Public Employee Press

A Bronx gem
DC 37 members help make the borough’s new $50 million central library shine.

By GREGORY N. HEIRES

DC 37 members are the backbone of the new $50 million Bronx Library Center, the five-story, 78,000 square-foot anchor of the borough’s 34 branch libraries that opened in January.

“From the circulation desk to the children’s floor and the Latino and Puerto Rican section, our members are responsible for making the new library play a crucial role in the renaissance of the Bronx,” said Lynn Taylor, president of New York Public Library Guild Local 1930.

The central branch is situated at 310 East Kingsbridge Road in the borough’s Fordham area, the busiest commercial district in the Bronx. The new library has triple the capacity of the old central branch, the Fordham Library Center, which had operated since 1923.

“The old branch was depressing,” said Jacqueline Holness, an Office Aide 3. “The new library is a wonderful environment. It really makes you want to come to work.”

“Everything is state-of-the-art,” said Manny Andrades, who is also an Office Aide 3. “People will really enjoy coming here.”

For the union, one sore spot about the new central branch is the New York Public Library’s decision to contract out custodial and maintenance services. “We are worried that this is a sign of the library’s intention to pursue additional contracting out and downsizing,” said Cuthbert Dickerson, president of Local 374, which represents NYPL’s custodial and maintenance staff.

The union reached an agreement with One Source, a Manhattan-based cleaning and maintenance company, to recognizeLocal 374 as the bargaining agent. The union negotiated with One Source to provide a health plan and annuity plan administered by the union. Welfare benefits — including prescription drugs — will be provided through the DC 37/New York Public Library Health and Security Trust.

NYPL has a one-year contract with One Source. The new library’s holdings include more than 200,000 books, periodicals, videos, audiotapes, CD ROMs and DVDs. It has 127 computers available to the public with access to the Internet and NYPL databases.

The library has a 150-seat auditorium for concerts and theatrical performances. The library’s on-going programs will include reading, art and computer workshops for children in addition to small classes and tutoring of adults who are learning English.

A Latino and Puerto Rican Cultural Center is on the fourth floor. “The population of the Bronx is predominately Hispanic, so this center will prove to be a good resource for the community,” said Lucidia Gratacos Arus, the Supervising Librarian at the Latino and Puerto Rican Cultural Center.