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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Clementine McLeod, Book Match Teen intern at Brooklyn Public Libraries
4:40:49
·
65 sec
Clementine McLeod, a Book Match Teen intern at Brooklyn Public Libraries, testifies about the importance of libraries as vital community spaces, especially for teens. She emphasizes that libraries provide a free and accessible "third space" separate from school and home, which is increasingly rare in urban environments.
- McLeod shares her personal experience of using the library as a haven between school and other activities.
- She highlights the impact of policies limiting teen access to public spaces, such as the Atlantic Terminal Mall's ban on unaccompanied teens under 18.
- McLeod urges continued funding for libraries, stressing their role as safe spaces where young people can connect and simply exist.
Clementine McLeod
4:40:49
Good afternoon.
4:40:50
My name is Clementine McLeod and I am a Book Match Teen intern at the Brooklyn Public Libraries were and will always be a vital part of every community, especially for teens.
4:41:01
They're not just a place to check out books, they're a third space separate from school and home.
4:41:07
That's free and accessible.
4:41:09
That kind of space is increasingly rare.
4:41:12
After school, I often found myself spending time in the library studying or doing homework while waiting for my other activities to begin.
4:41:19
I couldn't wait at school.
4:41:20
It closed after classes ended and hope was and home was too far away.
4:41:25
The library became a haven.
4:41:27
In Downtown Brooklyn, Atlantic Terminal Mall introduced a policy around 2024 banning teens under 18 unless accompanied by an adult.
4:41:35
A friend of mine who went to a nearby high school could no longer go there after school.
4:41:39
That left the library as one of the few welcoming spaces left for teens to simply exist.
4:41:45
Libraries matter because they're places where young people can connect, feel safe and just be.
4:41:49
That's why I'm asking you to continue funding spaces like this because we need them.
4:41:53
Thank you for your time.