Lander Joins Parents, Preschoolers and BPL President Linda Johnson to Thank Branch Staff for Service to the Neighborhood
As Part of Citywide “Invest in Libraries Campaign,” BPL Calls for Increased City Funding for Essential Neighborhood Libraries
Brooklyn, NY – City Council Member Brad Lander and Brooklyn Public Library President and CEO Linda Johnson joined preschoolers and parents at BPL's Windsor Terrance branch on Monday in celebration of the branch’s recent nomination for the second annual NYC Neighborhood Library Awards. They visited the branch’s popular story time program to recognize its service to the neighborhood.
Through its participation in the citywide Invest in Libraries campaign, a partnership with the New York and Queens library systems, BPL has urged the City to increase funding for essential community libraries like Windsor Terrace. The three systems are calling for a $65 million restoration in operating expenses in this year’s budget so that they may provide the programs and services New Yorkers demand and expect from their local branches at least six days a week, along with $1.4 billion in capital funding for critical renovations and maintenance. In the executive budget released last week, the City cut $10 million from the libraries’ operating budgets and proposed a capital budget that is not sufficient to address the challenges presented by the systems’ aging infrastructure.
"I'm grateful for the many programs and resources Windsor Terrace Library provides to our community," said New York City Council Member Brad Lander. "It is time for the City to invest in libraries in the FY 2016 budget so that they can expand their hours and provide more of the services that millions of New Yorkers rely on. Libraries are fundamental public institutions that we have a duty to robustly (and more equally) support. The Windsor Terrace Library, including its great staff, diverse users and team of dedicated volunteers, expertly demonstrates the role libraries can play in connecting our communities.”
"No one does more to help Brooklynites find jobs, succeed in school and improve their digital literacy than the staff and volunteers at Brooklyn's 60 libraries," said Brooklyn Public Library President and CEO Linda Johnson. "We are proud that three BPL branches have been nominated for Neighborhood Library Awards in recognition of their innovative, patron-focused programs, and we urge the City to fully fund New York’s libraries so that we can do even more to serve Brooklyn’s 2.5 million residents."
The NYC Neighborhood Library Awards will be presented to five of the ten finalists from the New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library and Queens Library systems by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and the Charles H. Revson Foundation. The award comes with a $20,000 prize, the largest cash prize awarded directly to branch libraries in the nation. BPL branches won two of the five awards last year, and three branches are in the running this year: Windsor Terrace, Clinton Hill and New Lots.
About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is an independent library system for the 2.5 million residents of Brooklyn. It is the fifth largest library system in the United States with 60 neighborhood libraries located throughout the borough. BPL offers free programs and services for all ages and stages of life, including a large selection of books in more than 30 languages, author talks, literacy programs and public computers. BPL’s eResources, such as eBooks and eVideos, catalog information and free homework help, are available to customers of all ages 24 hours a day at our website: www.bklynlibrary.org.
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