Patrons, elected officials call for 6-day library service at Coney Island, Bushwick branches

May 29, 2015 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

A recent Invest in Libraries rally. Photo courtesy of BPL

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Patrons and elected officials are scheduled to rally this morning outside of two Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) branches — in Bushwick and in Coney Island — forced to close on Mondays due to budget cuts. The events are part of the Invest in Libraries campaign’s “Citywide Day of Action,” urging the city to fully fund a critical community resource.

They will demonstrate some of the free, educational programming that patrons miss out on without six-day library service in their neighborhoods — including job training, resume writing, and Story Time programs for infants and toddlers.

At 9:45 a.m., City Councilmember Antonio Reynoso is set to join a resume building and job training workshop at the Bushwick Library (340 Bushwick Ave.). At 11 a.m., City Councilmember Mark Treyger is scheduled to join outdoor story time for neighborhood children at the Coney Island Library (1901 Mermaid Ave.).

A mere 3 percent of NYC’s libraries are open seven days a week, and only about two-thirds are open six-plus days a week. As a result, fewer working families are able to access the library’s free resources when they need them.

The June 1 events are part of a citywide day of rallies for six-day library service. 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. 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.