That the Board of Regents approve the recommendations for the purpose of release to the public for comment. Most apparent are the problems of unserved areas, in which residents must rely on neighboring communities for library services and disparate levels of library support, which lead to overuse of very good libraries by people in nearby municipalities that have inadequate library services and facilities. The basic irony of the present situation is that free direct access, intended to provide equal access to libraries for all New Yorkers, can act as a disincentive for a community to establish a library or adequately support its library if good library services are readily available nearby. The first priority of the Board of Regents should be to reaffirm its commitment to ensure that all residents of New York have access to high-quality, convenient library services that are provided at no direct cost. The following recommendations seek to relieve the local hardships described in the Task Force Report on Free Direct Access .
Local hardships do exist in certain library systems due to current inequities.
Amendments that are approved by a two-thirds vote of the members of a public library system will be filed with the system s Plan of Service with the State Education Department. Applications for amendment of a Plan of Service must be endorsed by the system. As is current practice, the Commissioner will accept applications only through systems. Libraries that make applications for relief from free direct access regulations must apply through their public library system and their applications be approved by a two-thirds vote of the members of the system. Application for amendment must include a recommendation for remedying the underlying inequity.