Love Your Library Special Revenue Fund
Love Your Library Special Revenue Fund Supports 2023 Summer Reading Programs
Program Overview
The 2023/2024 State Budget provided the New York State Library with an appropriation of $176,000 in special revenue funds from the Love Your Library Fund in support of Summer Reading.
The $176,000 will be allocated by formula to New York’s 23 public library systems under the provisions of Education Law 273(9) State Aid for Summer Reading Programs.
The Love Your Library funds were appropriated in the FY 2023-2024 State Budget. The funding is allocated to New York’s 23 public library systems (PLS) under the provisions of Education Law 273(9) State Aid for Summer Reading. Formula of 60% based on population and 40% equally distributed between the 23 systems and refined to ensure that every system receives a minimum of $6000, per the FY2023-2024 budget authorization.
The appropriation for State FY 2023/2024 for the Love Your Library Fund is intended to support Summer Reading Program activities during 2023. Public library systems will report on program expenditures, activities, and accomplishments on the 2023 Annual Report for Public Library Systems and for a Legislative Report due February 1, 2024.
Allocation Chart 2023 (PDF)
Guidelines for Love Your Library Summer Reading Program Expenditures and Other Requirements
The Love Your Library State formula funds allocated under Education Law 273(9) are intended to strengthen and support public library system and member library programs and services for the Summer Reading Program.
All expenditures of these funds by the public library system must be in support of Summer Reading. The following general guidelines apply to such expenditures. Please send any questions about these guidelines and/or eligibility of proposed system expenditures to: nyslyouth@nysed.gov.
Funds May be Used For:
- Purchased services in support of Summer Reading (e.g. contracts for Summer Reading program services such as planning, outreach, promotion, presenters, performers, trainers and training for member library staff, stipends to member library staff for training, partnership projects, creation of publications, evaluators).
- Supplies and/or materials in support of Summer Reading (e.g. print, audio and e-resource library materials for ages birth to 21), program-related supplies, equipment or computers or devices costing less than $5,000, software).
- Grants to member libraries in support of Summer Reading programs and activities.
- Travel in support of Summer Reading (for system staff only).
- Other purposes directly related to Summer Reading (please email nyslyouth@nysed.gov for confirmation that the expense is approvable).
Funds May Not be Used For:
- Personnel costs (salaries and/or benefits for system staff or library staff).
- Equipment costing $5,000 or more per item.
- Building modification, construction, renovation, repair or maintenance.
- Refreshments, giveaways, prizes, awards.
- Regional, state, or national conference or workshop expenses (registration or related costs for system staff or library staff attendance) unless the sole focus of the event is related to Summer Reading.
- License, contract for or purchase of a Summer Reader e-program/product or software such as Beanstack, Litkeeper, Reader Zone, etc. The State Library already provides this product (in the form of READsquared and the READsquared APP) that is freely available at no cost to all New York State public library systems and their member libraries.
- Administrative or overhead costs for the system or member libraries.
Other Requirements
Eligibility for Payment
To receive a payment of these one-time Summer Reading formula funds a public library system must have:
- An approved 2022-2026 Five-Year Plan of Service
- Submitted the 2022 Annual Report for Public Library Systems
- An approved FS-10 form (as provided by the State Library)
Reporting
Public library systems will report on the receipt and expenditure of these State special revenue funds on the 2023 Annual Report for Public Library Systems. In addition to reporting on specific expenditures in the categories of purchased services, supplies and materials, travel and grants to member libraries, each system will also provide a brief narrative about how the funds were used and the resulting impact(s) of these State FY 2023/2024 special revenue funds on Summer Reading programs and services.
Tentative Timeline
- May 3, 2023: State Budget passes
- July 2023: State Library shares program materials and sends FS-10 forms to PLS Directors
- July/August 2023: Payments to systems begin
- February 1, 2024: Report to the Legislature Due
- March 2024: 2022 PLS Annual Reports Due
For More Information:
