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Many of us feel that libraries provide more value to New Yorkers than just about any other institution. More people visited public libraries in New York than every major sports team and every major cultural institution combined. Libraries are an almost infinitesimal fraction of New York City’s budget.
“Last year our city’s libraries helped 370,000 people find jobs; hosted 40 million visitors; provided New Yorkers with more than 8.7 million public use computer sessions; taught tens and tens of thousands of children and adults to read and new immigrants to speak English; and returned $6 value for every $1 allocated from city funds.”
Joanne King, Director - Communications Queens Library
Citizens Defending Libraries Questions For Candidates For New York City Offices
1. New York City is growing (including in wealth) and public library usage is up very substantially, 40% programmatically and 59% in terms of circulation, yet libraries are currently being funded at their lowest level in years, a drastic reduction from the past. Do you favor this low level of funding or believe that funding should be restored at least to, or above, the level that libraries were funded in the past?
2. Are you in favor of or do you oppose the sale of libraries, public assets of the library system and the reductions of library space (including such sales and reductions as have been proposed by the New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library)? Please explain.
3. More specifically, are you opposed to, in favor of, or neutral about the following proposed library sales, shrinkages and consolidating of library assets (Please explain and amplify your stated position–Note that one of the sales and reductions has already occurred– Donnell– while others are proposed and/or in progress):
a. The Donnell Library at 53rd Street across from MoMA between Fifth and Sixth AvenuesNOTE: The Central Library Plan involving Mid-Manhattan, SIBL and the Central Reference Library stack destruction involves reducing more than 380,000 square feet of library space to 80,000. The Donnell sale for shrinkage and redevelopment reduced the 97,000 square foot library to 28,000 square feet of mostly underground, mostly bookless space that won’t be available until at least 2015, eight years after sale of the library was announced . The planned sale of the Brooklyn Heights Library reduces about 62,000 square feet of space to 20,000 square feet (originally proposed to be only 15,000 sq ft), as much of a quarter of the reduced space being placed underground.
b. SIBIL, the Science, Industry and Business Library, (its sale is considered to be part of the NYPL’s “CLP,” Central Library Plan)
c. Mid-Manhattan (its sale is also considered to be part of the CLP)
d. Demolition and removal of research stacks underneath the Central Reference Library at 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue (its sale is also considered to be part of the CLP).
e. The NYPL’s “Central Library Plan” (involving the consolidating shrinkage of the libraries noted above)
f. The Brooklyn Heights Library (the operations of which function on a combined and integrated basis with the Business and Career Library in the building)
g. The Pacific Branch Library at 4th Avenue and Pacific in Brooklyn
h. The Clinton Hill Library in Brooklyn
i. All other libraries in Brooklyn that the BPL might consider similarly selling or leveraging as a stated part of the strategic plan it published
j. Other libraries NYPL might decide to similarly sell and shrink, such as libraries in Harlem, North Manhattan, Staten Island or other parts of Manhattan or the Bronx.
4. Many people consider it an indication of a problematic mind-set on the part of decision makers that libraries are being sold for what they believe are very inadequate prices: The 97,000 sq. ft. Donnell Library, much of it recently renovated, was sold to net the NYPL only $39 million while the penthouse in the fifty-story building replacing it is on the market for $60 million and SIBL was recently completed using substantial public funds for $100 million but 87% of it was just sold for $60.8 million. Are you opposed to the sale and shrinkage of library assets in general or do you accept sale and shrinkage if you consider that ‘an adequate price’ is obtained for the sale? If the latter; please describe what you believe to be an ‘adequate price’?
5. Are you opposed to the sale of library space and assets in general or would you accept the sale of libraries if they were not being shrunk (or were being increased in size) and you considered that ‘an adequate price’ was being obtained for the sale? Again, if the latter please describe what you believe to be an ‘adequate price.’ Alternatively, if you believe that the presumption should always be that libraries should not be available for sale or redevelopment because of such things as the disruptions and hardship caused and the way a generation of children and other will be significantly deprived of services, please elaborate upon this point of view.
6. There is now a demand for internet and electronic services at the library. Although a Pew poll shows that younger readers strongly prefer physical books, ebooks now make up 20% of the book market. In some cases libraries are the only place to access certain electronic data and services (often requiring assistance of a librarian to do so). Most people believe that libraries should now provide computer and electronic services (“bridging the digital divide” for those needing such service), which may require even more space. Notwithstanding, do you believe that there is an adequate justification for NYC libraries to be effecting substantial reductions in the inventories of physical books available for those visiting at libraries, even in the face of increased demand? Please explain your position.
7. Do you believe the libraries should be reducing professional library staff, or increasing such staff of at least maintaining the level of such professionals available to assist the public?
8. Some believe that professionally trained librarians are often in the best position to comment knowledgeably on the directions in which the New York City library system is being steered, but actions are being taken to silence such staff and prevent them from commenting, including directives to staff, loyalty oaths and “nondisparagement” (confidentiality) agreements the NYPL wants departing librarians to sign in return for severance. Do you condone such silencing policies or feel they should be considered to be contrary to public policy?
9. Do you believe that the currently ongoing sell-offs of libraries and shrinkage of library space should be investigated and/or audited by appropriate government authorities? Please elaborate.
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END OF QUESTIONS
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In order of priority of focus, Citizens Defending Libraries is asking candidates for the following New York City Office to respond to these questions:
1. MayorLinks to their responses will appear below:
2. Comptroller
3. Public Advocate
4. Borough Presidents, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island
5. City Council
1. Mayor
a. Bill De Blasio (D)2. Comptroller
b. Bill Thompson (D)
c. Christine Quinn (D)
d. John Liu (D)
e. Sal Albanese (D)
f. Adolfo Carrión Jr. (D)
g. Anthony Wiener (D)
h. Anthony Gronowicz (G)
i. Randy Credico (D)
j. Erick Salgado, (R)
k. Joe Lhota (R)
l. George McDonald (R)
m. John Catsimatidis (R)
a. Eliot Spitzer (D)3. Public Advocate
b. Scott Stringer (D)
c. John Burnett (R)
a. Tish James (D)4. Borough Presidents
b. Daniel Squadron (D)
c. Cathy Guerriero (D)
d. Reshma Saujani (D)
e. Sidique Wai (D)
f. Thomas Robert Stevens (R)
g. Joiner-Eiland, Tyrrell L
h. James C. Lane (G)
i. Liatos, Deborah
a. Manhattan Borough President
i. Julie Menin (D)b. Brooklyn Borough President
ii. Gale Brewer (D)
iii. Robert Jackson (D)
iv. Jessica Lappin (D)
v. Casavis, David B
vi. Comrie, Leroy G
vii. Lobman, Sara
i. Eric Adams (D)c. Queens Borough President
ii. John F Gangemi
i. Arcabascio, Aurelio Ad. Bronx Borough President
ii. Tony Avella
iii. Everly D Brown
iv. Seth Galinsky,
v. Melinda Katz
vi. Peter F Vallone, Jr.
i. Roger Caleroe. Staten Island Borough President
ii. Ruben Diaz Jr.
iii. Mark Escoffery-Bey
iv. Carl L Lundgren,
i. Henry J Bardel5. City Council:
ii. Louis L Liedy Jr
iii. Richard Luthmann,
iv. James S Oddo
a. Manhattan- Districts 1-10
i. District 1
(1) Chin, Margaret S
(2) Rajkumar, Jenifer
ii. District 2
(1) Del Rio, Richard
(2) Mendez, Rosie
iii. District 3
(1) Johnson, Corey D
(2) Kurland, Yetta
iv. District 4
(1) Garodnick, Daniel R
(2) Jnane, Helene
v. District 5
(1) Ed Hartzog (D)
(2) Ben Kallos (D)
(3) Micah Kellner (D)
(4) David Garland (R)
(5) Kallos, Benjamin J
(6) Minerva, Domenico G
vi. District 6
(1) Biberaj, Ken
(2) Braunstein, Aaron
(3) Cooper, Debra
(4) Gotbaum, Noah E
(5) Landis, Marc A
(6) Rosenthal, Helen K
(7) Siracuse, Thomas E
(8) Wymore, Mel
vii. District 7
(1) Barksdale, Alicia D
(2) Gonzalez, Christina E
(3) Johnson, Joyce S
(4) Lantigua, Manuel
(5) Levine, Mark D
(6) Lyles, Gary T
(7) Otto, Mark T
(8) Powell, Gerard D
(9) Ramadan, Zead
(10) Sasscer-Burgos, David S
(11) Tejada, Luis M
(12) Vargas, Ruben Dario
viii. District 8
(1) Cardona, Ralina M
(2) Gardner, Sean P
(3) Goodwin, Gwen
(4) Guerrero, Ariel E
(5) Humphreys, Tamika L
(6) Mark-Viverito, Melissa
(7) Santos, Edward N
ix. District 9
(1) Dickens, Inez E
(2) Morgan, Vincent S
x. District 10
(1) Castellanos, Francesca M
(2) Estrella, Miguel
(3) Pahaham, Cheryl A
(4) Rodriguez, Ydanis A
b. Bronx- Districts 11-18
i. District 11
(1) Cohen, Andrew J
(2) Keeling, Cheryl
(3) Reynolds, John H
(4) Stanton, Cliff I
ii. District 12
(1) Archer, Trevor
(2) Edie, Lenford
(3) Johnson, Pamela A
(4) King, Andrew L
(5) Oloruntoba (Toba), Adeyemi L
iii. District 13
(1) Schweizer, Raphael
(2) Vacca, James
iv. District 14
(1) Cabrera, Fernando
(2) Vigueras, Jessica D
v. District 15
(1) Agosto, Kenneth G
(2) Alvarez, Albert
(3) Batista, Raquel E
(4) Bauza, Joel M
(5) Rivera, Joel R
(6) Thompkins, Cynthia
(7) Torres, Ritchie
vi. District 16
(1) Alvarez, Pedro
(2) Berkley, Carlton
(3) Diallo, Ahmadou T
(4) Gibson, Vanessa L
(5) Johnson, Daryl L
(6) Muhammed, Naaimat
(7) Newsome, Walter L
(8) Omotosho, Bola
(9) Sierra, Carlos M
vii. District 17
(1) Arroyo, Maria
(2) Pabon, Julio
(3) Velez, Jose
viii. District 18
(1) Moore, William R
(2) Nestler, Walter G
(3) Palma, Annabel
c. Queens- Districts 19-32
i. District 19
(1) Duane, John F
(2) Graziano, Paul D
(3) Saffran, Dennis J
(4) Shafran, Austin I
(5) Vallone, Paul A
(6) Voskerichian, Chrissy
ii. District 20
(1) Chou, Evergreen C
(2) Hahn, Sunny
(3) Koo, Peter A
iii. District 21
(1) Ferreras, Julissa
iv. District 22
(1) Ciafone, John J
(2) Constantinides, Costa G
(3) De Stefano, Danielle M
(4) Kann, Gerald F
(5) Peterson, Daniel P
(6) Prentzas, Constantinos
(7) Serpe, Lynne
v. District 23
(1) Weprin, Mark S
vi. District 24
(1) Blishteyn, Alexander
(2) Lancman, Rory I
(3) Rahman, Mujib U
(4) Veras, Andrea M
vii. District 25
(1) Dromm, Daniel P
viii. District 26
(1) Jimmy Van Bramer (D)
ix. District 27
(1) Caughman, Manuel
(2) Flowers, Joan E
(3) Mays, Gregory
(4) Miller, I. Daneek
(5) Peeden, Sondra H
(6) Vanel, Clyde
x. District 28
(1) Evans, Eugen W
(2) Kayode, David B
(3) Marthone, Joseph R
(4) Payne, Breina
(5) Powell, Hettie V
(6) Wills, Ruben W
(7) Winslow, Christina
xi. District 29
(1) Koslowitz, Karen
(2) Torodash, Jon
xii. District 30
(1) Caruana, Craig N
(2) Crowley, Elizabeth S
xiii. District 31
(1) Brown, Ricardo A
(2) Duncan, Michael R
(3) Murray, Scherie S
(4) Richards, Donovan J
xiv. District 32
(1) Ruiz, William
(2) Simon, Lew M
(3) Ulrich, Eric A
d. Brooklyn- Districts 33-48
i. District 33
(1) Stephen Levin (D)
(2) Stephen Pierson (D)
ii. District 34
(1) Lopez, Vito J
(2) Reynoso, Antonio
(3) Santiago, Gladys
(4) Soto, Humberto
iii. District 35
(1) Olanike Alabi (D)
(2) Lauriw Cumbo (D)
(3) Ede Fox (D)
(4) Frank Hurley (D)
(5) Jelani Mashariki (D)
(6) Jesse Hamilton (D)
iv. District 36
(1) Cornegy, Jr., Robert E
(2) Foy, Kirsten J
(3) Swiney, Reginald
(4) Taylor, Akiel B
(5) Tillard, Conrad
(6) Waterman, Robert M
v. District 37
(1) Council, Kimberly N
(2) Espinal, Jr., Rafael L
(3) Mateo, Heriberto
(4) Sheikh, Helal A
vi. District 38
(1) Gonzalez, Sara M
(2) Menchaca, Carlos
vii. District 39
(1) Brad Lander (D)
viii. District 40
(1) Eugene, Mathieu
(2) Grant, John E
(3) Kinard, Sylvia G
(4) Thomas, Saundra P
ix. District 41
(1) Daniel, Kathleen
(2) Jackson, Al
(3) Kinard, Stanley
(4) Mealy, Darlene
(5) Wright, Byron J
x. District 42
(1) Banks, Christopher W
(2) Barron, Inez D
(3) Henry, Sean K
(4) Lucas, Nikki I
(5) Miles, Leon B
(6) Powell, Regina
(7) Whitehead, John C
xi. District 43
(1) Dwyer, Patrick
(2) Gentile, Vincent J
(3) Quaglione, John F
xii. District 44
(1) Flusberg, Jacob M
(2) Greenfield, David G
(3) Hayon, Joseph
xiii. District 45
(1) King, Erlene J
(2) Similien, Jean H
(3) Williams, Godwin
(4) Williams, Jumaane D
xiv. District 46
(1) Maisel, Alan
(2) Narcisse, Mercedes
(3) Testaverde, Anthony
xv. District 47
(1) Dobrin, Todd A
(2) Lisyanskiy, John
(3) Mobley, Connis M
(4) Sullivan, Andrew J
(5) Treyger, Mark
xvi. District 48
(1) Bhushan, Natraj S
(2) Deutsch, Chaim M
(3) Kagan, Ari
(4) Lotovsky, Alexander L
(5) Oberman, Igor
(6) Scavo, Theresa R
(7) Storobin, David
e. Staten Island- Districts 49-51
i. District 49
(1) Macron, Mark A
(2) Rose, Deborah
ii. District 50
(1) Giovinazzo, Lisa E
(2) Mancuso, John
(3) Matteo, Steven
(4) Mirocznik, Mendy
iii. District 51
(1) Ignizio, Vincent M
(2) Walsh, Christopher
If it wasn't for our Libraries I don't know how I would've gotten by in College. It was literary my home away from home. I used to do a who.e lot of research @ the 42 Street Library. The staff was always pleasant and willing to patiently go out of their way to assist me! Our children as well as adults need Libraries! It is a safe haven for the public to relax and enjoy reading which is one of the crucial things we have left. I remember being taught the reading is fundamental!
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