#library budgets

Looking for ways to show the library some love (and hopefully restore our budget)?

Starting today, you can not only sign a support letter online and create a virtual sticky note to support the New York Public Library ... but you can ALSO sign a support letter in-person at your local branch!

Adults, kids, and teens! Stop by our library today to sign a letter of support, and get a free gift from NYPL while supplies last.

Remember that if you can't come to the library in person, you can still sign a support letter online and/or create a virtual sticky note to support the library!

#NoCutsToLibraries

If this recent segment from Last Week Tonight With John Oliver about public libraries inspired any questions about libraries, banned and challenged books, unusual items that can be checked out from libraries, and library budgets, we're here to give you some answers!

You can learn more about libraries and what they have to offer, both in-person and digitally, by visiting their websites. Here in New York City we've got three different systems: 

New York Public Library (includes Bronx / Manhattan / Staten Island)

Brooklyn Public Library

Queens Public Library

You should definitely visit your local library system's website, but you can also expand your scope and look outside of your neighborhood. For example, did you know that you can get a New York Public Library card if you live, work, or go to school anywhere in New York State? And did you also know that you can access material from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled if you're a resident of the United States or even an American citizen living abroad?

Banned and challenged books have been a hot topic for years. Unfortunately, the topic is getting hotter all the time as the number of challenges is increasing! The American Library Association keeps track of books that are banned and/or challenged, and which ones are challenged most frequently. Dealing with book challenges is part of librarians' jobs year-round, but we give banned and challenged books extra attention once a year during Banned Books Week. The more time you spend visiting libraries and library websites, the more you'll discover book displays as well as book clubs and other events bringing more attention to the topic of banned and challenged books.

Okay, let's take a minute to talk about unusual things that you can check out with your library card. As you might expect, a library is a place where you can check out books (about the BERENSTAIN BEARS and many other topics), CDs, DVDs, and magazines. While we don't have any taxidermied animals to offer (!!!), at different branches in our system, patrons can check out things like seeds, launchpads, or even STEAM Discovery Kits which contain educational objects like games and telescopes. I'd like to make sure that you ALSO know that many libraries offer lots of digital resources like ebooks, audiobooks, & video as well as databases, so you can even have library access without leaving the house. And finally, you should know that some libraries have Take-Home Kits available for kids and/or teens, and those don't require a library card at all!

If you'd like to help restore budget cuts to your library, you can reach out to your local politicians directly, or sign letters of support virtually or in-person through your library. For example, right now at NYPL we're facing a new round of budget cuts which could reduce our library service from six days a week down to five days a week. We're asking people to show support for us by:

Signing a letter in person

Signing a virtual letter

or even filling out a virtual sticky note saying why libraries are important to you!

#NoCutsToLibraries: Stand with NYC Libraries on June 15, 2023!

TRUE STORY: When I visited the JFK Campus Library yesterday, one boy in particular had a very big reaction to the news that public library service could be cut from six days a week down to five if the proposed budget cuts go through. He said, and I quote,

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

... which seemed entirely appropriate for anyone realizing that visiting their public library on a Saturday could be a thing of the past.

He signed one of our budget support letters, and passed it to me with a loud CH-CHING sound, which also seemed appropriate.

He was interested in lots of free stuff that I had at my table, but he was definitely most interested in the "selfie" sign I brought along, which promoted our #NoCutsToLibraries message. He then proceeded to take lots of pictures with this sign, both alone and with his friends. My personal favorite photo is one that I can, in fact, share on social media:

My thanks to all of the students and teachers who stopped by my table yesterday, who picked up library swag, who signed letters of support, and who stopped by just to tell me why libraries are important to them.

Today is our Day of Action for Libraries. Learn more about it, and learn what you can do to help:

Stand up for #NoCutsToLibraries!

Listen to Teens Talk About How Crucial Libraries Are

Visit our website to sign a letter of support!