As Americans celebrate National Library Week, State Senator Patty Ritchie is announcing that the new state budget includes a $9 million boost in funding for libraries, an investment that will increase and enhance learning opportunities statewide for patrons. 

In total, the new state budget includes more than $109.6 million for libraries across the state, including $90.6 million in operating support and $19 million—the first increase in years—in capital construction aid.

“Here in Central and Northern New York, libraries are more than just for checking out books, they are places where people go to access entertainment, job searching tools, educational materials and more—simply put, they’re centers of our local communities,” said Senator Ritchie, who serves as a member of the Senate Select Committee on Libraries. 

“I am pleased that once again this year, New York State is investing in making these great centers of learning even better.”

Funding included in the new state budget builds upon the prior work Senator Ritchie has done to support area libraries.  Since 2012, Senator Ritchie has successfully advocated for an increase of $18 million in support for public libraries, as well as secured more than $350,000 in special funding benefitting dozens of local libraries across Central and Northern New York. 

In New York State, there are more than 7,000 public libraries including over 50 public libraries in Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties—one of the largest concentrations of public libraries in any Senate district in the state.