Advocacy Day in Albany

February 2, 2016 By rsmith With Comments are off for this post

Your Voice Matters! Registration is now open for Library Advocacy Day in Albany! Will you join the Library Advocacy Army in Albany on Wednesday, March 2nd this year?

speakupMHLS Member Library staff, trustees, Friends and patrons of all ages are encouraged to attend Library Advocacy Day in Albany sponsored by the New York Library Association (NYLA). The goal of this event is to help legislators understand how much people care about libraries by packing the offices at every appointment. With 15 legislators to meet with we need lots of people to come and show their support.

Your attendance can make a BIG impact. Join us for meetings with your NYS representatives in Albany to make the case that Libraries ARE Education! and should receive funding increases and infrastructure investments that respect our role in the community.

We have two big items to advocate for this year:

  • Increase State Library Aid Proportionally with Increases in Education Funding. Library funding is being held flat by the Governor. The Legislature has the opportunity to do the right thing for their constituents and increase library aid to match the Governor’s proposed 4.3% increase to Education Aid. For more information: http://bit.ly/1TVxHgz
  • An increase in State Aid for Public Library Construction. Held flat for 10 years, now is the time to increase the investment in New York’s library facilities. With more than half of MHLS member library facilities unable to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act stipulations and seriously aging infrastructure (56% of libraries in MHLS are over 50 years old and 38% are over 100 years old!) NOW is the time for an increase. For more information: http://bit.ly/1IZXDSa

MHLS makes the day easier!

  • Online Advocacy Day Briefing: February 19th, 10:00 – 11:00am. Register at http://calendar.midhudson.org
  • Coordinated bus transportation along the NYS Thruway. Thanks to the generosity of our Friends Groups who donated to support the buses to Albany last year the ticket price this year is 25% lower! (Bus registration info can be found below)
  • All appointments with legislators are made centrally through MHLS. Appointment schedule is emailed out to those who register and posted at https://midhudson.org. Meetings are scheduled between 10:00am – 3:00pm.

Registration Details for Advocacy Day

Option 1: Drive yourself to Albany

Option 2: Take the Bus to Albany

  • Register through the Ramapo Catskill Library System: http://calendar.rcls.org/ and let them know your preferred pick up location from the list below.
  • Make checks ($9 per person, non-refundable) payable to “RCLS” and send to Ruth Daubenspeck/RCLS, 619 Route 17M, Middletown, NY 10940-4395. Registration & Payment Deadline: February 25th Late registration will not be accepted.Bus Pick Up Points:
  • West Nyack 6:45am (Palisades Center)
  • Newburgh 7:30am (Newburgh Mall)
  • New Paltz 7:45am (Thruway Exit 18 Parking Lot)
  • Kingston 8:15am (Thruway Exit 19 @Quality Inn & Suits)
  • Catskill 8:40am (Thruway Exit 21)Buses leave Albany at 3:30pm. Refreshments, advocacy information and schedule of appointments will be provided on the bus.