Int. No. 1125-A
By Council Members Restler, Joseph, Hanif, Brannan, Krishnan, Abreu, Avilés, Ossé, Cabán, Brooks-Powers, Narcisse, Marte, De La Rosa, Banks, Schulman, Sanchez, Dinowitz, Brewer, Menin, Bottcher, Rivera, Hudson, Nurse, Louis, Feliz, Gutiérrez, Gennaro, Riley, Mealy and Carr
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the department of education to report on school librarians and library access in New York city public schools
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. The administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new chapter 39 to title 21-A to read as follows:
CHAPTER 39
REPORTING ON SCHOOL LIBRARIANS AND LIBRARY ACCESS
§ 21-1011 Reporting on school librarians and library access. a. Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:
Licensed school librarian. The term “licensed school librarian” means a certified school library media specialist as defined in section 90.18 of title 8 of the New York codes, rules and regulations, regarding school library systems, or a successor provision.
Non-licensed school librarian. The term “non-licensed school librarian” means a department pedagogue who is not a licensed school librarian, but is employed to provide library-related services.
School. The term “school” means a school of the city school district of the city of New York.
School library. The term “school library” means a school library established pursuant to section 91.1 of title 8 of the New York codes, rules and regulations, regarding school libraries, or a successor provision.
b. No later than June 1, 2026 and annually thereafter, the chancellor shall submit to the speaker of the council and post on the department’s website a report for the current academic year regarding school librarians and school library access. The report shall contain the following information for each school:
1. The number of licensed school librarians who are assigned to staff such school, disaggregated by full-time and part-time status, race, and gender;
2. The number of non-licensed school librarians who are assigned to staff such school, disaggregated by full-time and part-time status, race, and gender.
3. The number of students who have weekly scheduled class time with licensed school librarians for grades 7 and 8, disaggregated by grade level;
4. The number of students who have weekly scheduled class time with non-licensed school librarians for grades 7 and 8, disaggregated by grade level;
5. The average amount of weekly class time students spend with licensed school librarians for grades 7 and 8, disaggregated by grade level;
6. The average amount of weekly class time students spend with non-licensed school librarians for grades 7 and 8, disaggregated by grade level;
7. The number of school libraries at such school;
8. The hours of operation of each school library;
9. The number of hours per week that each school library is open for access to all students and, where applicable, the number of students permitted to access the library during such hours;
10. The number of students at such school; and
11. For each secondary school that employs a licensed school librarian on a part-time basis, the number of school periods or hours per day that the librarian is assigned to school library work, and whether such assignment complies with the minimum standards set forth in section 91.2 of title 8 of the New York codes, rules and regulations, regarding employment of school library media specialist, or any successor regulation.
c. No later than December 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the chancellor shall submit to the speaker of the council and post on the department’s website a preliminary report regarding school librarians and school library access. Such report shall include the information described in paragraphs 1, 2, 7, 8, and 11 of subdivision b of this section, and shall reflect data as of October 31 of the current academic year.
d. No information that is otherwise required to be reported pursuant to this section shall be reported in a manner that would violate any applicable provision of federal, state or local law relating to the privacy of student information or that would interfere with law enforcement investigations or otherwise conflict with the interests of law enforcement. If a category contains between 1 and 9 students, or allows another category to be narrowed to between 1 and 9 students, the number shall be replaced with a symbol. If a category to be reported contains zero students it shall be reported as zero.
e. The data reported pursuant to subdivisions b and c of this section shall be disaggregated by community school district, and borough, and shall be aggregated citywide.
§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.
NJF
LS #10876/17640
4/23/25 6:19 PM