Brooklyn Drops Outpost Plan

TheBrooklyn Public Library (BPL), up against city budget constraints, has dropped a promising plan for storefront libraries. All three libraries in New York City, including the Queens Library and the New York Public Library (NYPL), face 5 percent cuts in city funding; but NYPL recently received a $100 million gift toward a $1 billion revitalization plan.

The one planned Library Outpost, established in an underserved area, would have been smaller than a usual branch and located in a storefront. It would hold no permanent collection, BPL spokesperson Stephanie Arck told LJ, “but encourage customers to come in to use a public computer, or our Wi-Fi to access our web site and place materials on hold for delivery.” The model resembles the Express Branches introduced by Houston Public Library

At least one staff member would have provided customer service, assisting with holds and reference questions. BPL was considering two more locations.

BPL librarian Nate Hill blogged about his frustration over the cancellation plan. “The library of the 21st century has to maintain a physical presence, but that presence cannot always be in the form of a well-organized, publicly accessible book warehouse,” he wrote. “An Outpost is just one node in a network of different physical service points.”