New York City Council
Hears Effects of Library Cuts
With Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposed 15% budget cut looming next fiscal year for New York City’s 213 library branches, librarians and residents testified before city council in mid-May to underscore the severe effect the loss would have on library services.
Queens Borough Public Library Director Gary Strong, who faces a $10.5-million reduction in funding, said that most branches would be forced to drastically reduce morning and evening hours, the Long Island Newsday reported May 28. In addition, literacy and children’s programs could be reduced and summer reading programs scaled back or eliminated at branches in all five city boroughs.
“We’re not a frill, we are an essential service, and more than 30,000 children visit our libraries every day,” said NYPL President Paul LeClerc. One of those children, 10-year-old Viktor Crnkovic, testified that he used the Broadway branch in Long Island City to learn English after his family immigrated from Croatia, and it helped him move from remedial classes to a 5th-grade gifted program.
Councilman Larry Seabrook (D-Bronx) told reporters the mayor would have a fight on his hands if the money isn’t restored by the budget deadline in early June. David Weprin (D-Queens) said, “We’re going to fight for it because libraries benefit our most vulnerable citizens, children and the elderly.”
Several dozen people gathered at the Flushing branch in Queens May 24, carrying “save the library” signs to send a message to Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, who was visiting the library to assess the effects of the cuts, the May 28 New York Daily News reported.
Posted June 3, 2002.
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