photo of empty library shelves with a transparent burgundy overlay
Save NYC Libraries
Because $36.2 million in cuts will
devastate our communities
black and white photo of 3 smiling children reading books while sitting on the floor and leaning up against a bookshelves
Yeah, we were surprised too
Wait, What's Happening?!
Mayor Adam's preliminary budget proposes a cut of $20.5 Million to the libraries’ baseline funding. If the libraries also lose the $15.7M allocated by the City Council in FY23, the libraries will be facing a potential loss of $36.2 Million.
All this at a time when libraries are helping our communities recover from the pandemic and the social isolation that was so exacerbated by Covid. Libraries are too important to our communities to defund.
Help us Save NYC Libraries today.
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.
Don't despair, there are real actions you can take to help libraries
How You Can Help
Black and white photo of a postcard and a ballpoint pen laid flat on a wooden surface
black and while photo of a dictionary page with the definition of volunteer
black and white photo of a person's hands diialing an office style touch tone phone while holding the receiver
Sign a letter
Strong public libraries are key to a strong recovery. Libraries are starting to expand services but we can only do this with funding! Urge City Council to find libraries today.
Volunteer with us!
Ready to join the fight for NYC libraries? We can only do it with dedicated volunteers like you!
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 councilmember 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.