Additional Expense and Capital Funds Required to Sustain Expanded Library Services
New York, NY – The city’s library presidents were joined today by patrons, advocates, staff and elected officials in front of City Hall to launch the “Invest in Libraries” campaign, urging city leaders to increase funding for New York’s public libraries. Libraries are facing increased operating costs and an ongoing maintenance crisis that requires new funding to continue the programs and services New Yorkers depend on. Following the kickoff press conference, library presidents testified in front of the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries, and International Intergroup Relations on the Mayor’s preliminary budget.
The Invest in Libraries campaign is a partnership between the city’s three public library systems – Brooklyn Public Library, The New York Public Library, and Queens Library – and library supporters across the City. The campaign is calling for an additional $16 million in expense funding to more adequately fund six-day service and programs and $60 million in capital funding for urgent facility maintenance.
“In every neighborhood library, we help immigrants learn English, entrepreneurs realize their dreams, and seniors stay connected to their communities. We help jobseekers find opportunities and teenagers find their voices. And we help people of all ages discover and enjoy reading,” said Brooklyn Public Library President & CEO Linda E. Johnson. “To sustain this work and continue our mission, we must have the support of the city.”
“We look forward to working with Mayor de Blasio and the New York City Council to ensure public libraries continue to deliver trusted information and resources that help New Yorkers lead successful lives,” said Queens Library President Dennis M. Walcott. “Without additional funding for our next year, we risk falling short on our promise to them.”
“At The New York Public Library we know how much New York City needs its libraries. Our branches provide opportunities for the City's youngest readers, seniors, immigrants, families, researchers, and our city's most vulnerable residents. Libraries are for everyone and it is imperative that we advocate on behalf of our fellow New Yorkers to ensure they continue to receive the resources and spaces that they deserve,” said NYPL President Tony Marx.
“Public libraries change people’s lives. Their doors are always open for everyone, no matter who you are, your income, or your nationality. By providing an unlimited source of information, as well as vital programming for our students, immigrant communities, seniors and low-income residents, libraries level the playing field. I’m proud to join public library presidents, advocates and fellow elected officials to support the ‘Invest in Libraries’ campaign,” said Brooklyn Councilmember Carlos Menchaca.
“New Yorkers need their libraries now more than ever,” said Chair of the Committee on Libraries and Cultural Affairs Jimmy Van Bramer. “Libraries are places that are free and open to all every day. They offer a sanctuary to those that may have no other welcoming place. We in City government must recognize their important role in serving everyone, especially immigrants and the undocumented, by funding them at a level that allows them to do their life saving work. When libraries succeed, New York succeeds.”
“Our public libraries provide vital services that build stronger communities, but they face infrastructure challenges that must be addressed. And we urge both sides of City Hall to agree to provide the resources necessary to continue six-day-service throughout the city,” said Henry Garrido, Executive Director, District Council 37.
New York’s public libraries are an essential resource for New Yorkers of all backgrounds, fostering education and civic engagement in a safe environment where everyone is treated with respect.
Across the city’s library branches on any given day, children and teens get afterschool tutoring, immigrants attend ESOL and citizenship classes, job seekers learn new skills at resume workshops, and more. In the last year alone, libraries have partnered with the City to distribute early literacy kits in eight different languages to thousands of families, expand video-visitation for those with incarcerated loved ones, launch STEM programs for teens, provide workforce development to patrons, and connect families facing immigration status uncertainty to free legal services and trusted information.
The City’s investments in public libraries over the past few years have paid off. Neighborhood branches expanded their services with more librarians and technology specialists, while many branches are now open longer so that working people can visit on weekends and in the evenings. Last year, there were nearly 37 million visits made to New York City libraries.
The role libraries play in bringing communities together and making the city stronger is more important than ever. The cost to maintain six-day service has risen substantially, and without additional funding to maintain it, it will be harder for libraries to stretch their resources to provide the vital programs for the city’s most vulnerable patrons and communities.
Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is an independent library system for the 2.5 million residents of Brooklyn. It is the fifth-largest library system in the United States with 59 neighborhood libraries located throughout the borough. BPL offers free programs and services for all ages and stages of life, including a large selection of books in more than 30 languages, author talks, literacy programs and public computers. BPL’s eResources, such as eBooks and eVideos, catalog information and free homework help, are available to customers of all ages 24 hours a day at our website: http://www.bklynlibrary.org