Help us protect NY’s libraries and library systems. We need to tell the NYS Legislature to reject the $2.4 million cut in Library Aid Governor David Paterson is proposing in the 2010-2011 Executive Budget.

This will be the fifth cut in less than two years and will bring Library Aid down from $102 million in 2007 to $84.5 million in 2010. These cuts combined total an $18 million or 18% reduction in funding for library services. Libraries are part of our safety net—they are essential to life long learning, jobs and opportunity, quality of life and community empowerment.

TAKE ACTION! Click on the blocks below:

What’s life like on a typical day at your library? Wouldn’t you like to document just how busy and essential your library is with statistics, pictures, videos and user comments?

Then join New York’s libraries and participate in SNAPSHOTNY: A Day in the Life of a Library by collecting statistics, comments, and photographs/videos from one day between now and Feb. 24th to provide tangible proof that libraries consistently provide invaluable services to our communities, in our schools and on our college campuses.

See all the PHOTOS we have received: HERE
See all the STATISTICS we have received: HERE
View all the VIDEOS we have received: HERE
Read our PRESS RELEASE: HERE 

Ready to join? Then pick a day and collect statistics on:

• How many patron visits?
• How many people used your public computers?
• How many reference questions did your staff answer?
• How many children participated in programs (including school visits as well as library-sponsored programs)?
• How many adults participated in programs?
• What was the total circulation for the day?
• How many hits did your website receive?

And then click HERE to fill in the survey so we can collect your data.

We’d also appreciate it if you ask your patrons why your library is essential to them. Collect their responses and then tell us the top five: HERE 

But just as important we need you to send us your photos and videos of A Day in the Life of your Library.

• Email us your photos: HERE  (Please note: If you do not see your library's photos within 48 hours of sending, please email us, without attachments, to confirm we have received your files).
• Upload your videos by downloading and following the instructions: HERE
• Download a generic photo release to use when asking folks if you can take their picture: HERE

The libraries submitting the top three videos/photos/comments will receive a Flip Video Camera and one free registration to the NYLA Annual Conference in Saratoga Springs – Nov. 3-6th.