On Saturday, June 8, the New York State Legislature adjourned its 2024 Legislative Session. Before we enter summer and NYLA turns its attention to the development and promotion of 2025’s priorities, let’s take a moment to review what New York’s library community was able to accomplish in the last 5 and a half months.

Budget: After a statewide advocacy push, libraries won significant increases in State Aid for Libraries, State Aid for Library Construction, and a new allocation of $3 million to continue the operation of the NOVELny program for FY 2025. While the fight continues to increase the per-pupil rate that determines school Library Materials Aid, libraries have established a new foothold in the state budget process and will seek to build off this year’s success in the coming year. A breakdown of major library provisions in the FY 2025 budget can be found below:

Happy Valentine’s Day, NYLA members!  This year, NYLA is full of love for all the Library Champions who participated on February 7th as part of Library Advocacy Day 2024.

Last Wednesday, hundreds of advocates from across New York gathered in Albany, scheduled virtual meetings, and engaged in digital efforts to demand our elected officials fund, protect, and empower our libraries and library professionals.