Why Is New York City Planning to Sell and Shrink Its Libraries?

Defend our libraries, don't defund them. . . . . fund 'em, don't plunder 'em

Mayor Bloomberg defunded New York libraries at a time of increasing public use, population growth and increased city wealth, shrinking our library system to create real estate deals for wealthy real estate developers at a time of cutbacks in education and escalating disparities in opportunity. It’s an unjust and shortsighted plan that will ultimately hurt New York City’s economy and competitiveness.

It should NOT be adopted by those we have now elected to pursue better policies.

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

The Guardian wants to know whether your library is under threat.

The Guardian wants to know whether your library is under threat.

You can answer their questionnaire here: Guardian- Is your library under threat? Share your experiences with us- If your local library is facing closure or cuts to funding we’d like to hear from you, Tuesday 6 December 2016.

Even though the Guardian is an English publication you can answer.  In fact, because the Guardian is an English publication you can get some of the best news available about the United States from it.  It also, increasingly stands out as one of the most independent, and therefore incisive, press outlets in a sea of corporately-owned press outlets that are oh-so-very lap-dog in the U.S.

Yes our New York City Libraries are under threat.

The Guardian set up their questionnaire because the Sheffield Library (in the picture above) is now threatened by a sale to the Chinese that will turn it into luxury hotel that leave the art museum with which it is co-located for delectation by the patrons of the luxury hotel replacing the library.  Shades of Donnell?  Yes, that point was made here: Donald Trump (Whose Son-In-Law Was In on Donnell Library Sale) Puts Library-Selling Stephen Schwarzman In Charge of Economic Policy.

Libraries being lost in New York City?  Yes, many. That includes the Brooklyn Heights Library in a shrink-and-sink sale also modeled on the Donnell sale, and the 34th Street Science, Industry and Business Library (completed in 1996 contemporaneously with the expansion and complete upgrade of the central destination Brooklyn Heights Library.)

It's nice to know that the Guardian cares about our libraries under threat.  What would also be nice if the elected politicians who are supposed to be guardians of our public interest were also up to doing their job.  

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