Carla Zanoni
DNAinfo Reporter/ Producer
INWOOD — The Inwood Branch of the New York Public Library is safe from state budget cuts — for now.
The fates of all city branches remain unknown as Albany continues to trudge its way toward a balanced budget. Residents inspired by rumors of deep cuts, even closure, at the popular Inwood library branch took to the Internet, and Facebook, to rally residents against the feared cuts.
But library officials say they need not worry at this point.
“There is no threat to any specific library,” said NYPL spokeswoman Angela Montefinise, adding that the library does not yet have a list of possible closures and will not have any information until the state budget is finalized.
An online call to action was sparked by resident Jason Kendall through multiple neighborhood listservs when he heard a rumor the library was in danger of closing. Hundreds of Inwood residents pledged to write letters to elected officials demanding the library remain open.
Days after Kendall created a Facebook page dedicated to keeping the branch open, he posted a note stating that he had received word “that the Mayor's office does not have plans to close our branch, just reduce the hours.”
At risk is $37 million in city funding, which is contingent on Albany's budget. If cut, it could result in 10 branches closing their doors, reduced hours at others, fewer programs for kids and adults and a reduction in job search services.
Like other libraries throughout New York City, Inwood’s branch already reduced its hours earlier this year when the library system had its budget cut by $5.9 million. In February the branch changed its schedule to open later during the week, reducing its hours of service by a total of five per week.
Inwood’s public library is a popular branch for people of all ages. Children take out books and participate in classes, elderly people read and draw in the quiet areas and people of all ages in between stop by to use the computers.
“Aside from someplace like the Midtown branch, Inwood library is one of the best branches,” Montefinise said. “People are so into their library there.”
According the NYPL website, Inwood Library patrons have submitted 2,746 letters so far, versus 430 at the Fort Washington branch and 121 at the Washington Heights library as part of the library’s letter writing campaign called “Don’t Close the Book on Libraries,” where patrons are asked to voice their concerns about cutbacks to elected officials.
Last Friday, as many New Yorkers fled Manhattan for the Memorial Day weekend, the library at 4790 Broadway was packed with people reading, using free computers or taking out books.
Arelis Mercado, 37, was at the branch with six children — two of her own and four friends — taking out books to bring to Inwood Hill Park. Mercado, who lives nearby on Dongan Place, said she visits the library once or twice a week and was worried as much about the library closing as hours being reduced further.
“They should leave the library alone,” she said in Spanish. “We need a place like this in the neighborhood.”
