New York City’s public libraries are expected to be exempt from another round of budget cuts, a move that should allow them to maintain six-day-a-week schedules, according to three people familiar with the matter.
The news comes as Mayor Eric Adams is set to unveil his highly anticipated 2025 budget plan on Tuesday. Many city agencies have been holding their breath after across-the-board cuts in November forced cuts to key services.
Libraries at the time responded to a $24 million cut by eliminating seven-day-a-week service and said any further cuts meant that the city’s more than 200 branches would only be open five days a week, the fewest operating days since before 2015.
The three people who spoke to Gothamist provided the information on the condition that their names not be used because budget discussions are private.
They cautioned that the libraries were only spared from additional cuts this fiscal year and that it was yet unclear whether they would face further budget reductions in upcoming negotiations around future years.
The mayor’s office and library representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Facing a public backlash to budget cuts, Adams last week took the unusual step of revoking some cuts totaling around $200 million. Over three days, he has restored funding to public safety, sanitation and parks, and education and youth programs.
Libraries did not see any funding restored, according to the sources.
Although a popular institution among New Yorkers, libraries have historically been on the chopping block, used as part of the annual budget dance with the City Council.
As in previous years, the city’s three major library systems responded to the recent round of cuts by launching a vigorous public battle against theme cuts. The New York Public Library made clear the source of the cuts to their patrons.
“Due to mid-year city budget cuts, there is no Sunday service at NYPL after November 26, 2023,” read a sign which was…
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