2013 New York Consolidated Laws
EDN - Education
Title 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 17 - (801 - 816) INSTRUCTION IN CERTAIN SUBJECTS
816 - Local library and school partnerships.

 
    §  816.  Local library and school partnerships. 1. Legislative intent.
  In order to promote and encourage children to read and learn outside the
  classroom, this law seeks to encourage local libraries  and  schools  to
  work  together  to  promote  the  availability  of  library services and
  resources.
    2. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following  terms
  shall be defined as follows:
    a.  "School  district"  shall  mean  any public school district in the
  state of New York that contains one or more schools with any combination
  of grades from and including kindergarten through grade twelve.
    b. "Public library" shall mean any public or  association  library  as
  defined in section two hundred fifty-three of this title.
    3.  Upon  the  request  of a public library that is located within the
  boundaries  of  a  school  district,  the  district  shall   disseminate
  informational  materials  provided  by  the library regarding the public
  library and applications for public library cards to  students  enrolled
  in  the  school  district. Such materials shall be distributed to any or
  all of the following, as requested by the public library:
    a. annually to every student of such school district upon his  or  her
  entry into kindergarten, grade six and grade nine, except that a library
  and school may agree to alternate or additional grades;
    b. to every student upon his or her enrollment as a new student; and
    c.  available at all times in the school library in each school within
  the school district for students and parents who  wish  to  obtain  such
  materials.
    4.  The  director  of  each participating public library shall consult
  annually with the school district in order to coordinate  the  provision
  of  materials containing information regarding the library, instructions
  on how students may obtain a library  card  and  an  application  for  a
  library card.
    5.  Each  public  library that is located in the school district shall
  provide sufficient copies of such materials to the school  district  for
  distribution  as  described in subdivision three of this section so that
  each school may satisfy the requirements of this section.
    6. In the  event  there  is  no  public  library  located  within  the
  boundaries  of  a  school  district,  such  school district shall not be
  required to comply with this section.
    7. The commissioner shall have the authority to  establish  rules  and
  regulations to implement the provisions of this section.
    8.  Nothing  in  this  act  shall  require a school district to expend
  additional funds in order to comply with the provisions of this section.
    9. This section shall not apply to a school district or a library in a
  city of one million or more where such district or library  are  subject
  to  a local law which was adopted prior to the enactment of this section
  and which provides for the distribution of library materials  in  public
  schools.