Resolutions About Library Sell-offs and the Future of the Brooklyn Public Library’s Brooklyn Heights Branch & Business Library adopted by Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats on April 23, 2015

On April 23, 2015, Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats adopted resolutions opposing the sale of New York City libraries.  Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats previously signed on to Citizens Defending Libraries Letter of Support- Support and Sign-On Letter: Full and Adequate Library Funding, A Growing System, Transparency, Books and Librarians.

Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats adopted a resolution that generally opposed all the pending sales of New York City libraries (the text will be put up here soon) and planned further future action.

Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats also adopted the following specifically respecting the Brooklyn Heights (Tillary Clinton) Library that tracks a similar resolution adopted April 16, 2015 by Independent Neighborhood Democrats.

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Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats

Resolution on the Future of the Brooklyn Public
Library’s Brooklyn Heights Branch & Business Library

Adopted by the CBID General Membership at the April 23, 2015 meeting.

Whereas, Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (“CBID”) recognizes the critical and expanding role that Brooklyn’s public library system plays, especially the branch libraries, in the lives of New York City’s residents, providing them with books, information, communications and other technology, meeting spaces, and other resources and activities they rely upon to improve and enhance their intellectual, social and economic well being, and

Whereas, the increasing number of people who live, go to school and work near the Brooklyn Heights Branch places a growing strain on the Library’s resources and ability to meet the needs of its diverse community of patrons, and

Whereas, the Brooklyn Public Library must develop a plan to ensure performance of necessary maintenance and improvements such as infrastructure repairs, additional space, new services, enhanced technology and partnerships with other community resources at the Brooklyn Heights branch, and

Whereas, the Brooklyn Public Library has raised several proposals impacting the Brooklyn Heights branch including the business library, the centerpiece of which calls for selling the space that currently houses the Brooklyn Heights branch to private real estate developers, and

Whereas, any sale of a publicly-held asset raises very serious concerns regarding whether the sale will serve the interests of the community, therefore be it 

Resolved, that the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats opposes any proposed sale of an important public asset to private developers with little or no transparency, long-term planning, and oversight, and

Resolved that the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats Neighborhood opposes diminution of public areas or services in the Brooklyn Heights branch, and be it further

Resolved, that the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats calls upon all our elected officials to reject piecemeal proposals put forth by the Brooklyn Public Library, including the entire idea of locating any affordable housing off-site, for the Brooklyn Heights Branch, and be it further

Resolved, that the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats will work with elected officials, other organizations and campaigns to provide a forum for exploring flexible, responsible, transparent and fiscally sound ways to renovate, upgrade and enhance the existing facility over the coming years, and be it finally

Resolved that the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats will work with others to fight for increased funding for the borough’s public libraries so that they can continue to meet the many needs of their growing number of patrons and remain a valuable resource to this city.

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See the resolution adopted by Independent Neighborhood Democrats: Resolution on Future of the Brooklyn Public Library's Brooklyn Heights Branch & Business Library Adopted by Independent Neighborhood Democrats on April 16, 2015.

See also the following about the forum on the future of the library Independent Neighborhood Democrats held on January 22, 2015: Open Letter To Brooklyn Public Library Trustee Peter Aschkenasy Re Commitment to Provide Information About Library Sale.

Additionally, here is another resolution IND adopted earlier: Resolution Respecting Neighborhood Libraries adopted by Independent Neighborhood Democrats on June 20, 2013

All Three Candidates For New York 's 11th Congressional District, Donovan, Gentile and Lane (Republican, Democrat and Green), Sign Our Letter of Support- Election Day Is May 5th

All three candidates for New York 's 11th Congressional District, Donovan, Gentile and Lane, above have joined in signing our Citizens Defending Libraries Letter of Support

There is an important election that will be held May 5th.  The election, for New York 's 11th Congressional District, is to fill the seat vacated by former Congressman Michael Grimm (R) who resigned in January after he pleaded guilty to a federal tax evasion charge.

We are pleased to report that all three candidates for the seat, Republican, Democrat and Green, have joined to sign our Citizens Defending Libraries Letter of Support: Support and Sign-On Letter: Full and Adequate Library Funding, A Growing System, Transparency, Books and Librarians.

This universal support for our cause pretty much precludes Citizens Defending Libraries from endorsing one candidate versus another based on their position respecting libraries and their funding, sale, shrinkage, elimination of books or librarians.  Nevertheless, this is an important election and we suggest that you study the candidates positions in all respects.  Here, taking the candidates in alphabetical order, is more information relevant to libraries.  We also encourage  those wishing to participate to supply comments to this page.

Republican Daniel M. Donovan, Jr., is currently the District Attorney for Richmond County (Staten Island).  As someone in charge of an investigative and prosecutorial office we are particularly pleased to have his support.  We have, of course, been urging more scrutiny and investigation with respect to the library sales past like the NYPL’s sale of Donnell and proposed like the NYPL’s proposed sale of the Science, Industry and Business Library (flowing out of the discredited Central Library Plan that also included the sale of Mid-Manhattan and destruction of the main research library stacks), and sales/shrinkages the Brooklyn Public Library is proposing like that of Brooklyn Heights (Tillary Clinton) Library, Red Hook and Williamsburg.

Democrat Vincent J. Gentile, a New York City Councilman, is currently the City Council Chair of Committee on Oversight and Investigations.  It is also especially meaningful to have Mr. Gentile joining in signing our letter of support in that Mr. Gentile is the former Chair of the City Council’s Library Committee, holding that position until relatively recently when it was taken over by City Councilman Costa Constantinides.  We have been busy testifying before the City Council about our objections to the sale and shrinkages of libraries, the elimination of books and librarians and asking that the City Council delve more deeply into these issues.

Candidate Gentile supplied us with the following statement for use in forwarding word of his sign on to support us.  We offered all the candidates the opportunity to supply such an accompanying statement:

The definition of what a library should be in the digital age is constantly changing but our libraries are adapting and rising to meet these new challenges. And because of this, I know our libraries will survive. Whether it's new Americans seeking foreign-language classes or teenagers looking to socialize and be stimulated after school, our libraries are there. Whether it's the unemployed who come to be coached by library staff on résumé-writing or seniors who come to learn how to set up an email account, our libraries are there. That is why today libraries are seen more as public community spaces and centers for opportunity and less as storage spaces for bound volumes of information. During tough economic times, people turn to libraries more than ever.  And it's because of this that libraries must survive. Free and equal access to information is not just a major draw for libraries but one of the hallmarks of a great civilization. Free and equal - no matter who you are, where you live or where you come from, no matter your age, gender, race or economic standing - all have free and equal access to all that our libraries have to offer. Our libraries are "tabernacles" of personal freedom.

Green Candidate James Lane, is not a career politician. He is a lifelong resident of New York City is married and has a young child in our city’s public school system.  When Mr. Lane was previously running for Public Advocate he participated in our Public Advocate’s Forum.  He complected a Citizens Defending Libraries questionnaire in connection with that previous race from which the below is excerpted:

I am strongly opposed of the sale, shrinkage and consolidation of our public libraries and their assets and the reduction of their space. I feel that if the public was made more aware of this issue that we would be having massive protests in the streets. . .

. .  There are no benefits to the community and selling off, shrinking down and consolidating to a so-called Central Library plan. In fact, these plans would only result in a financial profit to wealthy real estate developers that are just trying to obtain these properties at bargain basement prices without providing the public any benefits for the spaces they will have taken away from the people.. .

. . . I believe this practice of selling off and shrinking our public libraries need to be thoroughly investigated.

All of Mr. James’ response together with the questions Mr. James was responding to are available here: Response of Public Advocate Candidate James Lane to Citizens Defending Libraries Questions For Candidates For New York City Offices.

Resolution on Future of the Brooklyn Public Library’s Brooklyn Heights Branch & Business Library Adopted by Independent Neighborhood Democrats on April 16, 2015

The following is the resolution respecting the Brooklyn Heights (Tillary Clinton) Library that Independent Neighborhood Democrats adopted April 16, 2015 after a forum where the Brooklyn Public Library defended its plans.

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Independent Neighborhood Democrats

Resolution on the Future of the Brooklyn Public
Library’s Brooklyn Heights Branch & Business Library

Adopted by the IND General Membership at the April 16, 2015 meeting.

Whereas, Independent Neighborhood Democrats (“IND”) recognizes the critical and expanding role that Brooklyn’s public library system plays, especially the branch libraries, in the lives of New York City’s residents, providing them with books, information, communications and other technology, meeting spaces, and other resources and activities they rely upon to improve and enhance their intellectual, social and economic well being, and

Whereas, the increasing number of people who live, go to school and work near the Brooklyn Heights Branch places a growing strain on the Library’s resources and ability to meet the needs of its diverse community of patrons, and

Whereas, the Brooklyn Public Library must develop a plan to ensure performance of necessary maintenance and improvements such as infrastructure repairs, additional space, new services, enhanced technology and partnerships with other community resources at the Brooklyn Heights branch, and

Whereas, the Brooklyn Public Library has raised several proposals impacting the Brooklyn Heights branch including the business library, the centerpiece of which calls for selling the space that currently houses the Brooklyn Heights branch to private real estate developers, and

Whereas, any sale of a publicly-held asset raises very serious concerns regarding whether the sale will serve the interests of the community, therefore be it 

Resolved, that the Independent Neighborhood Democrats opposes any proposed sale of an important public asset to private developers with little or no transparency, long-term planning, and oversight, and

Resolved that the Independent Neighborhood opposes diminution of public areas or services in the Brooklyn Heights branch, and be it further

Resolved, that the Independent Neighborhood Democrats calls upon all our elected officials to reject piecemeal proposals put forth by the Brooklyn Public Library, including the entire idea of locating any affordable housing off-site, for the Brooklyn Heights Branch, and be it further

Resolved, that the Independent Neighborhood Democrats will work with elected officials, other organizations and campaigns to provide a forum for exploring flexible, responsible, transparent and fiscally sound ways to renovate, upgrade and enhance the existing facility over the coming years, and be it finally

Resolved that the Independent Neighborhood Democrats will work with others to fight for increased funding for the borough’s public libraries so that they can continue to meet the many needs of their growing number of patrons and remain a valuable resource to this city.

* * * *

See also the following about the forum on the future of the library Independent Neighborhood Democrats held on January 22, 2015: Open Letter To Brooklyn Public Library Trustee Peter Aschkenasy Re Commitment to Provide Information About Library Sale.

Additionally, here is another resolution IND adopted earlier: Resolution Respecting Neighborhood Libraries adopted by Independent Neighborhood Democrats on June 20, 2013