Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced a three-year $36 million private fundraising campaign for the City’s three public library systems.  This Emergency Campaign is to raise needed funds to maintain book collections and core library programs during the City’s current fiscal crisis.  There are 212 libraries in New York City, more than any public library system in the world and they are represented by three library systems - Brooklyn Public Library, Queens Borough Public Library, and The New York Public Library, which serves Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island.  The Mayor was joined at the Muhlenberg branch of the New York Public Library by Speaker of the City Council Gifford Miller, President of the Board of Trustees of Brooklyn Public Library Dr. Lucille C. Thomas, Executive Director of Brooklyn Public Library Ginnie Cooper, President of the New York Public Library Paul LeClerc, Chairman of the Board of the New York Public Library Samuel C. Butler, New York Public Library Trustee and Chair of the Emergency Campaign for the New York Public Library Branches Catie Marron, President of the Board of Trustees of the Queens Borough Public Library George Stamatiades, Executive Director of the Queens Library Foundation Dr. Diana Chapin, President of the Carnegie Corporation Vartan Gregorian, Vice-President of the Starr Foundation Gladys Thomas, and New York City Public Private Initiatives Chair Steven Rattner. 

“Libraries are the principal information gateways for all New Yorkers and are an essential part of the educational fabric of New York City, providing service to 40 million people annually. Our City is fortunate to have these incredible resources located in neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs thanks to the vision of the enlightened late 19th century philanthropist Andrew Carnegie,” said Mayor Bloomberg.  “Since their establishment, the three systems with their extensive branch network have played a significant role in educating and informing the citizens of New York City.  People of all ages and backgrounds need their libraries - to find jobs, to do research, to be on top of the information of the day.  During this time, our City’s libraries need the help of civic-minded individuals, corporations and foundations to continue to provide the vital service of being the City’s principal information gateways.”

“With this expanded campaign, our public libraries are truly stepping up to the plate, in the midst of our City’s fiscal crisis, to continue to serve all New Yorkers,” said Speaker Miller.  “By asking a wide spectrum of foundations, businesses, and individuals to contribute to the financial strength of our libraries, we will not only be able to preserve some of our vital literacy, after-school, and English programs - we will also be accelerating our City’s effort to engage our citizenry in the vital public missions that we must continue to meet.”

The Emergency Campaign will reach out to individuals, foundations and corporations. Leading off the gifts to this Emergency Campaign to all three systems is a $4.5 million gift  from the Carnegie Corporation and a $1.5 million gift from the Starr Foundation.  The funds will be used for a variety of purposes, but primarily will be to add books and other materials to their collections, and to restore important programs.  The following is a breakdown of each system and its priorities for this campaign:

Brooklyn Public Library consists of a Central Library, Business Library and 58 branches, which seeks to raise $3 million each year for three years to support vital community programs and services for children, including:

• After School Assistance Programs;
• Homework Help and the acquisition of new curriculum materials;
• Literacy programs and ESOL Conversation Groups for new immigrants;
• Business Library small business information and job assistance programs;
• Service to the Aging services that bring free books to over 170 and programs to over 50 senior sites;
• The Brooklyn Collection, the world’s largest dedicated public archive on Brooklyn history.

The New York Public Library consists of 85 branches in Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island plus 4 major research facilities seeks to raise $4 million for the Branches and $2 million for the Research Libraries totaling $6 million each year for three years.  The funds will be used for:

• Purchase of needed books and materials;
• Restoration of programs that promote literacy and self-fulfillment through literature and arts, such as summer reading, story-telling and poetry workshops;
• Restoration of Computer Page program, part-time positions for local high school and college students who assist patrons in using the Library’s computers and online research tools;
• Collection-building, adding to the unique and rare materials that document and protect the nation’s history and heritage;
• Preservation and processing of collections that would otherwise be unavailable to the public.

Queens Borough Public Library consists of 63 branches and seeks $3 million each year for three years for books and programs, notably:

• After-school programs for children ages 6-12;
• Teen ‘Net Mentor program which employs teenagers to help the public use library computers;
• ESOL program and the New Americans Program which offers special workshops and training for the diverse population of Queens;
• Buy-a-Book campaign to provide 100,000 new books, which will otherwise not be available.

The public may give to the library or system of their choice through the New York City Public Private Initiatives, Inc. (PPI).  Please note that funds will be distributed to all three systems unless a certain library or system is specified.  To support this effort, please send checks to New York City Public Private Initiatives, 100 Gold Street, New York, NY 10038. Checks should be made payable to New York City Public Private Initiatives, Inc. For more information please contact PPI at (212) 788-7794.