Six Years After Funding Cut, NYC Libraries Regain Hours, Start Hiring

Jennifer Pinkowski -- Library Journal, 07/02/2007

Six years after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 caused an economic downturn that led to massive budget cuts, New York City public libraries are getting their money back. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 city budget restores $42.7 million to NYC libraries to expand hours and services to pre-9/11 levels. “This will be the highest number of hours that we’ve had ever had, ” said Stefanie Arck, a spokeswoman for the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL). Queens Library (QL) director Thomas Galante called the restored funding “the best possible investment in education, job readiness, and quality of life.” The New York Public Library (NYPL) serves the other three boroughs: Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island. 
Touted as the return of six-day-per-week service by Mayor Mike Bloomberg and City Council, the funding also will support new librarians, new collections, and new programs. And though FY 2008 doesn’t begin until October 1, the impact will be felt almost immediately. Queens will add Saturday hours at all 63 branches and Sunday at select libraries "as soon as we can gear up," said Galante. Beginning July 2, BPL, which already has six-day-per-week service, opens earlier in the morning at its 59 branch libraries; in September, several libraries will be open every day. 
The systems have begun recruiting to meet the new demand. BPL will hire some 140 staffers, among them 40 librarians; Queens will hire more than 200 staffers. The 86 branches of NYPL will soon open Monday through Saturday. The library is saving further details, such as how many new librarians will be hired, until mid July, when it plans to hold a joint press event with City Council speaker Christine Quinn.