QUESTION
How do you anticipate that city budget cuts in the immediate future will affect your ability to continue this fight? What will the public be losing on this front as a result of any cuts?
0:26:44
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4 min
The question raised concerns about the impact of imminent city budget cuts on the continuance of advocacy against right-wing groups targeting communities and on public access to books and programs in libraries. Responses from the presidents of the Brooklyn, New York, and Queens Public Libraries highlighted severe consequences of budget cuts such as reduced book acquisitions, closing of libraries, especially teen centers in needy neighborhoods, decreased library operating hours, and restricted access to programs and materials for all, particularly impacting vulnerable populations including immigrants. The consolidation of opinions stresses the pivotal role of funding restoration for the libraries to maintain their educational and community services.
Carlina Rivera
0:26:44
Well, I'm just gonna before I turn it over to my colleagues because I see they have questions, of course, I wanna ask the multimillion dollar question.
0:26:52
How do you anticipate that city budget cuts in the immediate future will affect your ability to continue this fight.
0:27:01
What will the public be losing on this front as a result of any cuts?
Linda E. Johnson
0:27:08
This may sound somewhat inflamed, but I believe that by cutting the budget, we are doing to New Yorkers exactly what some of these right wing groups are doing to communities across the country.
0:27:20
It's not for the same reason.
0:27:22
We're not being targeted for the material that we're writing.
0:27:25
But by forcing us to be in a position where we need to reduce the number of books that we are able to buy and again and year.
0:27:33
We essentially are depriving teens and everybody else of the material that they need to grow and to learn.
Anthony W. Marx
0:27:42
Let me just add, if the libraries are closed Yeah.
0:27:46
Then having the books in the library available doesn't work.
0:27:51
All the education programs that we have worked with you and with the administration to build in record numbers that meet so many needs, We can't offer those programs.
0:28:02
The libraries are closed.
0:28:03
Even if they're closed because of the lack of capital investments, so that we have to close them for repairs.
0:28:10
We are so proud, as Linda and Dennis have talked about, of our teen centers.
0:28:15
So that we can really welcome the teams to their own spaces and the things that they are looking for and welcome them into our other programs and to more reading.
0:28:25
We've had plans.
0:28:26
We're up close to 20 of those open.
0:28:29
In our most needy neighborhoods, we are now seeing the need to not open those because of the budget cuts or to have them closed, that is tragic for everyone involved.
Dennis Walcott
0:28:42
So already we're suffering as a result of the cuts.
0:28:47
I mean, we're not open on Sunday.
0:28:49
There's only 1, maybe 2, but one, that's open on Sunday.
0:28:53
I mean, I take a look at flushing library, which has tremendous volume of people going into the library.
0:29:00
Those people are not going in on Sunday because the library is not open on Sunday.
0:29:03
They don't have access to the book.
0:29:04
The new teen center that we put in place there, the upgraded teen center that we put there.
0:29:09
Not available at all.
0:29:11
I mean, so that's one direct impact already with us as a result of the November peg.
0:29:17
That's still in effect that will carry over to the next fiscal year.
0:29:20
We've already cut back on our collections already.
0:29:23
And we had to absorb a cut and deal with the collections and have knee fewer books that we're buying, few ebooks that are available, not just for teenagers, for the public at large.
0:29:33
And then when you combine the 3 of us, and the resources that are taken away as a result of the cuts and the inability of having hours open or books and materials available or programs because we're talking about banned books, but it's also really impacting banned programs.
0:29:53
Programs that are not available as a result of a library door is not being open anymore at particular time.
0:29:59
And with the cuts carrying forward, That will happen even more so.
0:30:03
And that impacts not just the teenagers, but the adults, the most vulnerable or immigrant population, and we have to address that.
0:30:12
And the only way to address that is a restoration of money.
0:30:14
Plain and simple.
0:30:16
It's money that worthwhile long term investment in the future of New York City.
0:30:23
Plain and simple.
0:30:24
And it's not about, you know, a fight here or a fight there.
0:30:28
It's really looking at the vision of New York City.
0:30:31
What does it mean for the population at large?
0:30:34
I know both with Linda and Tony, with the Brooklyn system, the New York system, definitely with the Queen system, We see the new immigrants coming through our door on a regular basis.
0:30:45
They are lining up in front of central and our other libraries before we open.
0:30:49
Those doors will not be able to open as frequently.
0:30:53
So even if we keep the days of the week saying, we may have to shrink hours as a result of the budget.
0:30:59
Cut.
0:30:59
And each of us may handle it differently, but still it means fewer hours, fewer days available for the people most in need and people who wanna take advantage the books, the materials, programs, and services that we provide.
Carlina Rivera
0:31:14
Thank you.
0:31:15
Well, with that, I will turn it over to my colleagues.