Relates to development of school library collection policies

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          10429

                                    I N  S E N A T E

                                      May 15, 2026
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  MAY  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Libraries

        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to development of  school
          library collection policies

          THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
        BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

     1    Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section  414-a
     2  to read as follows:
     3    §  414-A.  DEVELOPMENT  OF SCHOOL LIBRARY COLLECTION POLICIES. 1. EACH
     4  BOARD OF EDUCATION SHALL ADOPT A WRITTEN POLICY FOR THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF
     5  SCHOOL  LIBRARY  COLLECTIONS.  SUCH  POLICY SHALL ESTABLISH CRITERIA AND
     6  PROCEDURES FOR THE SELECTION, ACQUISITION, ONGOING EVALUATION, AND DEAC-
     7  CESSIONING OF LIBRARY MATERIALS. SUCH POLICY SHALL GOVERN ALL  DECISIONS
     8  REGARDING  THE SELECTION AND CURATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS IN THE SCHOOL
     9  DISTRICT, AND SHALL BE CONCORDANT WITH OTHER REQUIRED POLICIES.
    10    2. A COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY ADOPTED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE
    11  OF THIS SECTION SHALL ADDRESS:
    12    (A) THE EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES AND COMMUNITY NEEDS SUCH COLLECTION  IS
    13  DESIGNED TO SERVE;
    14    (B)  THE CRITERIA USED TO SELECT NEW LIBRARY MATERIALS AND TO EVALUATE
    15  THE COLLECTION ON AN ONGOING BASIS, INCLUDING CONSIDERATION OF ACCURACY,
    16  QUALITY, RELEVANCE, AND DEVELOPMENTAL APPROPRIATENESS,  CONSISTENT  WITH
    17  GENERALLY ACCEPTED PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANSHIP;
    18    (C)  THE  ROLE OF CERTIFIED LIBRARIANS OR LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALISTS AS
    19  THE  PRIMARY  PROFESSIONAL  STAFF  RESPONSIBLE  FOR   RECOMMENDING   THE
    20  SELECTION  OF LIBRARY MATERIALS AND FOR CONDUCTING ONGOING EVALUATION OF
    21  THE COLLECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CRITERIA ESTABLISHED IN SUCH POLI-
    22  CY;
    23    (D) THE  PROCESS  FOR  ONGOING  EVALUATION  AND  MAINTENANCE  OF  SUCH
    24  COLLECTION; AND
    25    (E) PROCEDURES FOR ACCEPTING GIFTS OR DONATIONS OF LIBRARY MATERIALS.
    26    3. POLICIES DEVELOPED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE DEVELOPED WITH
    27  INPUT  FROM  SCHOOL  LIBRARY SYSTEMS AND CERTIFIED LIBRARIANS OR LIBRARY
    28  MEDIA SPECIALISTS AND SHALL BE INFORMED BY  GENERALLY  ACCEPTED  PROFES-

         EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD15588-02-6
        S. 10429                            2

     1  SIONAL  STANDARDS  OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANSHIP, AND SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH
     2  ALL APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF LAW GOVERNING LIBRARY MATERIAL  RECONSIDER-
     3  ATION.
     4    4. EACH POLICY DEVELOPED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE MADE AVAIL-
     5  ABLE ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S WEBSITE.
     6    5.  SCHOOL  LIBRARY  SYSTEMS,  AS  ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION TWO
     7  HUNDRED EIGHTY-TWO OF THIS CHAPTER, SHALL  DEVELOP  AND  MAKE  AVAILABLE
     8  MODEL  COLLECTION  DEVELOPMENT  POLICIES  FOR USE BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN
     9  ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION. SCHOOL DISTRICTS MAY ADOPT OR  ADAPT  SUCH
    10  MODELS.
    11    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.