No, NYC Libraries Still Face Cuts In 2024 Budget: Officials

NEW YORK CITY — New York City's libraries still face devastating budget cuts that could force them to close weekends, despite Mayor Eric Adams' pledge Wednesday to shelve the latest round of proposed belt-tightening, officials said.

Libraries will be spared from the city's "Program to Eliminate the Gap," a sweeping set of 4 percent cuts to city agencies, Adams told NY1.

The mayor's words seemed to confirm that controversial wholesale cuts to libraries won't go forward — indeed, a New York Times' headline declared "Mayor Eric Adams Calls Off Unpopular Library Budget Cuts" — but library officials quickly shushed the clamor.

The city's three library systems still face a combined $36.2 million in proposed cuts, officials told Patch and other outlets. Adams had only walked back the latest round of cuts that would have added millions to that number, they said.

"The Brooklyn, New York, and Queens Public Libraries are grateful to Mayor Adams, a longtime champion of libraries, for sparing us from the latest round of funding cuts announced in April," the presidents of the city's three library systems said in a joint statement.

"This is an important step towards restoring library funding. Libraries make New York City stronger, and we look forward to working with Mayor Adams and the City Council to ensure we are able to continue providing the services our patrons rely on."

The last round of "PEG" cuts would have been $20.5 million, bringing the total shortfall for libraries to $52.7 million, officials said.

The remaining proposed cuts — which, again, are $36.2 million — still will lead to reduced hours, weekend closures and fewer programs, library officials have said.

In Queens alone, the cuts will mean the libraries could eliminate Sunday service, reduce Saturday's offerings and force cutbacks on collections, officials said. Queens Public Library is essentially back to where it started, with a potential $10 million shortfall, before the mayor announced the latest round of proposed cuts, they said.

Adams said the proposed budget wouldn't touch a "penny" of funding for libraries, but later acknowledged he was referring to the last potential PEG cut.

He wouldn't commit to helping libraries later with a budget modification if they have to close weekends because of lack of funding.

“We don’t know what the future is going to hold, but I’m a believer and supporter in libraries,” he said.