Since their founding more than a century ago, New York City’s public libraries have offered vital support to all, regardless of background, income, birthplace, or beliefs. Now, they need your help.

Looking ahead to the recently announced preliminary FY25 budget, libraries stand to lose $58.3 million in funding—and that could require them to make hard decisions about the materials, programs, and even open hours and locations they are able to offer. These cuts are on top of the cuts we sustained in the fall of 2023 that forced reductions in materials and programs and ended seven-day service across the city.

Click on your library system’s button below to send a message to City officials: No cuts to libraries! 

 

Library Service Impacts Due to Proposed Budget Cuts

In order to meet the November 2023 mid-year cut imposed by the City, NYC’s public libraries were forced to eliminate seven-day service across the city, as well as reduce spending on materials, programs, and maintenance of locations. The City’s proposed FY25 budget with $58.3M in cuts and funding reductions to libraries will have an even deeper negative impact on library services and resources, including:

  • Reducing service at the majority of libraries to five days a week—down from the current standard of universal six-day service, which New Yorkers won in a budget campaign in 2015.  

  • The continued elimination of seven-day service citywide, with most branches remaining closed on Sundays. 

  • Indefinitely delayed reopenings of renovated branches, many in historically marginalized communities. The cuts and proposed funding reductions mean we cannot afford to staff these branches.   

  • Further reducing spending on library materials, programming, and building maintenance and repairs.

  • Delays and cost overruns for numerous ongoing capital projects, many of which have already been initiated.

Learn more about service impacts for each library system: 

 

 

NYC Libraries’ Testimony

Read the written testimonies from the Presidents of Brooklyn Public Library, The New York Public Library, and Queens Public Library at the City Council's Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations Preliminary Budget Hearing on March 12, 2024.


Statements from Brooklyn Public Library, The New York Public Library, and Queens Public Library

On the City Council’s New Chair of the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries, and International Intergroup Relations 

January 18, 2024—"The Brooklyn, New York, and Queens public libraries congratulate Council Member Carlina Rivera on her appointment as Chair to the Council’s Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries, and International Intergroup Relations! Council Member Rivera has been a long-time supporter of our mission, and we are thrilled to be working with her to promote free access to knowledge for all New Yorkers. 

We would also like to thank our outgoing Chair, Chi Ossé, for his work over the past two years as a tireless advocate for libraries. Libraries are for everyone, and we are grateful for all of the support from our partners in city government."


Response to Fiscal Year 2025 Preliminary Budget Announcement

January 16, 2024—“The Brooklyn, New York, and Queens public libraries are grateful that Mayor Adams, a longtime champion of our mission, spared libraries from additional cuts to our FY24 and FY25 operating budgets. We deeply appreciate the administration’s recognition of the value of libraries and of how much New Yorkers rely on them.”


On Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Cuts

December 11, 2023—“This coming weekend marks the last day of seven-day service at New York City libraries, the result of the 5% mid-year City budget cut announced last month. Recently, the Brooklyn, Queens, and New York public libraries were instructed to meet another 5% mid-year budget cut in January. If this additional round of budget cuts is enacted, libraries will be forced to further reduce hours, including ending universal six-day service, which New Yorkers fought hard to restore in 2015. We know that public libraries and the vital services we provide are a lifeline for many New Yorkers, and remain committed to continuing to serve our communities as best we can in these challenging times.”


On Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Cuts

November 16, 2023—“Brooklyn Public Library, Queens Public Library, and The New York Public Library regret to announce that as a result of mid-year budget cuts, we must eliminate seven-day service across the city, including ending Sunday service at the vast majority of branches that currently offer it. We also will be reducing spending on library materials, programming, and building maintenance and repairs. Without sufficient funding, we cannot sustain our current levels of service, and any further cuts to the Libraries’ budgets will, unfortunately, result in deeper service impacts. We know how much New Yorkers rely on the vital resources we provide, and we remain committed to meeting their needs as best as we can.”

 
 

Statements from NYC Libraries on Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Process

On Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Announcement

June 29, 2023—"Brooklyn, Queens, and New York Public libraries are thrilled to hear the announcement that proposed cuts have been fully reversed in the City’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget. We are tremendously grateful to Mayor Eric Adams for once again demonstrating he is a true champion of libraries and the people of New York City. We also want to profoundly thank Speaker Adrienne Adams, another longtime library supporter, for ensuring that libraries remained a top priority for the Council throughout the entire budget process. In addition, we thank Finance Chair Justin Brannan, Libraries Chair Chi Ossé, the Budget Negotiating Team, and the entire City Council for their wholehearted support for public libraries. Amid unprecedented attempts to ban books and silence diverse voices, New York City has sent a clear message about the power of public libraries that will be seen and felt across our nation. 

This is true and responsive civic leadership, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Mayor and the Council to address some of the most pressing challenges facing our city, including assisting asylum seekers, supporting teens, preparing people for the workforce, and helping kids recover from pandemic learning loss. 

And last but certainly not least, we would like to thank the overwhelming number of New Yorkers who joined in pressing for full restoration of public library budgets. With their outpouring of support, we can continue providing New Yorkers with the critical services, programs, and hours of operation they rely on and deserve. This is a victory for all New Yorkers. Libraries truly are for everyone."

Thank you to all the New Yorkers who raised their voices for libraries—your support matters. Join us in thanking NYC’s leaders for prioritizing public libraries and the critical services they provide.


On Reversal of Increased Cuts and Existing Proposed Cuts for Fiscal Year 2024

May 18, 2023—“New York City’s public libraries are trusted and safe community spaces that meet the diverse needs of New Yorkers, regardless of background, income, birthplace, or beliefs. From storytimes to senior services—and everything in between—libraries truly are for everyone. We thank Mayor Adams for restoring some of our funding. But our ability to continue this work is threatened by the proposed remaining budget cuts. If enacted, those cuts will end Sunday service at every branch across the city and eliminate universal six-day service. These are just a few of the difficult measures our systems will have to endure. Libraries are just 0.4% of the city budget, but their benefits are enormous.”


On Reversal of Increased Proposed Cuts for Fiscal Year 2024

April 26, 2023—“The Brooklyn, New York, and Queens Public Libraries are grateful to Mayor Adams, a longtime champion of libraries, for sparing us from the latest round of funding cuts announced in April. This is an important step towards restoring library funding. Libraries make New York City stronger, and we look forward to working with Mayor Adams and the City Council to ensure we are able to continue providing the services our patrons rely on.”


Response to Increase in Proposed Budget Cuts for Fiscal Year 2024

April 5, 2023—“We are extremely disappointed that the administration has essentially doubled its proposed cuts to our budgets—from $20.5 million to $37 million. When factoring in last year’s unrestored City Council funding, the total funding cuts to libraries are a staggering $52.7 million, up from $36.2 million. We are closely examining the ramifications of the additional reductions and will work to minimize the impact on our patrons, but make no mistake, this is a devastating development to our already strained operations. As we testified just two weeks ago, the cuts proposed in the upcoming FY24 budget would have detrimental impacts on our hours and ability to provide the vital resources and services we provide to all New Yorkers. Further cuts would make a bad situation even worse.

New York City’s public libraries operate in all of our communities to provide free access to knowledge and opportunity to New Yorkers, a critical mission that has grown in urgency at this moment in our city’s history. Libraries are for everyone and make New York City stronger. Cutting library funding hurts all communities, particularly those who we know rely on us and have nowhere else to turn for the services and programs we provide.”

 

Past Hearing Testimony

Read the written testimonies from the Presidents of Brooklyn Public Library, The New York Public Library, and Queens Public Library at the City Council's Finance Committee and the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries & International Intergroup Relations Budget Hearing on May 18, 2023.


Read the testimonies from the Presidents of Brooklyn Public Library, The New York Public Library, and Queens Public Library at the City Council's Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations Preliminary Budget Hearing on March 20, 2023.