Mayor Adams announced in November that it seeks to “balance” the NYC municipal budget through the “Program to Eliminate the Gap” (PEG). In September, Adams demanded that all city agencies, even the New York Police Department (NYPD), prepare for 3 percent cuts until the end of the fiscal year, plus an additional 4.5 percent cut over the following two years, as part of this program. This includes cuts to the New York Public libraries.
Opponents of this plan point out that public libraries make up one of the most important public institutions in New York City. In addition to the usual books, media, and civic education, the libraries serve as unofficial senior centers and provide both official and unofficial afterschool programs, as many neighborhood children gather in local libraries as a safe, supervised place after school.
Libraries are part of the essential social infrastructure of urban areas. The municipal budget is being strained by factors that the Adams administration blames on rising labor costs, poor stock market performance (creating stressors on pensions), newly arrived asylum seekers, and rising energy costs. In releasing this program, Adams stated, “Fiscal discipline has been, and continues to be, a hallmark of my administration.” On November 15, Adams further called for a 50 percent reduction in existing city vacancies, ensuring an increasingly lean municipal workforce.
Under the PEG, the libraries would lose significant funding over the years. Adams’s plan demanded that libraries cut their budgets by $13.6 million between now and the end of fiscal year 2023, and another $20.5 million over the next three fiscal years. While this amount is small compared to the overall city budget, it will have a significant impact on the services and operations of the library system.
At this point, the only places where libraries can cut costs are in personnel. This will lead to shorter hours, reduced services, and potential building closures. Libraries, for all their social benefits and lean operating budgets, are not given any consideration for avoiding these cuts because they do not generate revenue or provide legally mandated services.
Protesters of this proposed austerity measure point out that it is counterproductive to Adams’ goal to reduce crime because libraries create public spaces, promote literacy, and give young people information, activities, and opportunities. Criminologists have long pointed to the importance of afterschool, community activities to prevent both juvenile and adult criminal risk factors—all services that would be curtailed under Adams’ proposed cuts to the NYPL system.
