New York Consolidated Laws, Education Law - EDN § 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, close 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.