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QUESTION

What programs and services will be impacted by budget cuts to the Brooklyn Public Library?

1:28:27

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3 min

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The Brooklyn Public Library president explains that budget cuts will necessitate reducing programming by a third, impacting non-grant funded programs.

Fewer citizenship classes and visits to senior centers and nursing homes
Creative aging classes and programs for older adults reduced
Young adult literacy programs cut by 50%
Fewer teen internships and stipends
Scaling back teen takeover initiative and events
Reduction in technology and arts workshops for teens
Closure of a teen tech center on Saturdays
50% reduction in library visits to children/families in hospitals
Book distribution to children cut by half
Cuts to multi-session art classes for older adults

Shahana Hanif

1:28:27

And with these cuts, could you just walk us through like which programs will perhaps vanish entirely, or how are we the how is cutting back on programming going to impact children and teens older adults, those who are coming in for English language classes, and other programming for immigrants, folks experiencing homelessness, and then and then I want you all to just give me an overview of the staffing.

1:29:01

Like, how where would where do we want staffing to be at this moment in 2024?

1:29:07

And 5 years from now.

Linda Johnson

1:29:11

Yeah.

1:29:11

A lot of parts to that.

1:29:12

I'll start with the programming cuts because I think that's what is the hardest thing to swallow because we will need to reduce programming budgets by a third, which impacts all non grant funded programming.

1:29:30

That means that fewer citizenship classes, fewer visits to senior centers, nursing homes, cuts to creative aging and older adult classes.

1:29:41

Reduction of the young adult literacy program by half, fewer stipends resulting in fewer teen interns, We are doing a lot with teens these days, and those internships which are actually paid internships give teens the ability to find good jobs in the summer close to their homes.

1:30:02

We will unfortunately scale back our new and popular teen takeover initiative.

1:30:11

So The cut to our programming budget for teen initiatives by a third We'd eliminate 2 teen takeover sites.

1:30:23

That leads to a decrease of 22 total takeover events We would scale back technology and arts workshops for teens, budgets for external presenters, and teachers will be diminished by a third and one of our new team tech centers at Adam Street would be closed on all Saturdays.

1:30:46

Our new young adult literacy programs, which are located in 2 library 2 library neighborhood libraries would be forced to cut classes by half by 50%.

1:30:57

We keep one site operational while closing the other.

1:31:01

We would have 5 fewer 10 week citizenship classes, which is a reduction of 63%.

1:31:08

I can I can go I mean, this

Michelle Lima

1:31:10

is Yeah?

Shahana Hanif

1:31:10

This is I would love to just get this in

Linda Johnson

1:31:12

50% reduction in library visits to senior centers and nursing homes.

1:31:18

A third fewer visits to children and families and hospitals and rehabilitation facilities and book distribution to children cut by half.

1:31:29

We would be forced to cut 4 creative aging program series in branches beginning in July of 2024.

1:31:36

And we would also cut multi session artists like classes for older adults.

1:31:43

Who seek to learn a new skill and helps mitigate the effects of social isal isolation.

Shahana Hanif

1:31:50

Yeah.

1:31:50

This is just infuriating to hear.

Linda Johnson

1:31:52

Yeah.

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