guide the progress ahead until new leadership is ready to take on the task.”

“Carole is an inspired choice to connect the current work of the Department with the Department of the future, said Education Commissioner Richard P. Mills. “I am certain that under her watch the Department will continue to move forward while preparing for the next Commissioner.”

Update on ARRA

From: Jeffrey W. Cannell, Deputy Commissioner for Cultural Education

This is another in a series of updates related to State funding for education and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

Please visit http://usny.nysed.gov/arra/ to read the latest memo, issued April 10, from the New York State Education Department.

An archive of the Department webcast on State funding for education and the ARRA held April 6 is also available on this site. The questions submitted both during and in advance of the webcast are being used in the development of an FAQ document. Please continue to submit your questions on the ARRA as it relates to education to the dedicated mailbox at arra@mail.nysed.gov .