Public Employee Press

$43 MILLION BUDGET BOOST
Libraries start six-day service, hire new workers

By GREGORY N. HEIRES

The Brooklyn Public Library has recently hired 40 new librarians thanks to the extra $43 million in funding the city's three library systems received for the fiscal year 2016 budget.

At an Oct. 7 news conference at the Coney Island Branch Library Brooklyn Public Library President and CEO Linda Johnson said that in addition to staff increases, the improved funding for the 2016 fiscal year budget will allow the library to expand weekend and evening services and increase the number of branches with seven-day service. The library began universal six-day service on Oct. 19.

DC 37 funding campaign

The additional funding resulted from a campaign earlier this year by the three library systems, DC 37 and community groups to convince the City Council to increase support for library spending in the 2016 budget.

All 88 branches at the New York Public Library, which serves Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island, were already open six days a week. With the extra funding, four libraries are now open on Sunday. NYPL also expects to hire 100 new employees for Librarian and other positions.

Queens Library will begin six-day service on Nov. 15.

An extra $12 million for operating expenses will allow the Queens Library to hire 100 new employees and boost purchasing of books, e-books, videos and other materials by 30 percent. The library will also expand its literacy programs for young patrons and after-school programs.

At the Brooklyn Public Library's news conference, recently hired Librarians expressed enthusiasm about their new jobs, and they spoke of their sense of mission working for an institution that plays such an important role in city neighborhoods, whether it is by helping immigrants learn English, providing a safe haven for schoolchildren, helping unemployed people with job searches or recommending books to patrons.

Adult Senior Librarian Hengfeng Liu immigrated to the United States from China 11 years ago. He earned his master's degree in library science while he worked part-time as a Librarian.

Liu spent seven years working as a part-time employee without a medical benefit, which he is now entitled to. His wife, Cathy Chen, is a Librarian at Queens Library.

"As an immigrant from China, I feel this job is a nice way to serve the community," said Liu, who holds a bachelor's degree from Shanghai University. "Libraries are very special for immigrants and provide important services to the community."

Young Adults Librarian Hillary Saxton earned her master's degree in library science two years ago at Simmons College in Boston. She previously worked as a Librarian at a non-profit institution. Brooklyn Public Library offered her the job after she attended a job fair.

"I love how libraries are changing," said Saxton, who earned her bachelor's degree in English at Eastern Connecticut State University. "They have become much more like community institutions, not just repositories of books."

Children's Librarian Elena Rivera won her job through the virtual hiring process. She learned about job openings on the library's website, and she was hired after a Skype interview. She earned her master's degree in library and information science by studying online at San Jose State University. She studied language and cultures at California State University.

"I have known I wanted to be a Librarian for a long time," Rivera said. "This is a very noble profession where you touch so many lives."