New Yorkers Rally for Library Funding

New Yorkers turned out in force at City Hall on May 15 for a lunchtime rally and press conference protesting the deep cuts to library funding outlined in Mayor Bill de Blasio’s FY16 Executive Budget. The proposed budget, released May 7, allocated $313 million for the city’s public libraries—down a full $10 million from FY15, and $65 million less than 2008. A full budget restoration to pre-recession levels would allow libraries across New York City’s three systems to provide core programs and services, and keep neighborhood branches open six days a week, advocates argued. Libraries are also requesting $1.4 billion in capital funding over the next ten years in order to make documented infrastructure repairs.

New Yorkers turned out in force at City Hall on May 15 for a lunchtime rally and press conference protesting the deep cuts to library funding outlined in Mayor Bill de Blasio’s FY16 Executive Budget. The proposed budget, released May 7, allocated $313 million for the city’s public libraries—down a full $10 million from FY15, and $65 million less than 2008. A full budget restoration to pre-recession levels would allow libraries across New York City’s three systems to provide core programs and services, and keep neighborhood branches open six days a week, advocates argued. Libraries are also requesting $1.4 billion in capital funding over the next ten years in order to make documented infrastructure repairs . The rally was attended by members of municipal public employee union DC 37, representatives of advocacy groups Urban Librarians Unite (ULU) and Citizens Defending Libraries, and library leaders, staff, and supporters from across the city’s five boroughs. Speakers included New York City council majority leader Jimmy Van Bramer (D–Queens); council member Costa Constantinides; Christian Zabriskie of ULU (a LJ 2012 Mover & Shaker); Brooklyn Library Guild Local 1482 president Eileen Muller; Queens Library Job and Business Academy (and 2015 LJ Mover & Shaker) Lauren Comito, among others. “We are not calling for anything new here. We are calling for what is due to our citizens,” Zabriskie told the assembled supporters. “Libraries are the titanium crowbar that pulls our citizens out of necessity, out of times of trouble. We are information first responders who are there when our public needs us.” And Van Bramer summed up the afternoon’s testimony: “In this city there is a war against inequality, a war that we all support, but the budget that we saw does not reflect.” Chants of “65 million!” and “Six day service!” rallied the enthusiastic crowd, who held up signs and noisemakers. Supporters can visit the Invest in Libraries website to sign an online letter urging de Blasio, speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, and New York City Council to restore library funding, and follow the #investinlibraries hashtag for more news. Rallies will be taking place across the five boroughs until the final budget is adopted on June 5.