NYC Mayor Mamdani Announces $31.7 Million in Funding for the City’s Three Public Library Systems

EXCERPT:

MAMDANI: “Those who doubt government’s ability to deliver services like city-run grocery stores and universal childcare need look no further than our public libraries, 220 monuments to public excellence scattered across our city. And yet, over recent decades, city government has paid lip service to the importance of public libraries and then refused to guarantee the funding they deserve. For too long, our libraries, along with our parks, cultural institutions, CUNY systems and transit programs, have had to engage in what is known as a budget dance. It’s a dysfunctional process that every year forces these kinds of libraries to fight for every single dollar in their share of the budget. This process keeps our libraries on the perpetual backfoot, desperately trying to keep the same floor year after year, instead of being able to advocate for more. It is time we stop asking our libraries to justify their existence. It is time for us to expand what New Yorkers can expect from core government services. Earlier this week, we released our executive budget. In doing so, we spoke of how a budget is a reflection of the vision we have for the city, of what we choose to materially support, what we choose to let wither, and our executive budget reflects a clear set of choices. City hall believes in our public library system. We are funding our public library system. And instead of fighting to maintain the same floor year after year, we will see how high we can raise that ceiling. Our executive budget baseline is $31.7M in new permanent funding across all three of New York City’s public library systems."