Public Employee Press

Queens Library workers press legislators

Library workers pressed City Council legislators to defend public libraries from draconian budget cuts Jan. 18 at a Queens Library Guild Local 1321 meeting.

Nearly 40 members attended the meeting at the Hillcrest Jewish Center, where they met with three Council members who underscored their commitment to defend library services.

Jimmy Van Bramer, who chairs the Council's Committee on Cultural Affairs and Libraries, pledged to fi ght layoffs and the cuts in library hours that Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposed budget could cause.

Vincent Gentile, chair of the Subcommittee on Libraries, said the city needs to fi nd ways to preserve adequate funding as it addresses the budget deficit.

The city should increase taxes on the wealthy to avoid drastic cuts, Queens Council member Daniel Dromm said.

"I thought the meeting went well," said Local 1321 President John Hyslop. "They were very interested in hearing our members' questions and receptive to our concerns."

Members said they fear that Bloomberg would try to privatize libraries and complained about inadequate and inequitable funding of the city's three library systems. Library supporters in Queens have long felt their library system gets less funding for the needs of its population than the Brooklyn and New York systems. Participants at the meeting learned that Council Majority Whip Leroy Comrie plans legislation to ensure more equitable funding among the library systems.

Members also criticized the library's misguided policy of funding new capital improvements but not new staff.

Dromm said he believes Bloomberg is underfunding libraries to create problems and justify installing private management.

Local 1321 arranged the meeting with the assistance of Council Rep Stephanie Miller and Associate Director Lawrence Kenchen, City Council lobbyist Susan Chin and Legislative Analyst Leo Morris of the Political Action Dept.

Urging the Council members to challenge Bloomberg, Kenchen suggested that the deliberations over the budget and library funding offer an opportunity for the City Council to play an equal role with the mayor in running the city, as envisioned by the City Charter.

President John Hyslop, right, and Local 1321 members urged political leaders to prevent harsh budget cuts.