State Senator Patty Ritchie has announced the new State Budget includes significant support for local libraries and rejects the Governor’s $4 million cut to library funding while increasing funding for libraries across New York State by $1 million over last year’s budget. 

“As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Libraries, I have been working hard to make sure our libraries can continue to provide educational opportunities, family friendly entertainment, job-searching tools and of course, plenty of books,” said Senator Ritchie.

“Supporting our libraries is critically important, and I’m thrilled that this vital funding was included in the State Budget so our libraries—which in many regions, are the centers of communities—can provide the services taxpayers rely on.”

The funding included in the new State Budget is in addition to $14 million in new funding for the library construction program.   

Last year, Senator Ritchie was successful in securing more than $160,000 in special funding for libraries across Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties. 

There are more than 7,000 public libraries in New York State, including more than 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.