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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by John Hyslop, Librarian Representative from NYC Public Library Workers Union
3:37:52
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129 sec
John Hyslop, representing nearly 4,000 public library workers, expresses gratitude for council support but emphasizes the dire financial situation of NYC libraries. He highlights the impact of inconsistent funding on library services and staff, including understaffing and low salaries leading to reduced programs and difficulty retaining workers.
- Libraries currently lack adequate funding for six-day service and sufficient staffing for children's programs and custodial work.
- High cost of living in NYC forces many library workers to work multiple jobs or leave the profession due to low salaries.
- Hyslop calls for consistent and adequate funding to address understaffing and pay workers a living wage, emphasizing the rewarding nature of library work and its importance to the community.
John Hyslop
3:37:52
All right.
3:37:52
Thank you.
3:37:53
Good afternoon, chairs Brennan and Rivera, and committee members.
3:37:57
Thank you for giving us this opportunity to testify on behalf of the nearly 4,000 public library workers we represent.
3:38:03
We cannot thank the council enough for their unwavering support of their libraries.
3:38:07
Under the leadership of Speaker Adams, our union members know that New York City's public libraries will receive council funding.
3:38:13
We must also thank Mayor Adams for adding money to the library's budgets.
3:38:16
Without that financial commitment, our financial situation would be even more dire, and yet this is our problem.
3:38:21
Our financial situation remains dire.
3:38:23
The mayor's proposed executive budget for FY '26 remains the same as FY '25 and is only for one year.
3:38:29
In our testimony in March, we explained the invaluable services we provide and how libraries' inconsistent funding has impacted those services.
3:38:36
Right now, we do not have enough funding to adequately staff for six day service.
3:38:40
Right now, children's programs do not happen because we do not have enough staff.
3:38:44
Right now, branches do not have enough custodians to adequately clean them.
3:38:48
This understaffing is a result of every mayor's inconsistent and inadequate funding of libraries.
3:38:53
Compounding this understaffing is New York City's high cost of living that crushes our members, forcing libraries to library workers to work multiple jobs and over time and never feel financial security.
3:39:03
Many live many leave the library and the profession because they cannot afford to work on such low salaries.
3:39:08
This is devastating to many of us because our library work is so rewarding.
3:39:12
Our members are rewarded with engagements we have with our patrons and colleagues.
3:39:16
A children's librarian sees the joy on the faces of children at toddler time.
3:39:20
An adult reference librarian engages with an avid reader on their favorite authors.
3:39:24
Our branch's neighbors help the custodian clean up the sidewalk.
3:39:27
Our clerical supervisor is thrilled to see their former page and mentee after they graduate from college.
3:39:32
Those rewards only happen at our library branches.
3:39:34
When a mayor inconsistently underfunds our libraries, our members suffer and our patrons, your constituents lose.
3:39:40
The mayor's proposed executive budget keeps our budget flat while costs are going up and is not baselined.
3:39:46
Our members will continue to suffer under New York City's unaffordability crisis and libraries understaffing and this does not need to happen.
3:39:52
Our elected officials have the ability to consistently and adequately fund our libraries for us to plan our future and pay our members a living wage.
3:40:00
Thank you.