At a time when faith in public institutions is eroding, libraries remain one of the few deeply trusted civic spaces in America. Libraries are where parents bring toddlers for early literacy programs, where teens find safety and support after school, where older adults combat isolation, and where immigrants prepare for citizenship.
Libraries are essential community infrastructure and third spaces in the truest sense: consistent, stabilizing, local, and free.
And yet, these cornerstones of community life are under siege across the country. Federal investment in libraries is being systematically dismantled. The Institute of Museum and Library Services, the primary source of federal library funding, has repeatedly faced threats of elimination.
Critical grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts have been rescinded. The recent dismissal of Carla Hayden, the first woman and first African American to serve as Librarian of Congress, signals a troubling disregard for the importance and neutrality of libraries.
Meanwhile, libraries and their workers have become the frontline targets in an escalating wave of censorship. Book bans, especially those silencing LGBTQ voices, communities of color, and authors of marginalized backgrounds, are sweeping the nation, sending a chilling message about whose stories deserve to be told. The very mission of libraries — to provide free and open access to information — is being treated as controversial.
Amid these alarming trends at the national level, New York City stands apart. With branches in nearly every neighborhood, the New York Public Library, Queens Public Library, and Brooklyn Public Library are the most cherished, most used public institutions in the five boroughs. Demand for library services is growing with program attendance surging and book circulation continuing to climb, especially for digital materials.
We have been able to build and maintain three of the strongest public library systems in the country thanks to long-standing investment and deep bipartisan support from city leaders who understand that libraries are not a luxury, but an essential pillar that strengthens New York City and helps all of our wonderfully diverse neighborhoods thrive.
But even New York’s commitment is being tested at this critical hour. City funding for public libraries has stagnated as inflation, aging infrastructure and rising demand continue to stress our systems.
Last year’s budget cuts directly impacted New Yorkers. Most notably, libraries were forced to cease Sunday operations, a devastating disruption to working families and students who relied on weekend access.
While we’re grateful to Mayor Adams, Speaker Adrienne Adams and the City Council for ultimately restoring our budgets, the status quo is no longer sufficient. Together, New York City’s three library systems face more than $44.8 million in unmet funding needs. These funds would help cover wage increases, rising health care premiums, the increasing cost of books and digital materials, and the growing operational demands of serving a city of more than 8 million people.
We cannot continue to do more with less. Already, our patrons are facing longer wait times for books and more frequent disruptions in branch services. Last fiscal year, staffing shortages at libraries caused 261 unplanned branch closures, resulting in 544 hours of lost service. On top of that, we lost nearly 5,000 hours of public service due to infrastructure failures, often for emergency repairs.
We pride ourselves on keeping New Yorkers cool in the summer and warm in the winter, but we cannot continue to be a reliable refuge for New Yorkers who come to read and enjoy our programs without a meaningful, increased investment from city leaders.
The mayor, the speaker and the Council have a tremendous opportunity to deliver a historic investment in libraries that will safeguard and bolster these beloved institutions.
This is the moment we need to bring the full power and resources of our public libraries to bear — to build community, bridge gaps in access to information, and create spaces where ideas can be shared freely. That means increasing baselined operating budgets, committing to multi-year budget stability, investing in capital improvements and expanding Sunday service.
At a time when libraries are under attack across the country, New York City has the opportunity to do what it does best: lead. To truly meet the moment, we need a bold vision and greater investment that propels our libraries forward.
Johnson is president and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library. Marx is president and CEO of the New York Public Library. Walcott is president and CEO of Queens Public Library.
https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/06/27/amid-u-s-retreat-nyc-must-lead-on-libraries/