When you open the doors of a library, your senses are activated. The smell of books, the sounds of people talking, children playing, keyboards clicking away use a better word here away, the sights of the overview of the entire library, and the feeling of wood and book spines.
But what if I told you that as early as last year, Mayor Eric Adams proposed that libraries would lose 33 million dollars of funding to city funding? After it was announced that there was a possibility that libraries would lose funding, they started to send emails and flyers asking people to sign a pledge telling city leaders to say no to proposing these budget cuts. In the end, their voices were heard and the city council decided at the end of July 2023 to not cut funding. At least that’s what everyone thought…
At the beginning of November, the New York Public Library issued a statement again asking people to sign the pledge so that libraries won’t get affected. That’s because, in New York City’s mid-year cuts (November’s Financial Plan), the city has yet to state that they will cut funding. In the end, around 217 libraries were affected by cuts because this time, the city council cut funding. Every library had to end Sunday service because staff costs are 50% higher on Sundays. November 26 was the last day.
Furthermore, libraries are “reducing spending on collections, programming, and maintenance and repairs at our locations. Unfortunately, this will mean longer wait times for materials, fewer programs will be offered, and repairs may be delayed or postponed.”
It hurts me knowing that libraries are being forced to end services, and programs and spend less money on buying materials because I know they don’t want to do that. They want to create a happy and fulfilling space for their visitors and yet they can due to Eric Adams limiting the money libraries get. That’s why they chose to become a librarian in the first place.
Moreover, I think my experience as a library volunteer for two years shaped my thinking and love for libraries. During that time I noticed that no matter how old you were, people of all ages came to the library. I’ve helped translate, helped teenagers find romance books, handed out lunch and played with young children, and helped the elderly with the computer.
It all makes sense why Queens Library’s logo is “We speak your language” because they really do. Different people gather at the library every day for their purposes and needs. However, libraries are already starting to lose visitors due to library cuts. So, go support your local library by borrowing a book, using a computer, participating in a program, and singing the petition to stop library cuts: https://pub.email.nypl.org/sign-pledge.
