The recently proposed $37 million cut on the New York Public Library, which would be the highest cut in city history, according to Library President and CEO Paul LeClerc, could have devastating effects to libraries in the Bronx.

While it remains unclear exactly which libraries will be affected, the Library — which offers free services at 90 locations in the Bronx, Staten Island and Manhattan — could be forced to cut back to being open an average of four days a week, more than one in four library jobs would be eliminated and at least 10 locations would have to be closed. 

The severity of these cuts has local libraries scrambling to fight back. At the Mosholu branch at 285 E. 205th St., which has been open for 55 years, fliers alerting patrons of the possible impact of the cuts are spread on a table near the front entrance.

Just in the Central Bronx libraries, one flier says the proposal would result in 800,000 fewer visits and 450,000 fewer materials circulated each year.

The onsite manager at Mosholu, Jimmie Pate, is staying somewhat optimistic about the situation. “Regardless of the $37 million cutback, this branch will not close,” he said. “If anything, we could lose hours and staff workers.”

Pate said the library began to organize a letter writing campaign and distribute informational fliers on May10. But they had an idea something like this might be possible after speaking out against possible cuts at the state level in Albany earlier in the year, he said.

Before they begin to protest the cuts more vigorously, Pate said they are asking people to write letters opposing the cuts to the mayor and their elected officials.

“The [City] Council has always tried to help the library funding and will try to put money back,” said Councilman Oliver Koppell, who represents the area that contains the Mosholu branch. “I do not have an amount right now, but the library is always high on the list of things to discuss before we meet with the mayor [to negotiate the budget].”

Niccole Crespo, who is a junior at Hunter College, studies in the Mosholu library daily. “A lot of students are going to miss out,” she said. “People come here to do research work and this is like an after school program to most kids.

What about the people without computers in their home?”
A mother named Joanne (she declined to give her last name), said her son uses the library occasionally.

“Anything that has to do with educating our youth and society should not have any cutbacks,” she said. “It keeps them safe and educated. I think it’s a travesty that they would even want to think about it.”

“There has been a tremendous increase in usage and the library is very important to the community,” Koppell said. “The council will try to put money back.”

According to Pate, they expect the budget to be finalized sometime from June 6 to 30.