photo of empty library shelves with a transparent burgundy overlay
Statement on the 2024 November Financial Plan
Thoughtless cuts will heavily impact our neighbors in need
Urban Librarians Unite (ULU) stands in staunch opposition to the recent decision by Mayor Adams to slash the city budget by 5% across the board, with devastating consequences for our libraries, working families, and our neighbors with the highest needs. This draconian measure, purportedly justified by blaming asylum seekers, is an affront to our values of justice, inclusivity, and community solidarity.
Libraries are not just buildings; they are the beating heart of our communities, providing a sanctuary for education, information, and shared experiences. Forcing the libraries into a financial position where it is necessary to strip away Sunday hours at the library strikes a blow directly at our neighbors who rely on these services for their children's education and personal growth.
It is disheartening to witness Mayor Adams resorting to scapegoating asylum seekers for these callous budget cuts. We vehemently reject any attempt to use vulnerable communities as a smokescreen for financial mismanagement. Our city thrives when we embrace diversity, understanding, and compassion. Blaming those seeking refuge is an unacceptable betrayal of our shared humanity.
We call upon Mayor Adams to abandon this shortsighted approach and instead engage with the community to find equitable solutions that protect the most vulnerable among us. As advocates for our communities and neighbors, we refuse to accept the idea that the erosion of essential services that our city's residents rely on is necessary to meet the challenges of this fiscal environment. Together, let us stand united against these unjust budget cuts and work towards a future where our city prioritizes the well-being of all its inhabitants.
ULU is committed to fighting for a fair and just city. Join us to advocate for a budget that invests in the strength and resilience of our community.
NYC Libraries Create Community
WHY LIBRARIES?
Libraries are the duct tape that holds our neighborhoods together. In good times, libraries provide a space for gathering and building our knowledge and relationships. When things are stressful libraries leverage their relationships to become a lifeline for their neighbors, helping with access to the information that they need to make their lives better.
Funding Libraries = Funding our Communities
What Libraries Do
Libraries and Library staff connect our communities to information and society. Library staff connect our neighbors both in and out of our buildings. In uncertain times we provide a social linking place in our communities. We work to fuel the soul of NYC, and will continue to do so.
What Libraries Are
Libraries are the staff that makes them tick, and that staff is made up of caring professionals committed to access, equity, literacy and privacy. Library staff who believe that everyone deserves access to information and learning free from bias are working every day to try to make sure that our neighbors have that access.
What You Can Do
Join our mailing list
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Call your City Council Member
That's right, use the phone! Call your council member's office, and let them know you are upset about these cuts. Don't know who your council member is? Find them by entering your address at the link below.
These budget cuts are ridiculous and unnecessary, make your voice heard today.
Save NYC Libraries is a campaign of Urban Librarians Unite, a passionate group of urban library professionals and advocates working to support libraries and library workers in urban environments.