State Senator Patty Ritchie today was named to a new Senate Select Committee on Libraries, a 19-member panel charged with looking into the future of public libraries in New York State.

“Public Libraries play a vital role in rural communities like ours, providing information, education, entertainment and, increasingly, as a resource for people looking to find jobs, and they provide a great value to taxpayers,” Senator Ritchie said.

“I’ve been a proud library user in my own community for years, and my family has enjoyed being able to use our local library to conduct research, complete homework, relax with a good book, and find and explore new worlds,” Senator Ritchie said. “I look forward to working to strengthen our libraries, and encouraging more Central and Northern New Yorkers to discover their local libraries, so that they can be a continued and valued resource for the next generation of New Yorkers and beyond.”

There are over 7,000 public libraries in New York State, 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.

Last year, Senator Ritchie was awarded an “A” rating by the group, New Yorkers for Better Libraries for her efforts on behalf of public libraries, including her work to restore $3 million in library funding that was cut from the state budget.