American Libraries |
||
Site Navigation
Left Sidebar ItemsOnline Features
Follow American Libraries news stories, videos, and blog posts on Twitter.
|
||
New York City Libraries Face More CutsFacing an estimated $1.3-billion budget shortfall in the wake of the World Trade Center attack, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has called for more reductions in funding for city libraries. In June, New York’s city council had restored $50 million that the mayor had attempted to cut during previous negotiations. Giuliani issued an executive order in October that called for a 15% reduction in funding to the New York Public Library. NYPL spokesperson Jennifer Bertrand told American Libraries that this resulted in an immediate hiring freeze, a hold on acquisitions by all 85 branches, and elimination of Sunday hours in six branches. In a modified plan announced December 4, Giuliani lowered the library cut to 10%. City council immediately threatened to vote the entire $38-billion package down unless the mayor compromised on the $766 million in cuts, $26 million of which involves the Queens and Brooklyn libraries as well as NYPL. Council must approve the full budget by December 31 with no line-item vetoes, according to the December 5 New York Times. Bertrand said that the library’s high priority continues to be six-day service in all branches and research libraries in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. Posted December 10, 2001. |
Right Sidebar
|
|
