Assembly Bill A10246

                                BILL NUMBER:A10246

TITLE  OF  BILL:    An  act  to  amend the education law, in relation to
authorizing the state library, in conjunction with the office for  tech-
nology,  to  coordinate  the  purchase  of electronic databases or other
information resources for state agencies, libraries  and  other  govern-
mental entities

PURPOSE  OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: To provide a framework for encouraging
improved economies of scale and cost efficiencies  in  the  purchase  of
information  services  by  state government, libraries and local govern-
ments.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: This legislation would amend section 286
of the Education Law to create the New York State Comprehensive Informa-
tion system (NYSCIS) to be administered by the NYS Library  in  conjunc-
tion  with  the  New  York  State Office for Technology (NYSOFT) for the
purposes of enabling a collaborative and cost-effective approach to  the
procurement of electronic databases and other information services.

Entities which would be permitted to participate in NYSCIS would include
state  agencies, library systems and their member libraries, authorities
and other local governmental  entities.  Under  the  legislation,  state
agencies  would be required to coordinate the procurement of information
resources through the State Library,  in  conjunction  with  NYSOFT,  or
their designee.
              

The  State Library, in conjunction with NYSOFT, would be further charged
with the responsibility of establishing an advisory committee  represen-
tative  of participants who would be tasked with the selection of infor-
mation resources to  be  included  in  NYSCIS.  The  State  Library,  in
conjunction  with  NYSOFT,  or  their  designee,  would be authorized to
recoup expenses for NYSCIS for coordinating these collaborative purchas-
ing agreements.

JUSTIFICATION:

State agencies and the libraries of New York  individually  license  and
purchase electronic databases and other information resources. Access to
information  is  not only vital to the functioning of our democracy, but
also to building our economy and creating an  environment  conducive  to
learning, research and innovation. The coordination of the selection and
purchase  of  these resources by the NYS Library would result in greater
efficiencies and cost savings for the public and foster improved  access
to information across the state.  Therefore, it is in the best interests
of the state libraries and local governments to enact the New York State
Comprehensive Information system (NYSCIS) Act.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: New Bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:  The New York State
Library  Association  advises  that  the State of New York and its 4,000

libraries (public, school and college) spend millions of dollars annual-
ly purchasing subscriptions to online databases and other types of elec-
tronic resources from private vendors. Pricing varies  widely  depending
on  the  purchaser  and size of subscriptions.  By authorizing the State
Library (in conjunction with the NYS Office for Technology)  to  coordi-
nate  and  negotiate the purchase of these subscriptions, both the state
and eligible participating entities could obtain lower prices and great-
er access to these online research tools. Initial  savings  could  range
from several hundred thousand to millions of dollars over several years,
depending on the number of entities participating.

EFFECTIVE  DATE:  This  act  would  take  effect six months after it has
become a law.