N.Y. Education Law § 253: Public and association libraries and museums

§ 253. Public and association libraries and museums. 1. All

provisions of this section and of sections two hundred fifty-four to two

hundred seventy-one inclusive shall apply equally to libraries, museums,

and to combined libraries and museums, and the word "library" shall be

construed to mean reference and circulating libraries and reading rooms.

2. The term "public" library as used in this chapter shall be

construed to mean a library, other than professional, technical or

public school library, established for free public purposes by official

action of a municipality or district or the legislature, where the whole

interests belong to the public; the term "association" library shall be

construed to mean a library established and controlled, in whole or in

part, by a group of private individuals operating as an association,

closed corporation or as trustees under the provisions of a will or deed

of trust; and the term "free" as applied to a library shall be construed

to mean a library maintained for the benefit and free use on equal terms

of all the people of the community in which the library is located.

3. The term "Indian library" shall be construed to mean a public

library established by the tribal government of the Saint Regis Mohawk

tribe, the Seneca Nations of Indians or the Tonawanda Seneca tribe and

located on their respective reservations, to serve Indians residing on

such reservations and any other persons designated by its board of

trustees.