As a member of the Queens Library system, one of the largest and busiest library systems in the United States, I receive regular emails about the many offerings and opportunities that the libraries offer: English classes, college application assistance, citizenship and GED courses, job skills, small business information classes, cultural events like author events and musical performances, and civic information such as deadlines for applications to public schools. I take my children to story hour; I constantly reserve and check out books for myself. During the pandemic, when physical buildings were closed, the Queens, Brooklyn, and New York Public Library (NYPL) systems quickly adapted by increasing and promoting their ebooks, audio books, and a rich offering of Zoom-based events. My neighbor, a children’s librarian, created a YouTube channel featuring turtles Louis and Ella (formerly based in the East Elmhurst — home of Louis Armstrong — library’s space) for children to enjoy. During the pandemic, the entire New York City library system, including Brooklyn, NYPL, and Queens, ended all late fees, removing additional barriers to use.

There is no doubt that the public libraries make up one of the most important public institutions in New York City. In addition to the usual books, media, and civic education, the libraries serve as unofficial senior centers and provide both official and unofficial afterschool programs, as many neighborhood children gather in local libraries as a safe, supervised place after school.

Libraries are part of the essential social infrasucture of urban areas. Yet this essential social infrastructure is under serious threat under Mayor Eric Adams’s new fiscal budgeting plan.