NYC Budget Restores Almost All Library Funding

The New York City budget for Fiscal Year 2012 was approved on Wednesday, June 29, and the City restored $36.7 million of the proposed $40 million cut for the New York Public Library. Below is a statement atttributed to New York Public Library Public Relations Director Angela Montefinise about this restoration:

"When it comes to libraries, the real winners this budget season are New Yorkers. Thanks to a sizable restoration from the City, all of our 90 locations across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island will remain open, which means the people of New York will still have access to the critically important free services we offer that are being used now more than ever--computers and Internet, books, programs, classes, job search resources, and more. This budget also preserves a minimum of five-day service in our system, and allows us to avoid layoffs. We want to thank the people of New York for making their voices heard during a difficult budget season, and letting the City know how important libraries are to all.  We also want to thank Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council for keeping libraries open."