Brooklyn Libraries On The Chopping Block Again


by on Apr 6th, 2010

From the Brooklyn Public Library:

Brooklyn Public Library is facing a potential budget cut that could devastate our ability to provide Brooklynites with the materials and services they need. Should this budget cut take effect, library service would be drastically cut, affecting everyone who relies on us.Visit our website to get the full scope of these cuts. And let your elected officials know that you support BPL by signing the petition at your local library.

Related posts

Tags: , , , ,

  • nolastname

    What is the pay scale and benefits to an employee in the library? What does a librarian with all the degrees get paid annually?
    Maybe books are obsolete and they facilities need more computers?
    If the main library on Eastern Parkway hooked up their network to the outer branches and the branches had more computers it would work out.
    Don't get me wrong, I want to see more literature written and every article ever printed preserved.
    I just feel that public access is very important and should be made readily available at no cost other than our already too high taxes.
    Where the hell is Bloomie on this one?
    No kid left behind?

  • http://kibblesbits.wordpress.com/ Ann

    Even if you had no books, you'd still need librarians. They do more than just check out books and put them on shelves. They process information. They help decide what is needed and what isn't needed. They help patrons find information they need. They need to keep up and decide which databases and other subscriptions are needed by the library. For example, many news websites have archives that cost money. Do they get a NYT one? Or WSJ? Do they need a NEXUS/LEXUS subscription? How do you retrieve info from these sites? The librarian knows. How do you know which books and programs are needed in the community? Does Sheepshead Bay need a selection of Russian books? How about Park Slope? Who assists elderly, disabled patrons of the library? Who writes the grants for special programs? (That is an art in itself, I swear they should make a degree just to request grants.) What about all the management responsibilities for a library? There is a lot to be done by an actual librarian. You need one with 'all the degrees' or the place will be no more than a book depot.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

    Are our libraries now providing Lexus/Nexus access here? That is expensive, and for those who know how to use it well, priceless. Unfortunately, I've seen attorneys using the resources of the NYPL's law library. I've been told by librarians that they even tears pages of the Consolidated law books. And they take up most of the tables.

  • http://kibblesbits.wordpress.com/ Ann

    I don't think so, but I was illustrating how librarians have to make that decision on how to decide which databases are worth spending the money on, which are out of reach, and how they have to know how to properly use each database to maximize the value of them. I wonder if the main one has access to it? It looks like they have the Congressional version of it, from a quick look at their site.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

    Years ago I remember that the NYPL was considering LEXUS/NEXUS if only to keep the attorneys from tearing up the law books.

    NYPL is well endowed, unlike Brooklyn's system, which is too tax dependent to be in a comfortable position.

    When there was a lot of revenue the BPL increased hours and expanded their operations. Even last year money was found to maintain that status quo. But as the Citry Council and the Mayor refuse to consider what is being called “luxury taxes”, such as a 1% increase on the taxation for those in the highest tax brackets money has become tighter and tighter. It's time that BPL started getting serious about fund raising activities.

  • http://kibblesbits.wordpress.com/ Ann

    I was a real snob about coming from Brooklyn, to a town with ONE LIBRARY. Those fools, those uneducated rubes. Except ours is open 7 days a week, and in the evenings, too (4 nights until 9 pm). http://www.dubuque.lib.ia.us/ It's quite nice, actually. And wow, I just realized we could download audiobooks and movies from the library website. They do massive fundraising, they're finishing up some major renovations. There are budget issues, they need more staff; but the city is at least trying to keep them at the point they are at now, I think. (Our economy is actually hanging in there, some cuts but we didn't get hit as hard by the recession, and IBM and Hormel both just started big operations here this past year.) But yeah the BPL is going to have to come up with some money on their own.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

    We do have a long history here of supporting libraries, though we could have done better years ago. Branch libraries were started on Kings Highway and Sheepshead Bay Road when the population here was still rather small. And we even had a Carnegie endowed library on East 15th Street and Avenue U in 1903.

    Other Brooklyn institutions do an excellent job of raising money. Maybe now that the main branch has the Dweck Center in the basement it will be possible to hold events that will bring more commitment from those who give so much elsewhere.

    When libraries are accessible they are used. I would guess that the Dubuque library is located in an area that is easy to get to and a common enough destination for travel. I do hope that it is spacious and comfortable.

  • http://kibblesbits.wordpress.com/ Ann

    I heard that the Kings Highway branch had fantastic renovations, I don't remember seeing them, maybe it was done after I left. I know the Gerritsen Beach one is spacious and well organized, very friendly for kids, too. SHeepshead Bay one never did much for me, though. Homecrest was the one I grew up with, holds a special place in my heart. The one in Dubuque is in the older part of town, the downtown district, so easy enough to get to. It's also well regarded, the people here seem to appreciate it. And it's pretty big, and more so now with the renovations.

    I think people also are not aware of what they can DO at a library. So few people seem to think to get their DVDs from there, for example. I think though that they have to come up with creative fundraising. Big ticket things at that new center might be good, but so could some smaller drives so that a community could really take ownership (in the colloquial manner) of their library. Make it a beloved hub of the community. I think $1 from 100 people means more than $100 from one, when it comes to something like a library.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

    The Homecrest library is the one closest to me now, and when I was growing up. I remember when it opened. The Sheepshead Bay library utilizes space so badly, the two floor setup in the back is terrible,

    The Kings Highway library reopened last year, though I haven't had the opportunity to see the improvements. I'm afraid that for all of the gains, there will be losses. There was an excellent magazine collection there, some of the periodicals were obscure but significant ones. I hope that is still there.

    I worried when videotapes were first offered for loan at libraries that it would dilute their ability to store books that were not easily obtained from booksellers. But they worked that out. The local libraries could use a larger set of volumes on local history than they have currently. There used to be more. The main branch's Brooklyn collection is now housed in a very comfortable area which provided nice seating and decent lighting. It's about time they recognized the value of that collection.

    I hope that the Dubuque library also has made historical volumes of local history available in some fashion.

    Brooklyn has 2 million people. If even 1/10 of that number gave the BPL a dollar it would help greatly.

  • http://kibblesbits.wordpress.com/ Ann

    Yes, we have an entire section full of historical books, and we have at least one Grant Woods painting at the library. The renovations this time around were to restore the old Carnegie section of the library. It's not a very old city, so less history to worry about, I guess! It is the oldest city in the state though. I saw some fundraisers where people would buy books they wanted, and they'd get first dibs on it. That is a cute way to raise money. I'm sure they sell tote bags, maybe there is more stuff to sell. Maybe magazines, I've seen that as a fundraiser too, like schools do. People who go to libraries like to read, maybe they'd buy for themselves and/or donate a subscription to the library, raising money and adding periodicals. I just looked it up, looked like they added a lot. I should ask my brother, he said he went recently with my nephew. Ask him how it changed.

  • http://kibblesbits.wordpress.com/ Ann

    Yes, we have an entire section full of historical books, and we have at least one Grant Woods painting at the library. The renovations this time around were to restore the old Carnegie section of the library. It's not a very old city, so less history to worry about, I guess! It is the oldest city in the state though. I saw some fundraisers where people would buy books they wanted, and they'd get first dibs on it. That is a cute way to raise money. I'm sure they sell tote bags, maybe there is more stuff to sell. Maybe magazines, I've seen that as a fundraiser too, like schools do. People who go to libraries like to read, maybe they'd buy for themselves and/or donate a subscription to the library, raising money and adding periodicals. I just looked it up, looked like they added a lot. I should ask my brother, he said he went recently with my nephew. Ask him how it changed.