Millman Testifies to Save Brooklyn Heights & Pacific Street Libraries

June 27, 2013

Thank you, Assemblyman Kellner and the members of the Libraries & Education Technology Committee, for the opportunity to testify regarding the sale of public library buildings in New York City. In the notice of public hearing two libraries in Brooklyn were mentioned. Both the Brooklyn Heights branch and the Pacific Street branch are in my district. Recently the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) decided to reconsider the Pacific Street branch sale but the library’s future is still unclear. I have major concerns with the proposal including the precedent of the sale of public buildings to private developers.

BPL has stated that they have a $230 million capital construction budget need. Specifically the Brooklyn Heights branch and the Pacific Street branch each require $11 million in repairs. Instead of rehabilitating these branches BPL and the City of New York have begun exploring the idea of selling these public buildings to developers in order to generate much needed funds for BPL. These sales hinge on a non-legally binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and BPL. The next mayor and city council could choose not to honor the MOU that stipulates the sale of the land the libraries occupy would go to BPL. If that happens, what would be the plan to rehabilitate these heavily used public libraries?

Every year BPL submits a budget and every year the mayor cuts library funding. Without hesitation city council members step up demanding that no library cuts go into effect and in the final budget libraries are saved. In reality operating expenses are saved but there are so few dollars for capital repairs, about $15 million per year, that BPL puts off capital construction projects. Recognizing the value of the land which the Brooklyn Heights branch and the Pacific Street branch occupy, BPL decided to consider another strategy.

I believe that selling libraries and the land that they occupy is just bad public policy. Selling a library building is a one-time fix for a recurring capital need. Currently, Brooklyn Heights and Boerum Hill have two wonderful branches. The BPL proposal provides new libraries occupying space inside luxury housing. Brooklyn Heights and Boerum Hill do not need more luxury housing. Talk to me about subsidized senior housing instead. These neighborhoods want and deserve well run and properly maintained public library branches.

This hearing presents the opportunity for all elected to work together towards addressing the future needs of public libraries throughout the five boroughs. I am testifying not just because this affects my constituents but because I have a unique perspective. I have a master’s degree in library sciences from Pratt Institute and served as a public school librarian for several years. I understand that we will not be able to fund every last library capital project every year but I cannot accept the idea that selling off public libraries is the best option we have available.

Let’s get to work addressing the real needs of these public libraries by talking to the community members, the schools, the librarians and friends of library groups that work in and use these branches day in and day out. Let’s come up with a plan on how to repair the libraries in dire need of rehabilitation so they can serve the public. The Park Slope Branch was closed for three years to rehabilitate the interior of the library. The community waited patiently for the library to re-open and in turn they were rewarded with a wonderful new interior space. When a neighborhood knows that their library will still be there in three years then the community members will be more willing to cope with a library closure. I still don’t know what a replacement library will look like or where it will be located.

I remain skeptical of this plan and I will continue to fight to ensure that our libraries remain public institutions because the current proposal sounds like an effort to privatize our libraries. After all, BPL stands for Brooklyn PUBLIC Library, NOT BROOKLYN PRIVATE LIBRARY!!

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