<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;" class="">Colleagues,</span><div class="" style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;">Both the State Senate and Assembly released their “one-house” budget bills yesterday and both were positive for libraries</div><div class="" style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;">Both restored all of the Governor’s proposed cuts to library funding and both called for additional funding for libraries in both general aid and construction aid. The Senate called for a $3.5M increase in general aid and the Assembly a $5M increase. The Senate called for a $5M increase in construction aid the Assembly for a $20M increase. Both also included a distribution of "Love Your Library" aid to public library systems to be used on cooperative systemwide projects.</div><div class="" style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"><div class="" style="margin: 0in;"><span class="">NYLA has launched a new "take action" campaign thanking our legislators for proposing to increase funding for libraries and asking that the final budget include these proposed increases. The campaign can be found at the following link: <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div class="" style="margin: 0in;"><span class=""><a href="https://oneclickpolitics.global.ssl.fastly.net/messages/edit?promo_id=19892" class="" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">https://oneclickpolitics.global.ssl.fastly.net/messages/edit?promo_id=19892</a><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div class="" style="margin: 0in;">Please be sure to participate in the campaign by clicking the above link and share this information widely with your colleagues as well as others you know who support libraries and encourage them to send a message as well.<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="margin: 0in;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="margin: 0in;">It is critically important that the final budget does not just restore the proposed cuts but moves beyond current funding levels so that we can continue to, collectively, provide our communities with the quality library resources and growing number of services that they need.</div><div class="" style="margin: 0in;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="margin: 0in;">If you have any questions about any of this please let me know.</div><div class="" style="margin: 0in;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="margin: 0in;">Kevin</div></div><div class="">
<div>Kevin Verbesey</div><div>Director</div><div>Suffolk Cooperative Library System</div><div>627 N. Sunrise Service Road</div><div>Bellport, New York 11713</div><div>P: 631-286-1600 x 1304</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
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