Mayor Adams Celebrates $58.3 Million Investment in City's Three Library Systems

July 1, 2024

Watch the video here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjJa_NKBzGg&t=9s

Announcement Follows On-Time, Balanced, and Fiscally-Responsible $112.4 Billion

Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2025 That Invests in Future of New York City 

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today celebrated an on-time, balanced, and fiscally-responsible $112.4 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Budget that addresses the city’s affordability crisis head-on and invests in the future of the city and the working-class people who make New York the greatest city in the world. The budget specifically invests $58.3 million to fully fund three major library systems — the New York Public Library (NYPL), the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL), and the Queens Public Library (QPL). The investments will allow the libraries to resume Sunday service across all branches that previously offered it and open newly renovated locations across the five boroughs.

On Friday, Mayor Adams and New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams also announced that $42.8 baselined will be baselined in budgets in years going forward. Yesterday, the City Council voted to pass the FY25 Budget. Following Friday’s announcement, New Yorkers from across the city, including the heads of the three library systems, praised the FY25 Budget. Thanks to the Adams administration’s ongoing strong fiscal management, which was bolstered by better-than-expected revenue growth, the administration overcame unprecedented challenges in this budget cycle to stabilize the city’s financial outlook and close a $7.1 billion budget gap.

“As a young man who struggled with dyslexia, I understand firsthand how important libraries are for children, families, and every New Yorker in leveling the playing field,” said Mayor Adams. “That’s why we restored more than $58 million in funding to our city's three public library systems and baselined $42.8 million in funding every year moving forward — providing peace of mind to our entire library system. From providing spaces to prepare our young people for a bright future to being a vital partner in the creation of affordable housing, libraries are a lifeline for countless communities. Today, we can all be proud that our city has a budget that invests in our libraries and invests in the future of our city.”

“Making good on our promise to increase affordable housing, support cultural institutions, and invest in libraries, we have funded and restored critical services for New Yorkers thanks to responsible fiscal management,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “The Inwood Library and The Eliza Apartments not only bring a state-of-the-art library facility and affordable housing uptown, but are a model for building co-located housing moving forward. We thank the City Council for their partnership and shared commitment to improving the lives of all New Yorkers through this year’s budget process.”

“Libraries are more than just homes to great books; they are lifelines of critical support services that help New Yorkers thrive and feel safe,” said New York Senator Robert Jackson, representing Northern Manhattan and Northwest Bronx. “I am thrilled to celebrate the restoration of full library services, ensuring that in a city that never sleeps, our libraries are open every day of the week, providing the resources and support to our communities.   

“New York’s iconic libraries are neighborhood institutions. More than repositories of knowledge, they are hubs of community activity where job seekers receive career guidance, immigrants learn English, and children’s minds grow in Pre-K,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar.  “I am proud that we have reached an agreement to restore $58.3 million in funding to our trifecta of world class library systems. This investment will allow libraries to open on Sundays, hire needed staff, and make critical renovations. It is all part of our fiscally responsible $112.4 billion budget that makes the right investments in our city and puts us on a path to growth and prosperity in the Greatest City in the World.”

“Public libraries are vital to the character of our city, and provide jobs, support small businesses, and enrich our everyday lives as New Yorkers,” said New York City Councilmember Carlina Rivera, chair, Committee on Cultural Affairs and Libraries. “They provide books, language classes, theater and music performances, access to technology, career and financial services, and countless other opportunities, all for free. For over a century, New York’s public library systems have been connecting people to valuable resources and are a cornerstone of our vibrant civic society, and I am proud to have passed a budget that restores and baselines funding for these vital institutions.”

“This is a victory for New York City! The FY25 funding will allow us to continue providing the programs and services people need and restore the Sunday service so crucial to so many of our communities, said Anthony W. Marx, president and CEO, The New York Public Library.  “Thank you to Mayor Adams and his administration for delivering this budget that prioritizes baselined funding for libraries. Thank you, Speaker Adams, Finance Chair Brannan, Libraries Chair Rivera, and the entire City Council for your strong support throughout this budget process. This funding will change lives.”

“Brooklyn Public Library is immensely grateful to Mayor Adams, Speaker Adams, Finance Chair Brannan, Libraries Chair Rivera, and the entire New York City Council for restoring library funding in the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget,” said Linda E. Johnson, president and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library. “These crucial operating dollars will enable us to reinstate Sunday service and resume the programs and services the public depends on. With a major portion of the funds included as baseline funding, our institution can more effectively plan for the future, providing staff and patrons with continuity and a renewed sense of stability. Thank you to every New Yorker, including the 30,000 Brooklynites who took the time to write to their elected officials in support of libraries. We look forward to our continued partnership with the city, and to keeping our libraries strong.”

“We are tremendously grateful to Mayor Eric Adams, Speaker Adrienne Adams, Finance Committee Chair Justin Brannan, Libraries Committee Chair Carlina Rivera, and the entire City Council for prioritizing libraries so that we can continue to provide the vital resources the public deserves,” said Dennis M. Walcott, president and CEO, Queens Public Library. “We also owe a big thanks to all who spoke up for libraries, including members of the public, library staff, and our union partners. We cannot wait to open the doors of our Flushing and Central libraries on Sundays again to welcome back the public.”

Libraries are a critical part of New York City’s social fabric, which New Yorkers depend on for children’s growth and the vibrancy of the city. Seven-day service will begin in branches that previously offered it on a rolling basis. Starting July 14, there will be a branch open seven days a week in every borough. For the New York Public Library, it will be in Parkchester Library in the Bronx, Todt Hill-Westerleigh Library in Staten Island, and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library in Manhattan. For the Brooklyn Public Library, it will be in the Central Library and Kings Highway Library. And at the Queens Public Library, it will be at the Flushing Library and Central Library. The FY25 Adopted Budget ensures the city’s library systems will have what they need to serve 8.3 million New Yorkers and attract visitors every day of the week.

Because of steady, decisive decision making, this Adopted Budget allows the Adams administration and the City Council to reinvest in protecting public safety, rebuilding the city’s economy, and making the city more livable for working-class people, including by investing in initiatives and programs that make New York City more affordable. As part of the budget agreement, the Adams administration and the City Council joined together to pass a collaborative budget that addresses the three things that cost New Yorkers the most — housing, childcare, and health care — and invest billions of dollars of city resources in critical areas, including early childhood education, cultural organizations, parks, public safety, housing, health care, and more.

The Adams administration has made continued investments and advancements towards the city’s library systems. Recently, HPD and NYPL celebrated the opening of The Eliza in Inwood, Manhattan, a new 100 percent affordable housing building anchored by community amenities, including the new Inwood Library – Joseph and Sheila Rosenblatt Building, a universal pre-K, and the Activities, Culture, and Training (ACTS) Center. Earlier this year, Mayor Adams additionally announced that HPD also worked with NYPL to redevelop the Grand Concourse library branch into an affordable housing project and a new state-of-the-art library. The new development will create much-needed family-friendly housing for Bronx residents and further the administration’s commitment to addressing the housing shortage crisis by building more affordable housing across the five boroughs. 

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