Reading into NYC's Library Budget Cuts

Library hopping has become my latest hyperfixation. From the Rose Main Reading Room of the New York Public Library on 5th Avenue to my favorite desk at the local branch across the street from my Brooklyn apartment building, I have studied for countless hours, bonded with my favorite librarians, and people-watched, quietly learning about the citizens of my city. There is no one location in the entire city where I feel more like a New Yorker, unified with my neighbors in our shared safe space.

In November 2023, New York City Mayor Eric Adams turned a new page in library history, announcing major budget cuts to them, and many other city institutions and programs.

The city’s public libraries, Education Department, Police Department, and other city programs would receive reduced funding in an effort to combat rising costs amidst the influx of migrant families into the city. When the Adams’ administration first revealed this devastating news, local papers buzzed as exasperated New Yorkers struggled to cope with the city's uncertain future. In a statement, Adams indicated that the budget cuts were unavoidable, a sentiment that many New Yorkers have begun to question. 

Several months later, Mayor Adams announced, to the relief of many, that New York City’s three public library systems would be protected from any further service reductions. Before the announcement, there was talk of an additional five percent cut suggested for the 2025 fiscal year. But when proposals submitted by the three public library systems indicated that an additional five percent cut in their preliminary budget would prompt Saturday closures and reduced weekday hours, the libraries were spared from those cuts. “Our administration will not do that,” Adams firmly stated in a video clip posted to his official X account. In Adams’ own words, the prevention of further library closures in 2024 is all “thanks to careful planning, and responsible effective management.” Further research shows that higher-than-projected tax revenues, fewer migrant-related costs than originally anticipated, and a low approval rating from many discontent New Yorkers, have all also contributed to Mayor Adams reassessment of the vitality of libraries as a major city institution.

“Libraries are a lifeline to countless communities and the great equalizer,” Adams said in the X post.

The city seemed to share a collective sigh of relief upon hearing the news that libraries would not face further cuts, yet I still hold my breath in fear of the possibility of future cuts. In my eyes, the eyes of a New York City public school student who heavily relies on several branches across the city, any cut is exorbitant.

The city is still reeling from Mayor Adams’ cuts that occurred last November. Most notable of their effects was the citywide closure of libraries on Sundays. The NYPL explains that the decision was made because staff costs are 50 percent higher that day than on weekdays when fewer people are assumed to visit. While this may make more sense financially, it seems counterintuitive that libraries close their doors on a day when more New Yorkers are excited to enter through them. Despite Adams’ decision not to go for further cuts, Sunday closures remain and I have noticed that most libraries still bear stark red bulletins announcing updated hours. When I see these posters, I remember that in the eyes of many New Yorkers, the importance of the city’s public libraries stretches much farther than simply accessing books.

One day of library closures per week is one less day for seniors to fill out crosswords in reliably air-conditioned rooms, new parents to participate in child development programs, students to access research material, and low income individuals to seek free WiFi and access technology. Before November’s cuts, a survey conducted by the New York Public Library, uncovered that 95 percent of respondents believed weekend library closures would have consequences on the city.

Last June, before the budget cuts were solidified but rumors of such filled the city, the “#NoCutsToLibraries” movement swept New York City, with many volunteers posting on social media, and contacting their local elected officials about public library closures. Small-scale protests cropped up in mid-to-late 2023, as library users chose to publicly channel their anger into hopeful change. However, these movements have mainly died down, and the NYPL website claims the only major way to protest library budget cuts is by becoming a library patron, and donating to help replenish lost funds.

So, what do library closures, or the recent promise of no additional cuts/closures, tell us about Mayor Adams’ policy and goals for the city? The migrant crisis is one of New York City’s most pressing long-term issues, and it is important that Mayor Adams deals with newcomers. It is, however, frustrating that the only solution he sees involves cutting an academic lifeline that so many other New Yorkers (and very likely the migrants themselves) depend on. There's no obvious solution to the ever-looming problem of how to restore normalcy within the boroughs, especially since taxpayer dollars can only go so far. Sunday closures are devastating, but if Saturday and weekday closures were ever enacted, New Yorkers would surely suffer.

I wonder how library budget cuts will impact what it means to be a child growing up in New York City. Throughout my childhood, library meetups with friends, circle times, and craft classes have all shaped the young adult I am. We live in an era when screen time and social media are more common in children’s lives than books and librarians. While unfortunate, this fact of life is only made more extreme now that children can no longer access the city’s literary havens on Sundays. Furthermore, I have noticed that weekends are some of the only days students have room in their busy schedules to unwind and enjoy libraries for all their benefits.

For my own sake, the sake of millions of New Yorkers, and especially for the sake of New York’s next generation, I hope libraries are swift to reopen on Sundays and that November’s cuts are the last for the foreseeable future. So long as library buildings stand tall, their power will radiate throughout the city, reminding us what the branches once were when funded to their full potential. 

***On March 12, The New York Post published a foreboding article that suggested the additional five percent budget cuts above would actually be imposed after all.

Ariel Konieczko is a junior at Beacon High School and a proud Brookylnite. In addition to the blog, Ariel is the managing editor of her school newspaper, The Beacon Beat. She also debates with Beacon’s model congress club. On weekends, Ariel catches up on reading, bakes, and dreams up her next travel plans.