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AGENCY TESTIMONY
Brooklyn Public Library president's opening remarks and appreciation
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Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library, opens her testimony with greetings and expressions of gratitude to the City Council leadership and members. She acknowledges their support and highlights a recent proposal to expand library services.
- Thanks Speaker Adams, Finance Chair Brannan, Chair Rivera, and other council members for their leadership and support
- Expresses appreciation for the shift from discussing budget cuts to potential investments in libraries
- Mentions Speaker's proposal to expand seven-day service to 10 additional branches across the city
Linda E. Johnson
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Good morning.
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I'm Linda Johnson, President and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library.
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Thank you Speaker Adams, Finance Chair Brannan, Chair Rivera for your leadership, members of the committee.
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I see Chairperson Farrah Lewis, thank you all for your attendance, for your leadership, and for your stalwart support.
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And thanks to the entire city council for continued support of the libraries for these many years.
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But it's a welcome change this year and a testament to your leadership that this year our conversation is about investing in libraries, not cutting them.
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I was thrilled to hear the speaker detail her $2,000,000 proposal to expand seven day service to 10 additional branches across the city.
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For years, Brooklyn Public Library has operated on essentially on an essentially flat budget.
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Our city deserves the expanded services this proposal envisions.
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However, the fiscal twenty twenty six preliminary budget does not carry forward council's $15,700,000 libraries initiative and fall short of what's needed to sustain our services, let alone expand them.