NYS Library Blog

The NYS Museum, in partnership with the State Library and State Archives, will celebrate Black History Month with a special exhibition, The Moral Arc Toward Freedom: Lincoln, King, and the Emancipation Proclamation. This exhibition opens Tuesday, February 13 and runs through Sunday, March 3. It focuses on the historical connections between President Abraham Lincoln, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the Emancipation Proclamation.

This exhibition includes two historic documents: President Abraham Lincoln’s 1862 Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation and select pages from a speech Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered in New York City in September 1962 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. This draft of the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation in the collections of the New York State Library is written in Lincoln’s own hand. The annotated script of Dr. King's speech is in the collections of the New York State Archives.

More to Explore at the NYS Library

During February, on the 7th floor of the New York State Library, a special exhibit, Understanding Lincoln through Primary Source Documents, will feature cases with selected books and primary source documents from the Library’s collections on President Abraham Lincoln and the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. Topics of the exhibit will include Lincoln’s life, the writing of the proclamation, how the State Library came to have the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, and Lincoln’s death. 

While you’re visiting the Cultural Education Center to view The Moral Arc Toward Freedom: Lincoln, King, and the Emancipation Proclamation, why not use the opportunity to spend some time in the NYS Library? We have exciting collections to explore and knowledgeable staff to help. We encourage library visitors to prepare in advance to make the best use of their library time. Here are some steps to take in advance: 

Identify Materials 

The NYS Library maintains a number of online resources to support your research. Before your visit, you can browse an A-Z list of all NYS Library collections. You can also check out our catalog guide for tips on tracking down items across our collections. If you’d like some further guidance, don’t hesitate to Ask a Librarian! Reference librarians can advise you about the types of materials that may be relevant to your research. 

Visitors can also request that materials be retrieved in advance and made ready for use upon arrival. If you plan to visit our Manuscripts and Special Collections unit, be sure to make an appointment. 

Get Familiar with Library Policies 

It may be helpful to review library policies as you plan out your visit. Check out our policies around On-site Use of Library Materials or get familiar with the rules of the MSC and Archives Research Room. 

While you’re at it: why not check for Upcoming Public Programs? The NYS Library offers monthly public programs, and many of them cover using our collections and completing onsite research. 

Make a Parking Plan 

The NYS Library is located in the Cultural Education Center in downtown Albany, but you don’t have to sweat parking on the day of your visit! We have tips on metered parking and visitor lots, as well resources for scouting traffic conditions and lodgings. You can find that information on our Visiting the Cultural Education Center page. 

The NYS Library has collections related to Black history, from the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation and continuing through the development of the Harlem neighborhood in NYC, known as the Harlem Renaissance, and more.  

Over the years we've celebrated Black History Month focusing on some notable New Yorkers, featuring information by and/or about individuals including Kenneth B. Clark, Duke Ellington, and Sojourner Truth. This month, as part of our Personal History Initiative, we want to hear from you! Is there a Black artist, writer, scientist, friend, or family member who has inspired you?  

Share your story!  

Each year, the Division of Library Development (DLD) administers the annual report for public and association libraries, which gathers service and collections information from New York’s 760 public libraries. The annual report also collects information about programming and educational opportunities that New York’s libraries provide to their communities.  

The annual report provides a chance to dig deep into library trends and services from many exciting angles. This month, we’re looking at data from the 2022 annual report with a special focus on early literacy programs: 

• In 2022, 612 public libraries provided 87,394 programs for 1,574,223 patrons.  

• Of those programs, 63% were geared toward child audiences. 34% focused on children and caregivers together. Programs that were targeted only to caregivers totaled 3% of all early literacy programming.  

• Libraries made excellent use of community partners to deliver this programming, including childcare centers, non-public schools, health care providers, and public schools and BOCES.  

The NYS Library works not only to collect important stories surrounding library services, but also to oversee several initiatives that support the work library workers do to provide early literacy services in their communities. These initiatives include:   

Ready to Read at New York Libraries 

Ready to Read at New York Libraries is an initiative of the New York State Education Department designed to improve and expand the availability of high-quality public library early learning services in local communities across the State. This program provides customizable toolkits and trainings for caregivers on a range of early literacy curriculum areas. 

Supercharged Storytimes for All 

The NYS Library partners with OCLC’s WebJunction to bring the Supercharged Storytimes for All (SSA) program to youth services public library staff across the state. This free program helps library workers to deepen and enhance their services to young children and their families.  

DayByDayNY Family Literacy Calendar 

DayByDayNY is a free online resource for families with daily and monthly book lists, activities, crafts, and health tips. The calendar uses multimedia to enhance books, songs, and family health and bring these components to life and foster a lifelong love for books and learning. 

One More Story 

One More Story is a free app with an online library of classic and contemporary picture books being read aloud. The app allows pre-readers and early readers to independently engage in and enjoy literature before they are fully effective readers. It is used in schools, libraries, and homes as an early literacy resource for pre-readers, early readers, and English language learners.  

More Literacy Resources at the NYS Library 

You can find additional information about all the ways the NYS Library supports early literacy and other youth initiatives by visiting the Youth Services webpage for additional tools, training opportunities, and links to research and resources from partner organizations. 

In August of 2023, Scott Matheson, Superintendent of Documents at the U.S. Government Publishing Office, sent a letter to Depository Library Coordinators outlining a framework to transform the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) to a digital program.  

What does this mean for libraries? As more trusted digital versions of titles are available, GPO will limit the number of print distribution titles, reducing the number of tangible titles distributed to FDLP libraries. National Collection Service Areas are collaborating to ensure there is continued access to Federal Government information.  

What about our existing tangible collections? Tangible collections will remain in libraries and follow all existing rules and guidance. The NYS Library is a preservation steward for selected titles to support continued public access to U.S. Government documents in tangible format.    

For public libraries planning a construction project, the process often starts several years before any shovels hit the ground. To assist with the long-term planning of construction projects, the Division of Library Development in the NYS Library, in partnership with the 23 public library systems across the state, conducts a Needs Assessment that compiles possible projects from the 760 public and association libraries serving all New Yorkers.   

The most recent Needs Assessment for 2023-2027 is available on the NYS Library’s website.  Over 50% of public library buildings in New York are over 60 years old, and it is not surprising that project costs continue to grow, currently totaling $1.75 billion.   

The 2023-2027 project list includes expected items like roof replacements, parking lot paving, building additions, property purchases for library expansion, HVAC updates, and new elevators. It also includes broadband installation and expansion, electric vehicle charging stations, LED lighting, and stand-by generators which allow libraries to remain open during local power emergencies. 

In New York, libraries receive funding through the State Aid for Library Construction program, which is included in the annual State budget. For most of the previous five years, this amount has been set at $34 million.   

You can find more information about the State Aid for Library Construction program on our website, including project lists, application information, and more.  

Are you ready for the total solar eclipse that will take place on April 8, 2024?  This exciting event will find many parts of New York state in the path of totality, which means those areas will experience a total eclipse if skies are clear. Schools, libraries and cultural institutions are busy planning many different eclipse-related and STEM events to engage students of all ages in this rare phenomenon.

There are many helpful resources on the NYS Library's Youth Services Eclipse Resources page including virtual trainings, downloadable booklets, games, and activity and program ideas. The Eclipse Resources page also contains information on how to view an eclipse safely and where to obtain approved eclipse glasses before the big event. Check with your local public library to see what they have planned for the eclipse, and happy viewing!