273-A - State aid for library construction.
§ 273-a. State aid for library construction. 1. State aid shall be provided for up to fifty percent of the total project approved costs, excluding feasibility studies, plans or similar activities, for projects for the acquisition, construction, renovation or rehabilitation, including leasehold improvements, of buildings of public libraries and library systems chartered by the regents of the state of New York or established by act of the legislature subject to the limitations provided in subdivision four of this section and upon approval by the commissioner. Provided however that the state liability for aid paid pursuant to this section shall be limited to funds appropriated for such purpose. Aid shall be provided on approved expenses incurred during the period commencing July first and ending June thirtieth for up to three years, or until the project is completed, whichever occurs first. Fifty percent of such aid shall be payable to each system or library upon approval of the application. Forty percent of such aid shall be payable in the next state fiscal year. The remaining ten percent shall be payable upon project completion. 2. Each application for state aid shall be submitted by the board of trustees of the library or library system responsible for the operation of the subject building to the commissioner for his review and approval, after having been reviewed and approved by the governing board of the public library system of which such library is a member. Each application shall: a. demonstrate that resources are or shall be available to provide for maximum utilization of the project if approved; b. contain verification in such form as may be acceptable to the commissioner that the total cost of the project, exclusive of state aid, has been or will be obtained; c. demonstrate that library operations would be made more economical as a consequence of approval; d. be limited to one project concerning such building, provided that no building shall be the subject of more than one application per year; and e. provide such other information as may be required by the commissioner. 3. In approving any application the commissioner shall consider the condition of existing libraries and, where appropriate, the needs of isolated or economically disadvantaged communities, provided that no application shall be approved for a project that is deemed by the commissioner to have been completed prior to the date of the application. 4. Aid shall be distributed pursuant to this section as follows: a. sixty percent of the funds appropriated pursuant to this section shall be made available to libraries within each system by the commissioner in such manner as to insure that the ratio of the amount received within each system to the whole of the aid made available pursuant to this paragraph is no greater than the ratio of the population served by such system to the population of the state; b. forty percent of the funds appropriated pursuant to this section shall be made available to library systems or libraries within each system by the commissioner in such manner as to insure that an equal amount is received within each system in the state; c. any funds made available pursuant to paragraph a or b of this subdivision which by April first of each succeeding fiscal year, are declined by such libraries or library systems for any reason, or which cannot otherwise be used by such libraries or library systems for any reason, shall be made available by the commissioner to other eligible libraries within such system, or if no such library can use such fundsshall be reallocated among the other library systems and their libraries in a manner that will to the extent possible provide from such reallocated funds an equal amount to each such system. 5. The commissioner shall adopt rules and regulations as are necessary to carry out the purposes and provisions of this section.