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Q&A
Council Member Yusef Salaam questions NYPL CEO about Harlem library services and funding
1:32:37
·
4 min
Council Member Yusef Salaam engages in a Q&A session with Anthony Marx, President and CEO of the New York Public Library, focusing on library services and funding in Harlem. The discussion covers capital commitments for Harlem branches, staffing challenges, and youth and educational programming.
- Marx details recent and ongoing renovation projects in Harlem libraries, including the Schomburg Center
- Staffing shortages and their impact on youth programming and workforce development services are addressed
- The conversation touches on partnerships with local schools and community organizations for digital literacy initiatives
Yusef Salaam
1:32:37
Thank you and good morning.
1:32:40
Good morning.
1:32:40
Great testimony so far.
1:32:41
This has been really informative.
1:32:43
I have a few questions as it relates to Harlem.
1:32:47
The executive capital commitment plan includes major upgrades for branches like Brownsville and Jackson Heights.
1:32:53
What specific capital commitments, if any, are being made to address urgent infrastructure issues in Harlem branches such as HVAC failures, ADA accessibility or roof repairs and has any of the $4,345,000,000 in unmet capital needs identified by the council been allocated for Harlem based library facilities?
1:33:18
And will the administration commit to including Harlem Library projects in the $1,200,000,000 10 year capital plan?
Anthony "Tony" Marx
1:33:27
Councilman, thank you for your question.
1:33:29
Let me just say that, you know, we we consider our branches and our research library in Harlem to be essential crown jewels, if you will, in a neighborhood that is so powerful and needs, you know, more than it than it has gotten.
1:33:44
We recently completed an exterior rehab of County Cullen.
1:33:48
Took way too long, over 7 and a half million dollars.
1:33:51
I remember that scaffolding was there and causing problems on that block.
1:33:56
I'm delighted that's done.
1:33:58
Harry Belafonte, so proud to have that name on our 100 And Fifteenth Street branch.
1:34:04
We completed a cellar and floor renovation, a boiler replacement.
1:34:09
I know that doesn't sound like charismatic items, but they're expensive.
1:34:13
That was 266,000,000.
1:34:16
We have proudly finished a facade and window replacement.
1:34:20
8,000,000 sorry.
1:34:21
We are in construction of the Schaumburg's facade and window replacement.
1:34:26
$8,000,000 of special funding from governor Hochul, so we're grateful to the governor for that.
1:34:32
And I just wanna point out that we are currently celebrating the hundredth anniversary of the Schaumburg, which is the premier research center in the world for African American and diaspora studies.
1:34:47
We've got so many programs and so much that we're aspiring to do there and fundraising, privately as well as publicly for the Schaumburg.
1:34:57
If we can get a serious ten year capital commitment, then we can do more in Harlem, whether it's at the Harlem Library.
1:35:06
We did, as you know, finally replace Macomb's Bridge, which was painfully small for decades.
1:35:14
We were, I think, doubled or tripled the size of that branch, and it's bursting with life and programs.
1:35:19
That's the model we want to do throughout the system, and certainly, and particularly in Harlem.
Yusef Salaam
1:35:25
And just some follow ups with regards to youth and workforce programming in Harlem Libraries.
1:35:32
With the vacancy rate for library staff at 9.4% as of March 2025, how is the city ensuring that Harlem Libraries maintain robust youth programming, adult education, and workforce development services, especially when staffing shortages persist?
Anthony "Tony" Marx
1:35:49
So again, our strategic plan has recommitted us with public funds and where necessarily with private funds to ensure that our education programs, especially in neighborhoods of greater need, which is what we're talking about here, deserve that kind of level of funding.
1:36:08
We have massively increased our education programs at New York Public and the other systems as well.
1:36:15
Now we need to ensure that going forward, build on that going forward, and if that means we need to do more private fundraising, we will do that as well because the people of New York, even the folks with resources, understand just how crucial this is.
1:36:33
And we know that you and the city council and the city as a whole understand that.
Yusef Salaam
1:36:38
Absolutely.
1:36:39
And shares if I can just short a short follow-up to that.
1:36:43
How are the libraries partnering with local schools and community based organizations in Harlem to expand the digital literacy and after school initiatives and will additional operating support in the executive budget be direct be directed in part towards restoring youth and educational programs that were scaled back in recent years?
Anthony "Tony" Marx
1:37:02
Well, we have been building back, whether it's PAGE or Teen Ambassador programs.
1:37:08
We've been expanding our after school activities in Harlem and elsewhere.
1:37:13
We want to ensure that we have the resources to continue that and to expand that where possible.
1:37:18
But we've done so much, in terms of expansion that now we need to make sure that we can continue those commitments as well as look to other places to do more.
Yusef Salaam
1:37:30
Thank you.