Albany Public Library (APL) is a public library system serving the city of Albany, New York. APL also operates as the Central Library for the Upper Hudson Library System, a resource sharing consortium which unites public library services across twenty-nine member libraries in Albany County and Rensselaer County. Governed by a publicly elected board of trustees, APL is a school district public library with a budget largely funded by a tax levy presented annually to registered voters in the City School District of Albany. The library has seven branches located in various neighborhoods of Albany, New York. The branches are circulating libraries that are open to the general public. The library was developed in the 19th century, founded from society libraries and the wealth of private citizens,