‘Citizens Defending Libraries’ Rallies In Manhattan To Protect Cadman Plaza Branch

By on March 8, 2013 9:26 pm in Brooklyn Heights, Commercial Real Estate, Education, Events, Government, Literature, News

Brooklyn Heights-based organization Citizens Defending Libraries rallied Friday during a hearing in Manhattan addressing the New York City Council’s Fiscal Year 2014 Preliminary Budget, and the Mayor’s Fiscal Year ‘13 Preliminary Management Report and Agency Oversight. The hearing was run by James G. Van Bramer, Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Relations.

Testimony from Citizens Defending Libraries about budget issues relating to New York City’s libraries was contributed orally by three organization members—organizers Carolyn E. McIntyre & Michael D. D. White, and Judi Francis—with statements contributed in writing by several other members, all available on the group’s website.

Its petition to stop public policy of defunding libraries in order to sell real estate to private developers, meanwhile, has collected more than 8,000 signatures. (Photo: Jonathan Barkey)

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  • http://twitter.com/politicalcomic Mojica Fitz Kennedy

    Thank you, Citizens Defending Libraries, for everything. Carolyn McIntyre’s passionate and informed comments during the City Council hearing were so inspiring.

  • mlcraryville

    It would seem that our ombudsman Bill DeBlasio would be on the side of keeping the neighborhood library where it is, enhancing and modernizing and speaking out against selling it out for a quick buck. I don’t understand his apparent total absence from the fray.

  • Monty

    All things being equal I’d rather keep it and maintain it, but honestly libraries are less and less relevant in the 21st century and the money could be spent elsewhere.

  • Eddie

    Monty, libraries are not becoming irrelevant for scholars and educated people. People who want to find out of print editions. Explore the entire bibliography of an 19th century author, for example. You really can’t find absolutely everything on your iPhone, sorry to break it to you!

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlsiLOnWCoI Arch Stanton

    LOL “scholars and educated people” are rare on this blog.

  • PS 8 parent

    Circulation is up at all NYC libraries. They are havens for children, older people, and, well, those who like to read. They are also research centers and preservers of culture.

  • phinatti

    And you will not find that in this library!