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Huzzah! This year's $59 billion budget included more library hours so libraries across all five boroughs could be open six days a week (instead of just five) and the budget went into effect on July 1. Which means city lawmakers were celebrating the news at various branches recently.
The Daily News reports City Council Speaker Christine Quinn as saying, "There is never a doubt in our mind that when we give money to libraries, it is money well spent." The Library Journal says the new library funding also restores hours and services to pre-September 11 levels; this also means that the libraries will be hiring more librarians and other staffers.
Here are operating hours for libraries in:
- Brooklyn
- Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island
- Queens
You've probably seen the Librarian Action Figure, who comes with controversy. Just the other week, librarians were getting nods for being cool. The News also had this interesting stat: The average U.S. library is open for 47 hours a week and now the city average is 45 hours.
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I always feel bad when I'm on the way to the Columbia U. Library and see people looking at the unopened public one two blocks away - seems it closes and opens at odd hours - lots of mommies, babies and senior citizens with sad, sad faces : (
The city just provides some of the funding for the libraries, as they are run by a private non-profit foundations. The New York Public Library serves The Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island; The Brooklyn Public Library serves Brooklyn, and the Queens Borough Public Library serves Queens. All three library systems are among the largest in the United States and none of them are part of city government.
I hate that super shushing action.
WOW! 6 DAYS A WEEK?? AMAZING!
umm, the libraries in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston, just to name a few, have many branches open SEVEN (7) days a week, besides having the rest of their branches open six days a week.
In light of the better hours other cities offer, we should not be doing backflips here, in the most taxed city in the country, when our libraries go from five days a week to six.
The hours were expanded as of July 1, however their HR department was only told this two weeks prior. That means as they're scrambling to hire people to fill in the gaps, libraries are currently understaffed.
Understaffed and way-underpaid. The NYPL system's pay is horrible. One would find better pay in Philadelphia, which actually pays their librarians a living wage. The NYPL has actually tried to rectify this lately, but still, the pay is ridiculous.
Elderta: Yes, the pay is low, but as they admitted to me, although it is low, they offer benefits the day you start, so that helps make up for it.
Rabecca, I worked for the QBPL in Jamaica a number of years ago. I understand about the benefits, but all in all, the pay is still way too low. The system is huge and the turnover is great because of the pay. However, you do get an excellent introduction into librarianship and a lot of support. That does make up for some things, certainly.
Paychecks could certainly use improvement. That is in the hands of the Union and the City's Office of Labor Relations. That having been said, benefits, vacation and lifestyle add a lot to the total package. There're also many professional development opportunities as well as flexibility for people with quirky schedules. They are hiring. If you've got an MLS or have other interests in public service, this is a great time to check the websites and apply.
The Union is much stronger in Philly, hence the better pay. I hate where I am now... maybe I should go back to the ye olde publick library...