CENTER FOR AN URBAN FUTURE SEPTEMBER 2014 RE-ENVISIONING NEW YORK’S BRANCH LIBRARIES

1 INTRODUCTION 1

RE-ENVISIONING NEW YORK’S BRANCH LIBRARIES Written by David Giles, Jeanette Estima and Noelle Francois. Edited by Jonathan Bowles and Karen Loew. Additional research support from Stephanie 12 Chan, Julie Tam and Barbara Wijering. KEY FINDINGS

Designed by Ahmad Dowla. Photographs by Center for an Urban Future unless otherwise noted. Cover: New York City’s 207 branch libraries. PART I This report was made possible by generous support from the Charles H. Revson Foundation. BRANCH BREAKDOWN Aging Infrastructure, Overdue Investments 14 CENTER FOR AN URBAN FUTURE Not Meeting Modern Patron Needs 19 120 Wall St., Fl. 20 26 New York, NY 10005 A Fractured Funding System www.nycfuture.org New Visions for Urban Libraries 31 Support for Center for an Urban Future has been provided by the Bernard F. and Alva B. Gimbel Foundation and the Fund for the City of New York. PART II STAFF BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE 34 Jonathan Bowles, Executive Director Ahmad Dowla, Deputy Director Funding and Management 36 David Giles, Research Director Collaboration and Community Engagement 43 Jeanette Estima, Research Associate Adam Forman, Research Associate Design and Development 48 Christian González-Rivera, Research Associate Amy Parker, Communications/Operations Associate David Jason Fischer, Senior Fellow Tom Hilliard, Senior Fellow ENDNOTES 56 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Gifford Miller, Chairman Michael Connor, Vice-Chair Monisha Nariani, Treasurer Blake Foote, Secretary John H. Alschuler Margaret Anadu Jonathan Bowles Gerrard Bushell Jonathan Butler Russell Dubner Lisa Gomez Jalak Jobanputra David Lebenstein Eric S. Lee Max Neukirchen Andrew Reicher John Siegal Stephen Sigmund Thomas Vecchione 2Robert Zimmerman RE-ENVISIONING NEW YORK’S BRANCH LIBRARIES

AT A TIME WHEN FAR TOO MANY NEW YORKERS LQZD\VWKDWLPSURYHKRZWKH\VHUYHVSHFLÀFSRSXOD- lack the basic language and technological skills need- tions, such as seniors and teens. ed to access decent-paying jobs, branch libraries More than half of the city’s 207 library buildings have become a critical part of New York City’s human are over 50 years old and a quarter were built at least capital system, the go-to place for upgrading one’s a century ago. With such an aging building stock, it’s skills and a key platform for economic empowerment. not surprising that the city’s libraries are on the verge Libraries also have stepped in as critical resources as of a maintenance crisis. The city’s three library sys- record numbers of freelancers are looking for a place tems have at least $1.1 billion in capital needs, and to do their work, students from pre-k through 12th that’s mainly just to bring the branches into a state grade need to supplement their studies with enrich- of good repair. Bringing them into the 21st century ment programs, and neighborhood residents want would require an even greater investment. a “third place” to meet with neighbors and keep up Cities from Seattle and San Francisco to Chicago with events. As Superstorm Sandy revealed in 2012, and Columbus have recently undertaken multi-year libraries are even an important part of building and FDPSDLJQVWRUHEXLOGRUUHQRYDWHDVLJQLÀFDQWVKDUH maintaining strong social networks necessary for of their libraries. But New York City has made barely community recovery efforts. any headway in addressing its libraries’ infrastructure Yet, despite expanding needs and growing circu- needs. Each year only a tiny fraction of the branches lation and program attendance numbers, New York that need to be renovated—much less replaced—re- LVQ·WFRPLQJFORVHWRIXOÀOOLQJWKHSURPLVHRILWVFRP- ceive any funding to do so, and the few that do re- munity libraries. The average branch library in New ceive support can take years to be repaired because path for the growing ,Q ÀVFDO \HDU  WKH FLW\·V  EUDQFK EXLOG- number of residents who depend on them. LQJVJUHHWHGQHDUO\PLOOLRQYLVLWRUVRUDSSUR[LPDWHO\ In the course of our research, we visited 50 libraries 160,000 every day they were open.1 Libraries circulated DFURVV DOO ÀYH ERURXJKV DQG VXUYH\HG RYHU  OLEUDUL- 61 million materials citywide and enrolled over 2.4 mil- ans about the conditions in their branches. We ana- lion people in their public programs, including everything lyzed branch-by-branch performance data as well as key from story time for elementary school kids, to English lan- metrics about their size, layouts, amenities and capital JXDJHFODVVHVIRULPPLJUDQWVWRÀOPHGLWLQJZRUNVKRSV needs. We interviewed library administrators and experts for teenagers. And despite dwindling budgets, these per- in more than 25 cities across the nation and around the formance numbers have been growing rapidly over the world, which helped us understand funding and design ODVWGHFDGH%HWZHHQÀVFDO\HDUVDQGFLUFX- strategies that have worked and could serve as models

1. Average Age of 2. Library Branches over New York City Libraries 100 Years Old by Borough

84 23

65 61 17 57

47

4 5 3 SI 4 BX BK M QSI BX BK M Q lation increased by 46 percent and program attendance by 62 percent. New York City’s three At the same time, however, the city’s three library library systems have systems—including the New York Public Library (serving the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island), the Brook- lyn Public Library and the Queens Library—have strug- $1.1 BILLION gled to keep many of their older branches in a state of good repair, much less current in meeting the space and IN CAPITAL NEEDS technology needs of today’s users. The three library sys- tems have prioritized nearly $1.1 billion in capital needs, spread across 178 branches, or 86 percent of their build- ings.2 Of that, approximately $812 million is for state of good repair and interior renovation projects, and $278 million is for site acquisition and new construction. 59 BRANCHES Excluding cost estimates for expansions and replace- across the city ment buildings, 59 different branches across the city each have $5 million or more in needs, including 18 in each have $5 million 0DQKDWWDQLQ%URRNO\QLQWKH%URQ[ÀYHLQ6WDW- or more in capital needs en Island and four in Queens. The average age of these buildings is 81 years old. The most common state of good repair problems in- volve malfunctioning mechanical equipment, leaky roofs, overburdened electrical distribution systems, and a lack 3. of accessibility for the elderly and physically disabled, Capital Needs though many more haven’t been renovated in decades by Library System and suffer from missing or deteriorating ceiling panels, old carpeting and a lack of ventilation and light as well. EXPANSIONS/NEW In all, 64 branches across the city need HVAC repairs or CONSTRUCTION/ACQUISITION replacements, 55 need roof repairs, 55 need to be made STATE OF GOOD REPAIR $'$FRPSOLDQWQHHGERLOHUUHSDLUVRUUHSODFHPHQWV QHHGHOHFWULFDOV\VWHPXSJUDGHVDQGQHHGQHZ $36.31M elevators. In many cases, these basic infrastructure shortcom- $481.03M ings cause serious service disruptions. At the Brighton Beach branch in southern Brooklyn, for example, staff members have to move a bank of computers in the adult collection every time it rains because of a leak in the ceil- ing. And at Brooklyn Heights, the doors are often closed early because the HVAC system can’t keep the interior temperature at a comfortable level. “Extreme tempera- $11.60M ture imbalances exist all year long,” says assistant busi- $230.55M ness librarian Paul Otto, “and frequently trigger customer $271.38M complaints [even when we don’t have to close].” :KLOHVHUYLFHGLVUXSWLRQVOLNHWKHVHKDSSHQLQDOOÀYH boroughs, Brooklyn has undoubtedly lost the most ser- vice hours from extreme temperatures and other serious LQIUDVWUXFWXUHHPHUJHQFLHV,Q%URRNO\QEUDQFKHV experienced 140 unplanned closures, adding up to ap-

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proximately 540 service hours. Eleven branches were it is providing enough seating for people to sit down at forced to close for two or more days. Most recently, the a desk, or physically separated rooms for classes and New Lots branch in East New York lost nearly two weeks workshops. In our survey of librarians, not being able to LQ-DQXDU\DQG)HEUXDU\ZKHQLWV\HDUROGERLOHUÀQDOO\ accommodate onsite activities registered time and again stopped working. as a top complaint. Eighty-seven percent of respondents Meanwhile, over two dozen branch buildings, partic- LQGLFDWHG WKDW WKHLU FRPPXQLW\ URRPV ZHUH LQVXIÀFLHQW ularly in Manhattan and the Bronx, are warehousing large WRPHHWSDWURQQHHGVSHUFHQWVDLGWKH\ODFNHGVXIÀ- URRPV³RU HYHQ HQWLUH ÁRRUV LQ VRPH FDVHV³WKDW FRXOG cient space to ensure a quiet working environment; and be used for patron services if they had the funds to mod- 60 percent said their branch struggled to support peo- ernize the core infrastructure in these spaces. At least ple who wanted to work in groups. “These old buildings 14 branches—11 in Manhattan alone—have empty cus- weren’t made for people to stay and hang out,” notes Les- todial apartments averaging 1,000 square feet on their lie Tabor, the branch manager at NYPL’s Yorkville branch WRSÁRRUVDQGRYHUDGR]HQKDYHHPSW\RUXQGHUXWLOL]HG RQWKH8SSHU(DVW6LGH´6RSHRSOHFRPHLQFDQ·WÀQG EDVHPHQWVRUWKLUGÁRRUVWKDWFRXOGEHUHDFWLYDWHGLIWKH\ a seat and leave. It’s hard to draw in new people when were brought back up to code. “These are ideal spaces there’s nowhere for them to sit.” for after-school programming,” says George Mihaltses, Many of the city’s libraries are simply too small to NYPL’s vice president of community and government af- meet the demands placed on a full-service neighborhood fairs, “but unless they have walls replaced and other cap- OLEUDU\ $FURVV WKH ÀYH ERURXJKV  EUDQFK EXLOGLQJV ital needs addressed we can’t use them.” are 10,000 square feet or smaller, and 75 of those are 5HFRQÀJXULQJOD\RXWVDQGDGGLQJEDVLFVHUYLFHDPH- less than 8,000 square feet. Although small buildings nities to meet modern usage patterns and needs is an- pose problems in every borough, it is an especially big other widespread problem. Far too many branches strug- challenge in Queens, which has fewer of the older, larg- gle to provide enough space for people to sit down and plug in their laptops and other mobile devices, for exam- ple. Out of the 45 branches we visited for our site surveys, 4. Brooklyn Public Library: 58 percent (or 26 locations) had plugs for ten devices or fewer, and 18 percent (or eight locations) had plugs for Capital Needs vs Funding just one or none at all. In some cases, even very popular branches had a dearth of electrical outlets for patrons $300M working on their own devices. The McKinley Park branch CAPITAL APPROPRIATIONS RECEIVED IN FY2014 in southern Brooklyn, which ranks in the top ten citywide in both circulation and visits, doesn’t have a single place for patrons to plug in. In Queens, the popular Jackson UNMET CAPITAL NEEDS AS OF 2013 Heights branch can accommodate only three devices at any one time, and all of those outlets are clustered in just one corner of the library. Yet another thing most libraries are struggling to SURYLGHLVVXIÀFLHQWVSDFHIRURQVLWHDFWLYLWLHVZKHWKHU

6 $20.8M er Carnegie-era buildings and more of the shoebox-style book collection and use extensive amounts of their space structures built during Mayor John Lindsay’s administra- for shelving and book processing. To say nothing of the WLRQ   ,Q DOO 4XHHQV KDV  EXLOGLQJV ZLWK closed-off rooms and custodial apartments in many NYPL fewer than 10,000 square feet, compared to 26 in Brook- EXLOGLQJVPDQ\OLEUDULHVDUHRXWÀWWHGZLWKFOHULFDOURRPV lyn, 14 in the Bronx, seven in Staten Island and only six ERRNVRUWLQJDQGODEHOLQJURRPVRIÀFHVIRUWKHEUDQFK in Manhattan. “Our biggest challenge capital-wise is ex- librarian and children’s librarian, staff lounges and even panding the size of some of these small Lindsay boxes,” book sale rooms where old best sellers were stored (and says Frank Genese, the Queens Library’s vice president sold) when they were taken out of circulation. of capital and facilities management. “It’s a real chal- Many of the newest libraries built in New York and lenge squeezing a full-service library into some of these around the world designate comparatively little of their spaces.” Of the $278 million for acquisitions and new building for non-public uses. No New York library built FRQVWUXFWLRQFLW\ZLGHPLOOLRQLVIRUH[SDQVLRQVDQG VLQFH  IRU LQVWDQFH XVHV PRUH WKDQ  SHUFHQW replacement buildings in Queens. of its building for maintenance and administration, and Though postage-stamp-sized buildings sometimes PRVWXVHVLJQLÀFDQWO\OHVVWKDQWKDW 7KHQHZ0DULQHU·V H[FHO LQ VRPH VHUYLFH DUHDV WKH\ DOO KDYH WR VDFULÀFH Harbor branch on Staten Island uses just 12 percent of its essential services in order to prioritize others. Some pri- building for non-patron purposes.) But many of the city’s oritize programming over quiet seating, for example, by ROGHUEUDQFKHVDUHQRWQHDUO\DVHIÀFLHQWLQWKHLUDOORFD- holding many of their events in the main reading room, tion of space. Outside of the central libraries for Brook- while others prioritize table seating and computers, even O\QDQG4XHHQVZKLFKKDYHVLJQLÀFDQWVSDFHQHHGVIRU if their small space prevents them from providing enough systemwide administrative staff, 77 different branches of it. The popular McKinley Park and Rego Park branches, DFURVV WKH FLW\ XVH  SHUFHQW RU PRUH RI WKH EXLOGLQJ for example, both offer comparatively few programs, be- for behind-the-scenes purposes, and 26 of those use 40 cause so much of their building is already being used for percent or more in that way. Collectively, these buildings shelving, seating and administrative space. KRXVHRYHUVTXDUHIHHWRIVSDFHEH\RQGWKH While many branches need to be expanded, rebuilt percent threshold of their more modern peers. or renovated, there are opportunities to activate inef- Despite their rising performance indicators, New York ÀFLHQW DQG RXWPRGHGVSDFHV DW D QXPEHU RI WKH FLW\·V City’s libraries are neither in a state of good repair nor older libraries—if funds were available to build out those keeping up with the needs of 21st-century users. The spaces. Though many of the earliest libraries were built PDLQGULYHURIWKLVVWDWXVTXRLVLQVXIÀFLHQWIXQGLQJ%H- with reading tables and auditoriums for lectures, the vast WZHHQÀVFDO\HDUVDQGWKHFLW\VSHQW majority of the city’s older branches, even from as late as million on capital improvements for the city’s public WKHVZHUHGHVLJQHGÀUVWDQGIRUHPRVWDURXQGWKHLU OLEUDULHV D ZRHIXOO\ LQVXIÀFLHQW DPRXQW JLYHQ WKH RYHU- whelming infrastructure needs, age of the branches and increasing number of New Yorkers using these resources. Beyond inadequate funding levels, however, the li- 5. New Library Branches braries are hamstrung by a broken system that bases funding levels on the decisions of individual elected of- Built In the Past 20 Years ÀFLDOV UDWKHU WKDQ DQ HPSLULFDO DVVHVVPHQW RI EXLOGLQJ needs. While it grants them some level of independence, WKHQRQSURÀWVWDWXVRIWKHWKUHHV\VWHPV UDWKHUWKDQEH- 6 ing city agencies) positions them poorly for securing their place among mayoral priorities. Though parks, schools, cultural institutions and other city entities receive signif- icant amounts of their capital funding from the discre- tionary funds of individual City Council members and

3 SOURCE&KDUWV²%URRNO\Q3XEOLF/LEUDU\$GRSWHG Capital Budget. Of the $20.8 million in capital funds received in 2 2 2 ÀVFDO\HDUPLOOLRQZDVSURYLGHGE\WKH&LW\&RXQFLO DQGPLOOLRQZDVSURYLGHGE\RWKHUVRXUFHV&KDUW Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library and Queens 7 BX BK M QSI Library. Numbers indicate branch locations. Mott Haven, Bronx. Many branches across the city struggle to provide enough seating for patrons.

People come in, can’t find a seat and leave. It’s hard to draw in new ” people when there’s nowhere for them to sit.

borough presidents, the libraries receive a majority of started to be made, they are not consistent enough for WKHLU IXQGLQJ WKLV ZD\ %HWZHHQ ÀVFDO \HDUV  DQG libraries to rely on them for capital planning. SHUFHQWRIWKHOLEUDULHV·FDSLWDOFRPPLWPHQWV Since a lot can ride on the willingness and interest came from City Council and the borough presidents, and of local representatives, and since in some districts li- only 41 percent came from the administration. Of all city EUDULHVKDYHWRFRPSHWHZLWKKLJKHUSURÀOHSURMHFWVIURP agencies, only the Department for the Aging comes close cultural groups or parks, funding levels can vary widely to this level of dependence on the discretionary funding from borough to borough and district to district. As our SURFHVVZLWKSHUFHQWRILWVFDSLWDOIXQGVFRPLQJIURP DQDO\VLV RI WKH ODVW ÀYH \HDUV RI FDSLWDO DSSURSULDWLRQV borough presidents and City Council. In the same ten year shows, some boroughs have received more support from period, the Department of Parks and Recreation received ORFDO UHSUHVHQWDWLYHV WKDQ RWKHUV %HWZHHQ ÀVFDO \HDUV 21 percent of its capital funding this way, and the Depart- 2010 and 2014, Queens received $50 million from Bor- ment of Cultural Affairs 41 percent.4 ough President Helen Marshall and $56.9 million from What’s more, administration funding is much more the City Council. By comparison, Brooklyn received only OLNHO\WREHIRUKLJKSURÀOHSURMHFWVVXFKDV1<3/·V&HQ- $4.4 million from Borough President Marty Markowitz tral Library Plan for the landmark Schwarzman building DQGPLOOLRQIURPWKH&LW\&RXQFLOGXULQJWKHVDPH on 42nd Street. More than half of the administration’s SHULRG,QÀVFDO\HDUGHVSLWHPLOOLRQLQXQPHW PLOOLRQLQDSSURSULDWLRQVVLQFHÀVFDO\HDUIRU capital needs, Brooklyn received just $7.5 million in capi- example, were directed toward that single project, though WDOIXQGVIURPWKH&LW\&RXQFLODQGPLOOLRQIURPDOO NYPL has since decided to change course and use a other sources. majority of those funds to renovate the Mid-Manhattan As a result of this broken funding system, New York library, which has $100 million in repair needs. has only built 15 new or replacement libraries in the past Raising funds through the discretionary process re- 20 years. Since 1995, when it built two branches, Brook- quires the library systems to prioritize projects and shop lyn has managed to build just one new library and fully WKHPDURXQGWRORFDOHOHFWHGRIÀFLDOVVWDUWLQJZLWKWKHOR- renovate eight others. This is wholly inadequate when the cal City Council representative and the borough president average library in the city is over 61 years old. and ending with the Council speaker and mayor at the Other cities across the country have made their aging very end of the process. Unlike agencies such as the De- libraries a priority and have invested hundreds of millions partment of Transportation or the Department of Educa- in rebuilding and replacing them. Over the last 20 years, tion, which negotiate funds directly with the administra- Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco have tion for systematic improvements (e.g. road resurfacing all launched capital improvement campaigns resulting by lane miles, school expansions by seats), the libraries in new or fully renovated libraries for over half of their can’t assume that basic repair and expansion needs will physical plant. In Seattle, the library passed an ambitious be met. And while some lump-sum appropriations have ballot initiative with more than 70 percent approval so WKDWLWFRXOGEXLOGDQHZVTXDUHIRRWFHQWUDOOL-

8 As a new administration turns its attention to quality neighborhoods, affordability and skills development for those New Yorkers who have fallen behind in today’s knowledge economy, there is a strong rationale for making a large capital investment in the city’s libraries. brary and renovate or rebuild every branch in its system. O\ VPDOO EXLOGLQJV PD\ NHHS D PRGHVW SURÀOH EXW WKH\ Ninety percent of the branch libraries in LA, 88 percent in are enormously important to neighborhoods in need of San Francisco and 75 percent in Chicago were either ren- strong civic spaces, students in need of after-school en- ovated or rebuilt as part of those cities sustained capital richment, and adult learners in need of literacy training. campaigns. Though construction on new branches has Doubling capital spending on libraries over the next just begun, the Columbus Metropolitan Library launched ten years would add up to approximately $1.1 billion, or a campaign in 2010 to more than double its overall foot- HQRXJKWRVLJQLÀFDQWO\UHEXLOGRYHUOLEUDULHVDFURVV SULQW E\ WKH \HDU  $V LQ 6HDWWOH WKH OLEUDU\·V SUR- the city, including all the libraries most in need. But the posed ballot initiative won the support of more than 65 de Blasio administration and City Council shouldn’t stop percent of voters, despite the sour economy. In Chicago, there. They should do what cities from Chicago to Seat- former Mayor Richard M. Daley tied library investments to tle have done and undertake a comprehensive campaign broader community development goals, replacing vacant to modernize services and put the libraries on a more lots and liquor stores with new library buildings. sustainable path for the millions of patrons who depend New York City’s charter doesn’t allow the libraries to on them. This would not only bring more of the branches take a capital improvement plan directly to voters, though into a state of good repair, it would unleash their poten- given the results from other cities one suspects it would tial for community development and individual economic have an excellent chance of passing if it did. But the empowerment. Bloomberg administration’s approach to cultural groups As we detail in the blueprint at the end of this report, could serve as a model for what might be done if the de a comprehensive ten-year capital plan and vision for the Blasio administration were to make libraries a priority. libraries would reform and clarify the capital funding pro- %HWZHHQDQGWKH%ORRPEHUJDGPLQLVWUDWLRQ cess, strengthen the management of capital projects, and spent $2.1 billion on cultural facilities, or roughly dou- FUHDWHRSHUDWLQJHIÀFLHQFLHVE\IXUWKHUFRQVROLGDWLQJWKH ble what his predecessor spent over the ten years prior libraries’ book processing and delivery activities. Rather to that.5 Increased capital spending on cultural groups than continuing the time-consuming and piecemeal ap- made sense for an administration that was trying to posi- proach to renovations that has led to such disappointing tion New York as a prominent tourism destination as well results over the last ten years, this new approach would DV D JOREDO FDSLWDO IRU ÀQDQFH ODZ DGYHUWLVLQJ PHGLD allow the libraries to create a more predictable pipeline and technology, since world-class art museums and the- of major projects and serve as a catalyst for common- aters are an enormous draw for both high-end talent and sense reforms in the approvals and contracting process. tourists. But as a new administration turns its attention A comprehensive and well-funded capital plan would to quality neighborhoods, affordability and skills develop- give the city an opportunity to better leverage libraries ment for those New Yorkers who have fallen behind in to- for the administration’s affordable housing, resiliency day’s knowledge economy, there is a strong rationale for and community development agendas: In the blueprint, making a similarly large capital investment in the city’s for example, we identify ten library properties that could libraries. Embedded in communities, these comparative- VXSSRUWVLJQLÀFDQWQHZDIIRUGDEOHKRXVLQJGHYHORSPHQWV

9 and provide several examples of how library investments needs. Just as important, the libraries would be able to could be tied to nearby developments in order to support clarify their role vis-à-vis other city agencies, particularly a stronger, more inclusive community. the Department of Education but also the Department of Moreover, a capital plan that came with guaranteed Consumer Affairs, the Department of Youth and Commu- IXQGVZRXOGÀQDOO\DOORZWKHOLEUDULHVWRGRPRUHORQJWHUP nity Development, the Department for the Aging and the planning of their own. Not only would the libraries be able Department of Small Business Services. They also would to open up hundreds of thousands of square feet of un- be able to build relationships with community partners derutilized space, they would be given a chance to more through a more deliberate and strategic community en- clearly articulate the network of services they offer and gagement process. how they are distributed between the branches. Larger Unlike other cities across the country, New York has hubs could support smaller neighborhood branches with not thought strategically about these critical community a more comprehensive set of services and longer hours, assets—much less developed a comprehensive plan that and small retail branches could help them affordably FRXOG DGGUHVV WKHLU PDQ\ LQHIÀFLHQFLHV³VLQFH $QGUHZ expand their footprint in underserved neighborhoods. Carnegie’s initial donation at the beginning of the last These outposts could serve as pick-up locations for on- century. With this blueprint, we hope to start a conversa- line book orders while using the vast majority of their tion that will change that. VSDFHIRURQVLWHVHUYLFHVWDUJHWHGDWVSHFLÀFFRPPXQLW\

Blueprint for Modernizing New York’s Branch Libraries :HUHFRPPHQGWKDWWKHIROORZLQJVWHSVEHWDNHQE\FLW\RIÀFLDOVOLEUDU\DGPLQLVWUDWRUVDQGRWKHUVWDNHKROGHUV Detailed recommendations can be found in Part II of this report.

FUNDING AND MANAGEMENT • Invest in spaces that facilitate and even encourage • &UHDWHDQGÀQDQFHDFLW\ZLGHFDSLWDOSODQWREULQJ outside partnerships. NYC libraries into the 21st century. • Make libraries a stronger presence in their commu- • Create a “Director of Libraries” inside City Hall. nities. • Give the libraries a capital budget to create a pipe- • Make libraries partners in community resilience line of repair and expansion projects. planning. • Package similar capital projects into a single con- tract and bid. DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT • Pool discretionary allocations to form a library inno- • Maximize public space. vation fund for each borough. • 0D[LPL]HÁH[LELOLW\ • Reduce construction costs and delays for new and • Prioritize electrical system upgrades to increase the renovated libraries. number of outlets. • 5HÀQHDQGVWDQGDUGL]HWKHFLW\·VLQWHUSUHWDWLRQVRI • Invest in library hubs that can anchor services for capital eligibility requirements for libraries. nearby locations. • Revisit capital eligibility rules and expense funding • Co-develop libraries with affordable housing. formulas to cover rising Information Technology • Invest in joyful spaces. costs. • Use outdoor spaces more effectively to create op- • &RQWLQXHWRLQYHVWLQÁRDWLQJFROOHFWLRQVDQGFRQVRO- portunities for programming and civic engagement. idate management operations. • Expand the libraries’ footprint with storefront spac- es in retail corridors and transit centers. COLLABORATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT • 'HYHORSEUDQFKHVDQGVSDFHVGHVLJQHGVSHFLÀFDOO\ • Tie library investments to larger community devel- for freelance workers. opment initiatives. • Find spaces to test out new ideas and services. • Create opportunities for community involvement in the design of new libraries. 10 Mapping New York’s Branch Libraries The map below shows where New York City’s 207 public library branches are located. The shaded circles indicate a half mile radius.

Brooklyn Public Library

New York Public Library

Queens Library

11 KEY FINDINGS

NEW YORK CITY’S PUBLIC LIBRARY BUILDINGS ARE TOO MANY LIBRARY BRANCHES ARE NOT VERY OLD. CONFIGURED TO ADEQUATELY MEET THE NEEDS OF • The average branch library in New York City is 61 TODAY’S PATRONS. years old, with the oldest buildings concentrated in • At a time when computers and mobile devices are Manhattan, where the average age is 84, and Brook- required for even basic work or study, most libraries lyn where it is 65. In Staten Island the average age of don’t have enough functional and accessible electri- library buildings is 61, in the Bronx 57 and in Queens cal outlets for users on their devices. Of the 45 librar- 47. ies we visited, 26 had 10 outlets or fewer. • A quarter of the city’s libraries—52 branches—are at • The libraries’ community rooms are often unable least 100 years old. 159 branches are at least 40 to accommodate the growing demand for classes, years old. homework help, after-school programs and other im- • Only 15 new library buildings have been built in the portant library activities. The rooms they do have for past 20 years. Six of these newest buildings are in programming often double as storage, need repairs, Queens. DQGODFNVXIÀFLHQWHTXLSPHQWVXFKDV:L)LDQGIXU- niture. • Much of the city’s library development occurred during two eras: the Carnegie era (1902—1929), • ,QRXUVXUYH\RIPRUHWKDQOLEUDULDQVDFURVVWKH when 54 of today’s branches were built, mostly ÀYHERURXJKVSHUFHQWVDLGWKDWWKHLUFRPPXQLW\ through a grant from the Carnegie Corporation, and URRPVDUHLQVXIÀFLHQWWRPHHWWKHQHHGVRISDWURQV 0D\RU-RKQ/LQGVD\·VDGPLQLVWUDWLRQ ³  • Although libraries are asked to support a greater ZKHQEUDQFKHVZHUHGHVLJQHGRUEXLOW number and variety of activities, their spaces have not adapted to meet these demands. Seventy-four percent of our survey respondents said they needed THE LIBRARIES’ AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, COMBINED more quiet space, and 60 percent said they couldn’t WITH DECADES OF INSUFFICIENT CITY CAPITAL adequately accommodate people working in groups, FUNDING, HAS RESULTED IN A MAINTENANCE CRISIS. • Many libraries simply don’t have enough seating to • 7KHWKUHHOLEUDU\V\VWHPVKDYHLGHQWLÀHGQHDUO\ accommodate the increasing number of patrons billion in capital needs, of which about $812 million looking for a place to sit down and work. Twenty-two is needed simply to keep their buildings in good work- of the 45 branches we visited in our site surveys had ing condition. The remaining $278 million is for new seating for fewer than 50 people. McKinley Park in construction and branch expansions. Brooklyn and Jackson Heights in Queens each have • Fifty-nine branches have $5 million or more in repair RYHUDQQXDOYLVLWRUVEXW0F.LQOH\3DUNFDQ needs. only seat 48 patrons and Jackson Heights 76. • Across the city, 64 branches need HVAC repairs or replacements, 55 need roof repairs, 55 need to be THE MAJORITY OF LIBRARY BRANCHES ARE SIMPLY PDGH$'$FRPSOLDQWQHHGERLOHUUHSDLUVRUUH- TOO SMALL TO ACCOMMODATE THE INCREASED SODFHPHQWV  QHHG HOHFWULFDO V\VWHP XSJUDGHV DEMAND FOR ONSITE ACTIVITIES. DQGQHHGQHZHOHYDWRUV • The average size of New York City’s branch libraries, • Brooklyn libraries are in particularly bad shape: excluding the much larger Mid-Manhattan Library 51 of the system’s 59 branch buildings (or 86 per- and the Brooklyn and Queens central libraries, is cent) have over $1 million in state of good repair 12,200 square feet. needs. Mainly due to malfunctioning heating and cooling systems, the borough’s branches had 140 • One hundred of the city’s 207 branches are 10,000 unplanned closures, adding up to 540 lost service square feet or smaller; 75 branches are under 8,000 KRXUVLQ square feet.

12 • Queens has the largest share of small branches—41 CAPITAL FUNDING FOR LIBRARIES IS LARGELY are under 10,000 square feet, compared with 26 in BASED ON A DISCRETIONARY, POLITICAL PROCESS, Brooklyn, 14 in the Bronx, seven in Staten Island and CREATING AN INSUFFICIENT AND HAPHAZARD six in Manhattan. PATTERN OF REPAIR. • %HWZHHQÀVFDO\HDUVDQGSHUFHQWRI THE LACK OF SPACE IN MOST CITY BRANCHES IS the libraries’ capital commitments came from the EXACERBATED BY THE OFTEN INEFFICIENT USE OF City Council and borough presidents, and only 41 SPACE. percent came from the mayor. No other city agency relies so heavily on the discretionary dollars of City • 6HYHQW\VHYHQEUDQFKHVXVHSHUFHQWRUPRUHRI Council members and borough presidents. their space for utilities and administrative purposes, while 26 branches use 40 percent or more. • While parks, senior centers, cultural institutions and other city entities also receive capital dollars from • No New York City library built since 2000 uses more borough presidents and council members, only the WKDQSHUFHQWRILWVVSDFHIRUDGPLQLVWUDWLRQDQG public libraries receive a majority of their capital al- utilities, and many newer libraries use 20 percent or lotment from discretionary sources. less for these purposes. • The discretionary process leads to enormous geo- • Fourteen branches have custodial apartments aver- JUDSKLF GLVFUHSDQFLHV LQ IXQGLQJ %HWZHHQ ÀVFDO aging 1,000 square feet that have been shuttered for years 2010 and 2014, libraries in Queens received decades. Twelve other branches have unused base- $50 million in capital funds from its borough presi- PHQWVURRPVRUHQWLUHÁRRUV dent. Over the same period, Bronx libraries received • In order to open up these spaces, major renovations just $5.6 million from its borough president, Brooklyn are necessary to bring them up to code and make OLEUDULHVPLOOLRQ0DQKDWWDQOLEUDULHVPLOOLRQ them ADA accessible. and Staten Island libraries $511,000.

CAPITAL FUNDING LEVELS FOR LIBRARIES HAVE DELAYS AND HIGH COSTS MAKE IT EXTREMELY BEEN WOEFULLY INSUFFICIENT TO COVER BASIC DIFFICULT TO REPAIR AND MODERNIZE LIBRARIES. BUILDING NEEDS. • According to data collected by NYPL, the average • %HWZHHQÀVFDO\HDUVDQGWKHFLW\VSHQW duration for major renovations that are managed by PLOOLRQRQFDSLWDOLPSURYHPHQWVIRUSXEOLFOL- the city is 6.69 years, compared to 1.97 years when braries. Although that sum represented an increase similarly sized projects are managed by NYPL itself. over the ten years prior, it has not come close to • The total cost per square feet for city-managed ren- meeting the libraries’ extensive needs. Of the librar- ovations is $616, compared to $412 for NYPL-man- ies’ $1.1 billion in current capital priorities, all but a aged projects of similar size and scope. City-man- very few have still not received any capital funding. aged new construction costs $1,262 per square foot, • 'HVSLWHKDYLQJRYHUPLOOLRQLQVWDWHRIJRRGUH- compared to $642 for projects managed by NYPL. pair needs, the Brooklyn Public Library received just • Library projects move out of the city’s commitment PLOOLRQLQFDSLWDOIXQGVLQÀVFDO\HDU plan, which includes only fully funded and authorized • 'XHWRLQVXIÀFLHQWIXQGLQJDOOWKUHHOLEUDULHVKDYHWR projects, into the bidding and contracting process at depend on the City Council and the borough presi- a much slower rate than most other agencies. On av- dents for a majority of their capital funds. Between erage, just 21 percent of library projects each year ÀVFDO \HDUV  DQG  WKH %URRNO\Q 3XEOLF move out of the commitment plan to become a reg- /LEUDU\ UHFHLYHG MXVW  PLOOLRQ LQ FDSLWDO IXQGV istered contract with the city comptroller, compared from the mayor. Over the same ten year period, the WRSHUFHQWIRUDOOFLW\DJHQFLHVDQGSHUFHQWIRU 4XHHQV/LEUDU\UHFHLYHGPLOOLRQDQG1<3/ cultural groups. million from the mayor.

13 PART I: BRANCH BREAKDOWN

AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, OVERDUE INVESTMENTS

As most New York City library buildings are old and haven’t been renovated in decades, too many facilities are in a state of disrepair

MOST OF NEW YORK CITY’S 207 BRANCH LIBRARIES nance problems are widespread. The three library ad- are old and in need of physical upgrades just to keep the PLQLVWUDWLRQVKDYHLGHQWLÀHGQHDUO\ELOOLRQLQFDSL- doors open and the building functioning as intended.6 tal needs, spread across 178 branches, or 86 percent $FURVVWKHÀYHERURXJKVWKHDYHUDJHEUDQFKEXLOGLQJLV of their buildings. The overwhelming majority of these 61 years old: In Manhattan, the average age is 84, while costs—$812 million—is for essential repairs or interior in Brooklyn it is 65, in Staten Island 61, in the Bronx 57 renovation, while $278 million is for site acquisition and and in Queens, 47. QHZFRQVWUXFWLRQ&RQVLGHULQJRQO\WKHQHHGVLQWKHÀUVW Citywide, 159 branch buildings are at least 40 years category—which are necessary for keeping existing build- old and 61 are at least 80 years old. A majority of build- ings functional rather than making them larger to meet ings in every borough were built before 1974, but in some growing demand (something we consider in more detail boroughs the branches are considerably older. For exam- in the next chapter)—59 branches each have $5 million ple, in Manhattan, 62 percent of the branches were built or more in needs. These include 18 in Manhattan, 16 in before 1916, and 79 percent before 1965. In Brooklyn, %URRNO\QLQWKH%URQ[ÀYHLQ6WDWHQ,VODQGDQGIRXULQ 29 percent of the branches were built before 1916, and Queens. The average age of these buildings is 81 years. 69 percent before 1965. Because size and age are such important determi- Just 15 out of 207 library facilities across the city nants of a building’s total repair needs, the branches with have been built in the past 20 years, including two in the the highest needs by total dollar amount are concentrat- Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island, three in Brooklyn ed in Manhattan and to a lesser extent Brooklyn, where a and six in Queens.72QO\OLEUDU\EXLOGLQJVKDYHEHHQ plurality of larger, Carnegie-era buildings are concentrat- built since 1980. HG4XHHQVE\FRQWUDVWZKLFKKDV\RXQJHUDQGVLJQLÀ- Because a majority of these libraries haven’t been cantly smaller buildings on average, has a much higher rebuilt or fully renovated in decades, serious mainte- number of buildings that need to be expanded to meet

14 growing demand rather than renovated to keep them in a a lack of windows to create temperature and ventilation state of good repair. SUREOHPV7KHVHFRQGÁRRUKRXVHVWKHFKLOGUHQ·VDUHD Among the buildings with the highest price tags, she says, but the air conditioning doesn’t reach up there, Mid-Manhattan, which has never been renovated since making it uncomfortably hot most of the time. becoming a library in 1961 and has over 154,000 square Though most branch managers make do with tem- feet, has approximately $100 million in needs, while SRUDU\À[HVPDQ\EUDQFKHVKDYHWRVKXWWKHLUGRRUVDW %URRNO\Q·V&HQWUDO/LEUDU\DWVTXDUHIHHWKDV some point due to poorly functioning building systems. nearly $68 million in needs. Larger Carnegies, like Man- ,IDOHDN\URRIRULQVXIÀFLHQWKHDWRUDLUFRQGLWLRQLQJUH- hattan’s three-story Fort Washington and 125th Street quires a library to close, it can’t offer latchkey kids a place EUDQFKHV DQG %URRNO\Q·V 3DFLÀF EUDQFK W\SLFDOO\ KDYH to go after school, seniors a place to be mentally and high price tags of $6.5 million or more. However, con- physically active, or recent immigrants a place to learn WUROOLQJIRUVL]HRQHFDQVHHWKDWEXLOGLQJVDFURVVDOOÀYH English. boroughs, both large and small, are in dire condition. Of Data from the Brooklyn Public Library system shows the top 20 branches by capital needs per square foot, that unplanned closures aren’t a one-off problem but VL[DUHLQ%URRNO\QIRXULQWKH%URQ[ÀYHLQ0DQKDWWDQ a frequent occurrence that seriously impacts service three in Staten Island and two in Queens. Eleven of these GHOLYHU\ ,Q  %3/ VDZ  XQSODQQHG EUDQFK FOR- are at least 80 years old, while all but one is at least 40 sures, losing about 540 library hours in all. Thirty-nine years old. percent of the closures were for four or more hours, and $OWKRXJK GHWHULRUDWLQJ FHLOLQJV ZDOOV ÁRRULQJ DQG 11 branches were closed for the equivalent of two days furniture are common problems, the most serious and or more. highest-priced repair needs include heating and cooling The overwhelming majority of branch closings were systems (so-called HVACs), windows and doors, roofs, due to elevated heat conditions, including 62 closures boilers, elevators and electrical system upgrades. Six- due to inside temperatures of 80 degrees or higher. ty-four branches across the city need HVAC repairs or re- 7KHUHZHUHFORVXUHVGXHWRLQVXIÀFLHQWKHDWLQFOXGLQJ placements, which will run anywhere from $200,000 to four due to indoor temperatures of 58 degrees or lower. PLOOLRQGHSHQGLQJRQKRZH[WHQVLYHWKHV\VWHPLV New York relies on branch libraries to be cooling centers DQGZKDWQHHGVWREHGRQHWRUHSDLURULQVWDOOLW)LIW\ÀYH during the hottest days of summer, and warming centers branches need roof replacements or repairs; 55 branch- in the winter; in both cases, extreme temperatures are HVQHHGUHQRYDWLRQVWREHIXOO\$'$FRPSOLDQWQHHG particularly dangerous for many seniors and other vulner- ERLOHUUHSDLUVRUUHSODFHPHQWVDWOHDVWQHHGHOHFWULFDO able populations. If branches have to close during these V\VWHPXSJUDGHVDQGQHHGQHZHOHYDWRUV times, some neighborhoods will be without a critical In many if not most cases, these basic maintenance health service. and repair needs are limiting the libraries’ ability to ful- ly serve their communities. For example, due to a leaky URRIKHDY\$SULOUDLQVUHFHQWO\ÁRRGHGWKHVWDLUZHOOVDW the New Lots branch in East New York, which now needs 1. Branches with $5 Million+ DERXWPLOOLRQWRUHSODFHLWVURRI+9$&V\VWHPDQG in State of Good Repair Needs windows, install an elevator and renovate the interior. According to the branch manager at the Sheepshead %D\EUDQFK³ZKLFKQHHGVPLOOLRQWRÀ[LWVURRI+9$& 18 windows, and exterior drainage system—heavy rains cre- ated a moat around the branch during a recent event 16 16 celebrating Russian literature and culture. “There’s no drainage,” says branch manager Svetlana Negrimovska- ya, “so the water was up to our shins. People had to pick up the children and carry them across, and everyone sat through the event with wet feet.” Inside the building, says Negrimovskaya, the faulty HVAC system combines with 5 4 SOURCE&KDUW²%URRNO\Q3XEOLF/LEUDU\1HZ

20 Branches With the Greatest State of Good Repair Needs per Square Foot

TOTAL TOTAL SQ SOGR NEEDS BRANCH BOROUGH YEAR BUILT SOGR NEEDS FOOTAGE PER SQFT Port Richmond SI 1905 $9M 9,429 $955 Melrose Bx 1914 $9M 9,927 $907 West New Brighton SI  $6M 6,645  Ryder Bk 1970 $6.6M  $869 125th Street M 1904 $11.8M  $860 Washington Irving Bk  $7.4M 8,691 $851 Throg's Neck Bx 1974 $6.9M 8,280  Sheepshead Bay B 1952 $6.1M 7,672 $795 Fort Washington M 1914 $12M 15,158 $792 Van Nest Bx 1968 $6M 7,690 $780 Brower Park Bk  $4.9M 6,285 $780 St. George SI 1907 $15M 19,280 $778 Walt Whitman B 1908 $5.8M 7,490 $768 Yorkville M 1902 $10M  $758 Muhlenberg M 1906 $9.8M  $757 :DNHÀHOG Bx  $8M   East Flushing Q 1977 $5.4M 7,500 $724 Ottendorfer M 1884 $6M  $720 McKinley Park Bk 1959 $5.4M  $707 Whitestone Q 1971 0 7,500 $701 Source: Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library, Queens Library and the Department of City Planning’s Zoning and Land Use application 16 Unplanned closures also cause last-minute program cancelations. The Brooklyn Heights and Business and 11 BRANCHES Career Libraries (BCL), which are housed in the same in Brooklyn were forced to close for building, ultimately decided to reduce hours this sum- mer in order to minimize disruptions caused by the build- two or more days in 2013 due to LQJ·VIDXOW\+9$&V\VWHP,QWKHEXVLQHVVOLEUDU\ maintenance issues had nearly 1,000 programs that were attended by over SHRSOHDQGKHOGRYHURQHRQRQHEXVLQHVV counseling sessions, but the library will be forced to re- duce those numbers this year because it will be open fewer hours. In many other cases, maintenance issues disturb Top 5 Unplanned Branch library services without causing the branch to close. In Closures in Brooklyn in 2013 addition to the quantitative data we received from the three library systems about their physical plants, we con- DAYS TOTAL HOURS BRANCH GXFWHG VLWH VXUYH\V DW  EUDQFKHV DQG VXUYH\HG  AFFECTED CLOSED library staff members to better understand how patrons Clinton Hill 19 100.75 are using libraries and whether a branch’s physical space Brooklyn Heights/BCL 21 88.75 facilitates or hinders these uses. These surveys brought to light a multitude of service disruptions, including one Flatlands 9 44.75 library that had water from a leaky ceiling collecting in a Flatbush 11  EXFNHWLQWKHPLGGOHRIWKHÁRRUDQGRQHWKDWZDVXVLQJ Brownsville 6 42 fans to combat poor ventilation. Total 66  One unexpectedly big problem that our surveys brought to light is the sad state of many branch bath- Source: Brooklyn Public Library. rooms, a basic necessity for anyone doing more than picking up a book. Of the 45 libraries we visited, 12 had inadequate bathrooms, including eight that were too small and clearly not wheelchair accessible. At Jefferson Market in Greenwich Village, patrons are only allowed to use the bathroom if they have a child with them. And basement-level bathrooms, like the one at Forest Hills, 2. Most Common Repair Needs present a real safety challenge for librarians, as they can’t at NYC Library Branches be easily monitored. Basement-level bathrooms exist in &DUQHJLHEXLOGLQJVOLNHUpper East Side, and Leonard in Williamsburg remain completely inaccessible to wheel- chairs. Other branches are accessible from the front 35 32

SOURCE&KDUW²%URRNO\Q3XEOLF/LEUDU\1HZ

“Carnegies” versus “Lindsay Boxes”

7ZRSUROLÀFHUDVRIOLEUDU\GHYHORSPHQWSURGXFHGWKHWZRPRVWFRPPRQEXLOGLQJW\SHVIRUEUDQFKOLEUDULHVLQ1HZAndrew Carnegie Corporation, DQGWKHVRFDOOHG/LQGVD\ER[HVGHVLJQHGRUEXLOWGXULQJ0D\RU-RKQ/LQGVD\·VDGPLQLVWUDWLRQ  $OWKRXJK every borough has at least a few Carnegies, they are concentrated in Brooklyn and Manhattan: Manhattan has 19, Brook- lyn 18, the Bronx six, Queens four, and Staten Island four. The Carnegie branches were almost all designed by just three DUFKLWHFWXUDOÀUPV 0F.LP0HDGDQG:KLWH&DUUHUHDQG+DVWLQJVDQG%DEE&RRNDQG:LOODUG DQGRIWHQVKDUHWKH VDPHJHQHUDOÁRRUSODQVDQGVW\OHV7KHVHOLEUDULHVWHQGWREHODUJHUWKDQPRVWRWKHUEUDQFKHVDYHUDJLQJVTXDUH feet, with high ceilings and large windows creating grand interiors and a strong sense of place. They are the archetypal li- brary-as-temple, inducing a sense of reverence for books and learning. However, these same features make the buildings GLIÀFXOWWRVWDIIEHFDXVHWKH\ODFNFOHDUVLJKWOLQHVXVXDOO\KDYHPXOWLSOHÁRRUVDQGDUHH[SHQVLYHWRRSHUDWHDQGPDLQWDLQ because of their size and tall ceilings. The Lindsay boxes, by contrast, tend to be lower-quality construction: Many use cinder blocks, for example, have low FHLOLQJVDQGODFNVXIÀFLHQWZLQGRZVOHDGLQJWREDGOLJKWLQJDQGYHQWLODWLRQ7KH\DUHJHQHUDOO\RQHVWRU\DQGPXFKVPDOO- er than the Carnegies, averaging around 7,500 square feet. Still, the boxy style creates very regular shapes that make WKHPKLJKO\ÁH[LEOHLQWHUPVRILQWHULRUOD\RXWVDQGSURJUDPPLQJDQGSURYLGHJRRGVLJKWOLQHVIRUVWDIIVXSHUYLVLRQ,QDOO 54 branches in the city date from the Carnegie era, while 45 were either designed or built during the Lindsay years. The approximately 20 branches built in the decade just before or after the Lindsay administration share many of the same features, including the small size and boxy shape.8

18 PART I: BRANCH BREAKDOWN

NOT MEETING MODERN PATRON NEEDS

Designed around their book collections, most New York City libraries struggle to accommodate patrons who want to sit and work, or take part in a program

IT’S NOT JUST THAT SO MANY NEW YORK CITY LIBRARIES and 14 branches had no soft seating (like reading chairs DUHROGDQGLQDVWDWHRIGLVUHSDLUPDQ\DUHQRWFRQÀJ- or couches) at all. McKinley Park and Jackson Heights ured to meet the needs of today’s users. At a time when are both in the top ten in visitors per year, but McKinley program attendance is skyrocketing and more people are Park can only seat 48 patrons, and Jackson Heights can looking for a place to sit down and work, read the paper only seat 76. or meet with neighbors, most branch buildings are open /RRNLQJDWWKHWRWDOQXPEHURIUHDGHUVHDWVSHU- barely 40 hours a week and their layouts make little room cent of the branches we visited had seating for fewer than available for onsite activities. Designed around their book 100 people. At a time when so many New Yorkers are collections, many devote a majority of their layouts to working as freelancers and other adult and child learners shelves and rooms for book processing; and, with an av- are looking to pick up new skills, this is woefully inade- erage size of just 7,500 square feet, most Lindsay boxes quate. Current metrics for library planning in other cities are simply too small to accommodate both an extensive call for much more seating. Guidelines for new libraries collection and seating. in Washington, D.C, for example, call for a minimum of In our survey of library staff, being able to accommo- 200 reader seats.9 And according to library planning doc- date onsite activities was a widespread concern. Eighty- uments from Columbus and other cities, a branch in a six percent of respondents indicated that their community neighborhood the size of Jackson Heights would have URRPVZHUHLQVXIÀFLHQWWRPHHWSDWURQQHHGVSHUFHQW around 250 seats.10 said they couldn’t ensure a quiet working environment; Below we take a closer look at these and other ways and 60 percent said they struggled to accommodate peo- New York City libraries are failing to accommodate mod- ple working in groups. ern patron needs. Meanwhile, 22 of the 45 branches we visited for our site surveys had table seating for fewer than 50 people,

19 Too small to accommodate onsite activities where to do the programs. But the door counts are 2QH RI WKH PRVW VXUSULVLQJ ÀQGLQJV LQ RXU UHYLHZ huge.”11 of the libraries’ physical plants was the number of very Overall, 10 branches across the city with less than small buildings that are being used as full-service com- 10,000 square feet of space rank in the top quarter munity libraries rather than just express locations. Start- citywide by annual visitors. Two of those—McKinley Park ing in the 1990s, the Chicago Public Library started to (7,600 square feet) and Fresh Meadows (8,700 square move out of its small storefront locations into new, larg- feet)—are among the top circulating branches in the city. er 15,000-square-foot buildings, because the old sites These well-attended branches would undoubtedly attract struggled to provide a full range of services to their com- VLJQLÀFDQWO\PRUHSDWURQVIRUSURJUDPVLIWKH\KDGPRUH munities. New York has fewer of these inherited store- space for them. fronts but it still has a lot of stand-alone boxes that are Though the Brooklyn Public Library has been focused nearly as small. primarily on raising funds for deferred maintenance, the $FURVVWKHÀYHERURXJKVEUDQFKEXLOGLQJVDUH Queens Library has been prioritizing expansions. A signif- each less than 10,000 square feet, and 75 of those are icant share of Queens’ physical plant was built at a time less than 8,000 square feet. Once you factor in space when small boxes were the library prototype of choice. allotted to utilities, staff and bookshelves, a branch with Queens has 41 buildings under 10,000 square feet, com- only 10,000 square feet has very little space left for ta- pared to 26 in Brooklyn, 14 in the Bronx, seven in Staten bles and chairs, much less computer stations and com- Island and six in Manhattan. Though the popular Corona munity rooms that could be used for workshops and branch, a Lindsay-era bunker, underwent a small expan- classes. Many of these small branches manage to do a sion in 2011, the library recently purchased an adjacent lot with very little, but dozens of them are overwhelmed lot and is now trying to raise $19 million for a more ambi- by the demand for programs and other onsite resources tious addition. According to Frank Genese, vice president in their communities, and end up turning people away. of capital and facilities management, expansions are The McKinley Park branch in southern Brooklyn, being proposed for Rosedale, Laurelton and Rego Park for instance, uses a former storage room in the back of as well, and plans for a new building have already been the building for most of its classes and workshops, and funded for Far Rockaway. The new building—designed by doesn’t have nearly enough seating to accommodate all WKHDZDUGZLQQLQJDUFKLWHFWXUHÀUP6QRKHWWD³ZLOOGRXEOH the people asking about the library’s programs for chil- the size of the current branch. GUHQ XQGHU ÀYH DQG (QJOLVK FRQYHUVDWLRQ ZRUNVKRSV Although expanding these and other library buildings “Our program stats at McKinley are lousy,” says Jeanette KDVVWDIÀQJ DQGWKHUHIRUHH[SHQVHEXGJHW LPSOLFDWLRQV Moy, Brooklyn’s vice president for strategic planning, dozens of branches across the city clearly need to be larg- referring to the branch’s low attendance numbers for er if they are going to offer a full range of services to their classes, workshops and other programs. “There’s no- communities.

1. New York City Library Building Sizes

UNDER 5,000SQFT 90 5,000SQFT - 10,000SQFT 10,001SQFT - 15,000SQFT 15,001SQFT - 20,000SQFT 20,001SQFT - 25,000SQFT 57 25,001SQFT - 30,000SQFT OVER 30,000SQFT

30

10 20 7 11 2 Not enough programming space ,Q ÀVFDO \HDU  1HZ

14 SOURCE&KDUW²%URRNO\Q3XEOLF/LEUDU\1HZ

Not enough electrical outlets At a time when laptops and mobile devices are so pervasive, and so important for completing even very ba- VLFWDVNVLQVXIÀFLHQWHOHFWULFDORXWOHWVDUHVLPSO\DGHDO breaker for many would-be library goers. Nevertheless, at many branches across the city there are very few if any places for people to plug in their own devices. During our site visits to 45 different branches across WKHÀYHERURXJKVZHFRXQWHGWKHQXPEHURISXEOLFO\DF- cessible outlets. Our methodology was to count outlets by the number of devices that could be plugged in (i.e. a double outlet would count as two), and our criterion for accessibility was that it had to be reachable without stretching cords or moving furniture across aisles or oth- :DOW:KLWPDQ%URRNO\Q%HFDXVHVRPDQ\EUDQFKHVODFNVXIÀFLHQW electrical outlets, patrons have to be creative. er spaces that needed open access, as this use of outlets is generally prohibited. The results were surprising: Out of 45 branches surveyed, 58 percent had plugs for ten or and complicating the use of space. At Corona, the assis- fewer devices, and 18 percent had plugs for just one or tant manager says they had to rethink their teen space at none at all. the front of the library because so many different patrons Moreover, in a number of cases, the outlets that did wanted to be near the only publicly accessible plugs. exist were inconveniently located or were being used by At some locations, laptop users had to be resource- branch staff for other purposes. For example, at Todt ful. At Walt Whitman in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Hill-Westerleigh on Staten Island, two outlets were power- Brooklyn, one woman with her own laptop was seated at ing fans for better ventilation. At the Spuyten Duyvil, Coro- a public access computer because there was an outlet na and Jackson Heights branches, the outlets were clus- there she could use. When another patron needed the tered in just one corner of the library, limiting the users

SOURCE&KDUW²&HQWHUIRUDQ8UEDQ)XWXUH2XWRI branches visited, 58 percent had 10 or fewer places for patrons 22 to plug in. public computer, she spotted the only other outlet by a RXWRIRIÀFHZRUNHUVWRVLWDWWDEOHV7HHQVSDFHVLQSDU- bookshelf and pulled up a chair to use the mostly empty ticular, are becoming more common in libraries, both in shelf as desk space. New York and across the country, since they can help at- 2XU ÀQGLQJV DUH VXSSRUWHG E\ %3/·VRZQ VXUYH\ RI tract a constituency that libraries are uniquely positioned their branches: using the same methodology, BPL staff to serve, especially now that so many extra-curricular ac- determined that three branches (Borough Park, McKin- tivities are being cut from the regular school day and so ley Park, and Rugby) have no publicly accessible outlets many kids are in need of enrichment programs after the at all. Eleven Brooklyn branches can only accommodate school day ends. Unlike schools, libraries enable teens one person with a device at a time, and nearly 58 percent to learn through exploration and play, allowing them to of their branches can accommodate fewer than ten at a hang-out, explore new topics, play on the computers and WLPH2QO\ÀYHEUDQFKHVPRVWRIWKHPQHZHURUUHFHQW- “geek out,” but without the proper facilities they can also O\UHQRYDWHGEXLOGLQJVKDGRYHUSODFHVIRUSHRSOHWR disturb other patrons. plug in. In the majority of our site visits the teen spaces were mostly informal or ad hoc arrangements that don’t effec- ,QVXIÀFLHQW VHSDUDWLRQ EHWZHHQ QRLV\ DQG tively separate noisier teens from the rest of the library. quiet activities At the Fort Washington and Corona branches, for exam- As libraries have become more active spaces, yet an- ple, teens were assigned a space with a few chairs and other widespread problem is creating enough space for young adult novels, but it was not physically divided from patrons to interact and collaborate without compromis- the rest of the library and other patrons seemed unaware ing the peace and quiet many solitary workers have come that it was a specially designated area. “[The teens at our WRH[SHFW2IWKHUHVSRQGHQWVZKRFKRVHWRZULWHLQ EUDQFK@VHHPWRSUHIHUWRORXQJHDQGUHDGRQWKHÁRRUµ about the things that concern them most in our online says one librarian in our survey. “That may be for the fact survey, a clear plurality (40 percent) mentioned this con- we only have four chairs and one table for them.” ÁLFWEHWZHHQQRLVHDQGTXLHW Freelancers and older students looking for a quiet A number of libraries have responded to this chal- place to work are two more important constituencies lenge by creating zones for different constituencies and many libraries struggle to serve well. “The library used activities. In addition to the spaces traditionally devoted to be solely for quiet work,” writes one respondent in our to the children and adult collections, they’ve carved out survey, “but now that we’re doing (and welcoming!) loud- spaces for teens to mingle and play on the computers, for er activities, especially for teens, we don’t have anywhere seniors to read the paper and for freelancers and other that people who do want to work or study quietly can go.”

In the majority of our site visits the teen spaces were mostly informal or ad hoc arrangements that don’t effectively separate noisier teens from the rest of the library. Parkchester, Bronx. This branch created a “Quiet Zone” to provide a less distracting space for work and study.

23 0DQ\RIWKHFLW\·VEUDQFKHVKDYHRQO\RQHÁRRUIRUDOORI \RQGWKDWSHUFHQWWKUHVKROGDQGKDYHQHDUO\ WKHLUDFWLYLWLHVPDNLQJLWGLIÀFXOWWRNHHSQRLVHIURPWUDY- square feet beyond a much more generous 40 percent eling around the building. And the Carnegies, with their threshold. high ceilings and large rooms, echo so much that even It is rare for modern branch libraries to use more PRGHUDWHYROXPHVFDQGLVWXUERWKHUSDWURQV7KLUW\ÀYH WKDQSHUFHQWRIWKHLUEXLOGLQJIRUQRQSDWURQSXUSRVHV out of the 45 branches we visited in our site surveys did whether for utilities or administration. The new Mariners not have a designated quiet area. In many cases, while Harbor branch in Staten Island, for instance, reserves there was movement and talking, it wasn’t necessarily only 12 percent of its space for behind-the-scenes uses, disturbing. But when a branch is inundated by children though it is a freestanding building with its own mechan- coming after school in the afternoon, as we saw in the ical and IT equipment. Similarly, the Glen Oaks building Jackson Heights branch, it is impossible to maintain a LQ4XHHQVFRPSOHWHGLQKDVRQO\SHUFHQWRILWV good working environment in the library’s main space, gross square footage designated as private. which often doubles as its reading room. Only a handful of libraries had a designated quiet area that seemed to serve that purpose well. Flush- ing, for example, has a separate room for Branches with the Greatest Percent quiet work, Ridgewood has a comfortable of Space Devoted to Non-Public Uses* mezzanine level with soft seating, and Co- TOTAL SQ % NON- QH\,VODQGKDVDTXLHWVHFRQGÁRRU BRANCH NAME BOROUGH FOOTAGE PUBLIC USES In very small branches, mitigating the FRQÁLFWV EHWZHHQ TXLHW DQG QRLV\ DFWLYL- Andrew Heiskell M  69% ties will continue to be a challenge, but a Mid-Manhattan M 154,000 61% lot of other branches could do this better South Jamaica Q  56% with more modern layouts and clever fur- Brooklyn Heights Bk 62,917 56% niture arrangements, in addition to newer VRXQGSURRÀQJ PDWHULDOV DQG WHFKQROR- Riverside M 27,500 52% gies. Epiphany M 15,289 49% Brownsville Bk  49% ,QHIÀFLHQWXVHRIVSDFH Though many branches are simply Flatbush Bk 21,790 45% too small to accommodate modern pa- Walt Whitman Bk 7,490 44% tron needs, many more could make ad- Washington Heights M 16,765 44% ditional room for onsite services if their Saratoga Bk 10,040 44% layouts were modernized. In branches across the city, more space could be cre- Queens Village Q   ated for computers, tables, soft seating, Hunt's Point Bx   and community rooms by realizing space Leonard Bk 10,699  HIÀFLHQFLHVDQGRSHQLQJXSWKRXVDQGVRI square feet that are currently closed off Corona Q 10,000 42% to the public. Glendale Q 10,800 42% Not including the central libraries for Grand Concourse Bx 18,670 41% %URRNO\QDQG4XHHQVZKLFKKDYHVLJQLÀ- Washington Irving Bk 8,691 41% cant space needs for systemwide admin- LVWUDWLRQVWDIIEUDQFKHVDFURVVDOOÀYH Arlington Bk  40% ERURXJKV XVH PRUH WKDQ  SHUFHQW RI Muhlenberg M  40% the building for non-publicly accessible purposes, while 26 branches use 40 per- Source: Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library, Queens Library and the Department cent or more. Collectively, these buildings of City Planning’s Zoning and Land Use. *Excludes Brooklyn Central and Queens Central buildings, all of which use extensive space for systemwide administration and storage. NYPL KRXVHVTXDUHIHHWRIVSDFHEH- square foot values are approximate.

24 In the table below, several branches like Andrew space that it wants to use for after-school programming— Heiskell, Grand Concourse, and Richmond Hill use ex- something it did at Hamilton Grange in 2011, gaining tensive amounts of space for systemwide administrative 4,400 square feet for a teen center, computer bar and SXUSRVHV$QGUHZ+HLVNHOOXVHVRQHÁRRUDVRIÀFHVSDFH performance space—but, according to administrators, for NYPL’s IT staff, and Richmond Hill and Grand Con- the interior renovations would require extensive electri- course both house maintenance equipment used at oth- cal work and remodeling and together cost $10 million, er branches. Large portions of both Riverside (a leased which is currently unavailable. space) and Brooklyn Heights are used to store archival material for the systems’ research libraries. But most Too Much Shelving RIWKHRWKHUEUDQFKHVKDYHVLJQLÀFDQWXQWDSSHGVTXDUH Many branches struggle to make room for patrons footage. because so much of the building is being used for book- NYPL and BPL, in particular, no longer have any use shelves, limiting the amount of space that can be used for for extensive book processing spaces, since much of that tables and desks, computer stations, community rooms work has been outsourced to a book processing facility in and other onsite uses. In a number of branches with low Long Island City called Book Ops. At Book Ops, dedicated FLUFXODWLRQQXPEHUVDVLJQLÀFDQWSRUWLRQRIWKHVKHOYHV staff now do nearly all of the book purchasing, sorting are empty, but due to a lack of funds to remodel they con- and labeling, which frees up librarians in the branches tinue to take up space in the library. While it will always to answer patron questions and administer public pro- be important to have books at most libraries, changes in JUDPV´:HGRQ·WQHHGELJZRUNURRPVRIÀFHVDQGVRUW- usage should inform the amount of space dedicated to ing spaces anymore,” says Joanna Pestka, NYPL’s senior shelving. vice president of capital planning and construction. “In In Brooklyn, branches built between 1950 and 2000 PRVWFDVHVZHQHHGDVHSDUDWHRIÀFHIRUWKHOLEUDU\PDQ- have the most space dedicated to shelves, at about ager and a break room but not much more than that.” SHUFHQWRIWKHLUSXEOLFVSDFHVTXDUHIRRWDJH14 Two According to Pestka, many of NYPL’s branches have com- EUDQFKHV8OPHU3DUNDQG*UHHQSRLQWEXLOWLQDQG pounded the problem of too much administration space UHVSHFWLYHO\GHYRWHPRUHWKDQKDOIRIWKHLUSXEOLF by siting that space in inappropriate areas. The Muhlen- space to shelving. Brooklyn’s Carnegie branches, by com- berg and Hudson Park branches in Manhattan, for exam- parison, built between 1904 and 1929, devote 24 per- ple, use precious space at the very front of the library for cent of their public space to shelves, while Kensington, SULYDWHRIÀFHVDQGFOHULFDOURRPV the only branch built after 2000, uses just 16 percent of In Queens, a lot of the branches use book return and its public space for that purpose. sorting machines, typically near the entrance so that pa- According to David Lankes at Syracuse Universi- trons can slot in books from the sidewalk outside. Though ty’s School of Information Studies, the idea that public the machines allow patrons to return materials at any libraries should dedicate as much space as possible to time of day and have the return registered on their ac- warehousing books is relatively new and may have been count in real time, they are space intensive. At Corona, informed by the rapidly decreasing cost of publishing WKHPDFKLQHDQGSURFHVVLQJURRPWDNHXSDVLJQLÀFDQW books in the 1940s and 50s. Many of the earliest public amount of space, approximately 400 square feet. And at libraries in the United States made ample space for peo- Forest Hills the library had to take away a hang-out space ple to sit down and read or listen to a lecture; a few them IRUWHHQVLQRUGHUWRÀWDODUJHUPDFKLQH even incorporated spaces for sports, like bowling alleys In a number of cases, branches with high private and billiard rooms.15 Today’s libraries need to make room space allocations are warehousing sizable rooms—entire for computers and meeting spaces, and now that patrons ÁRRUVHYHQ³WKDWFRXOGEHUHSURJUDPPHGIRUSDWURQVHU- can go online and have any book in the collection deliv- vices if renovated and brought up to code. In the NYPL ered within 24 hours, onsite collections can be reduced system, for example, the Epiphany, Washington Heights, without compromising people’s access to books. Hunts Point, and Ottendorfer branches all have empty custodial apartments. Epiphany and Washington Heights both have large empty basements as well, as do Wood- stock, New Amsterdam and Hamilton Grange. NYPL has WDUJHWHG VHYHQ EUDQFKHV ZLWK VLJQLÀFDQW XQGHUXWLOL]HG

25 PART I: BRANCH BREAKDOWN

A FRACTURED FUNDING SYSTEM

The city’s piecemeal capital funding and approvals process has made it all but impossible for the libraries to repair and modernize their facilities

DESPITE BEING VALUABLE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSETS, 1. City Capital Expenditures New York City’s libraries are neither in a state of good re- by Agency, FY2004-FY2013 pair nor keeping up with the needs of our 21st century, in- formation-based economy. The two interrelated drivers of WKLVVWDWXVTXRDUHLQVXIÀFLHQWIXQGLQJIURPWKHFLW\DQG 0.55% 7% the broken system that churns out paltry sums accord- Libraries ing to political whims rather than a well-considered asset Parks/Culture management plan. The funding process for libraries is very different from the way that other city infrastructure is funded, and as we detail in the next chapter, is com- 25% pletely unlike the funding process for other successful, 50% urban libraries. Education %HWZHHQÀVFDO\HDUVDQGWKHFLW\VSHQW Other  PLOOLRQ RQ FDSLWDO LPSURYHPHQWV IRU SXEOLF OL- braries, which was a 57 percent increase over the ten years prior.16 But while capital expenditures for libraries 5% increased under Mayor Bloomberg, this was largely the result of increased capital spending overall rather than Housing a purposeful campaign by the administration. As a per- 12% centage of the city’s total capital spending, library invest- ments have remained fairly consistent at about one half Transportation RIRQHSHUFHQWUDQJLQJIURPSHUFHQWXQGHU0D\RUV

26 Koch and Dinkins and .41 percent under Mayor Giuliani Relying so much on this piecemeal, largely discre- to .55 percent under Bloomberg. tionary process has several negative consequences for Moreover, compared to other agencies, a much the libraries. First, it tends to lead to big geographic dis- greater percentage of the libraries’ capital funds come crepancies in funding, as the libraries compete with cul- from individual City Council members and borough presi- tural organizations, parks and schools for limited capital GHQWV%HWZHHQÀVFDO\HDUVDQGSHUFHQW GROODUV$VDQDQDO\VLVRIWKHODVWÀYH\HDUVRIFDSLWDODS- of the libraries’ capital commitments came through the propriations shows, some boroughs have received much discretionary process, while only 41 percent came from more support from local representatives than others. Be- the mayor.17 Although museums, parks and schools also WZHHQÀVFDO\HDUVDQGWKH4XHHQVERURXJK receive sizable capital investments from the City Coun- president gave $50 million to library projects, while the cil and borough presidents every year, they make up a Bronx borough president gave $5.6 million, the Brooklyn much smaller percentage of their total capital funding. borough president $4.4 million, the Manhattan borough Over the same ten-year period, 41 percent of the city’s SUHVLGHQWPLOOLRQDQGWKH6WDWHQ,VODQGERURXJKSUHV- capital funding for cultural groups came from individual ident $511,000. Similar discrepancies exist among City City Council members and borough presidents, while 21 Council and even mayoral appropriations: During the percent of funding for parks and 7 percent of funding for same period, NYPL was able to raise roughly twice as schools came from these sources. Among all city agen- much from the mayor than either of the other two sys- cies, only the Department for the Aging, which manages tems did, while Queens and NYPL were both able to raise WKHFLW\·VVHQLRUFHQWHUVDQGUHFHLYHVSHUFHQWRILWV VLJQLÀFDQWO\PRUHWKDQ%URRNO\QIURP&LW\&RXQFLO capital dollars from council members and borough pres- “The current system doesn’t work,” says Council idents, comes close to the libraries’ level of dependence Member Jimmy Van Bramer, who chairs the Council’s on non-mayoral funding for capital projects. Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup While city agencies like the Department of Transpor- Relations Committee. “The needs are far too great for in- tation negotiate directly with the administration for cap- dividual council members to meaningfully address their ital funds based on a rigorous assessment of need, the branches. They can do half a million dollars here, half a libraries have no guaranteed source of funding and have million there. But the minimum to fund a state of the art WR VKRS WKHLU SURMHFWV DURXQG WR LQGLYLGXDO HOHFWHG RIÀ- library is $20 million. There’s no way for a council mem- cials, starting with the local City Council representative ber to put that together.” and the borough president and ending with the Council Second, the lack of a guaranteed budget and the speaker and mayor. “For mayoral agencies, the city does concomitant need to shop projects around to council D JRRG MRE RI NHHSLQJ WKDW ÁRZ RI EDVLF LQIUDVWUXFWXUH FDSLWDOJRLQJµVD\V'DOO)RUV\WKHDJRYHUQPHQWÀQDQFH expert at New York University. “Often that stuff that no- body cares about politically at all, OMB and the mayor 2. Capital Commitments to NYC fund it. They just do it.” Libraries by Source, FY2004- But, as Forsythe acknowledges, this is not how it works for the majority of library projects. Whereas the FY2013 DOT and Department of Education both have a guaran- teed capital budget that allows them to prioritize projects based on need, the libraries have to prioritize projects $298.7M based on the relative levels of interest shown by elect- HGRIÀFLDOVDQGWKHLUUHSUHVHQWDWLYHV$QGZKHUHWKH'27 and DOE negotiate for funds on a systematic basis, with so many dollars going toward road resurfacing and so $205.7M many toward seat expansions, the libraries tend to nego- tiate on a project-by-project basis.

SOURCE&KDUW²2IÀFHRIWKH1HZ

3. Capital Appropriations to NYC 4. Percent of Capital Funds Libraries by Borough Presidents, from City Council and Borough FY2010-FY2014 Presidents, FY2004-FY2013 $49.9M

59% LIBRARIES AGING 53% CULTURAL AFFAIRS PARKS HPD 41% DOE

21%

$5.6M $3.0M $4.4M 11% 28 M BP $.5M Q BP BX BP BK BP SI BP 7% You shouldn’t be funding capital projects piecemeal. Doing it on a discretionary basis is not consistent with long-term planning. It’s ” not well thought-out, and there’s no way of ensuring that what some particular council members do is consistent with an overall plan.

For example, when the Washington Heights branch ler’s Directive 10 guidelines for capital eligibility. Among was renovated in 2011, NYPL spent several million dol- other things, projects have to be comprehensive rather ODUVWRGRUHQRYDWLRQVRQWKHÀUVWDQGVHFRQGÁRRUVEXW than merely surface treatments, have a useful life of at GLGQ·W KDYLQJ IXQGLQJ WR GR WKH WKLUG ÁRRU DQG FXVWRGL- OHDVW ÀYH \HDUV DQG VLJQLÀFDQWO\ LPSURYH WKH OLEUDU\·V al apartment, replace some windows, and renovate the ability to serve patrons. To be considered a single project, exterior, all which would have cost an additional $4.8 they also have to be physically or functionally contiguous; million. As it stands, the Washington Heights branch has EXLOGLQJDWHHQFHQWHURQWKHVHFRQGÁRRUDQGDUDPSIRU been much improved, but still needs lots of work and ZKHHOFKDLUVDWWKHHQWUDQFHIRULQVWDQFHZLOOEHFHUWLÀHG hasn’t come anywhere near reaching its full potential. as two projects and go out to bid separately. This is extremely common. Since 2010, 79 percent of the Because so much interpretation is involved in de- branches receiving capital upgrades still have outstand- termining what is “comprehensive” or “contiguous,” the ing state of good repair needs, and 64 percent have $1 libraries are often asked to dramatically revise their pro- million or more in needs.19 posals, which in some cases requires going back to elect- Doing everything in this piecemeal way makes it HGRIÀFLDOVIRUPRUHPRQH\:KHQWKH3DUN6ORSHEUDQFK GLIÀFXOWWRGRORQJWHUPSODQQLQJVLQFHVRPXFKRIWKH in Brooklyn was closed in 2009 so that contractors could libraries’ planning capacity is geared toward piecing to- install a new elevator and make other important changes JHWKHUIXQGVIRUSURMHFWVDQGÀJXULQJRXWKRZWKH\FDQEH for ADA compliance, the library raised funds for a modest stretched to cover their needs. “You shouldn’t be funding interior renovation so that they could make most use of capital projects piecemeal,” says Charles Brecher, con- the time the branch was closed and modernize the layout sulting research director at the Citizens Budget Commis- and look of the interior. But though the estimated cost sion and a professor of public policy at NYU. “Doing it on a ZDV20%UHMHFWHGWKHSURSRVDODVDVXUIDFH discretionary basis is not consistent with long-term plan- treatment, requiring the library to go back and devise ning,” he says. “It’s not well thought-out, and there’s no another more expensive and more intrusive renovation way of ensuring that what some particular council mem- plan. In the end, the interior renovation cost $1.8 million bers do is consistent with an overall plan.” and by the time all the work was done—including the ADA Beyond funding, getting project appropriations ap- work—the branch had been closed for three years. SURYHGE\WKH2IÀFHRI0DQDJHPHQWDQG%XGJHW 20%  The fact that most library capital projects go through to make sure they are capital eligible, scoped by the De- the funding, approvals and contracting process separate- partment of Design and Construction (DDC) to arrive at ly, no matter how small or how similar they are to other DPRUHH[DFWFRVWDQGWLPHHVWLPDWHDQGWKHQFHUWLÀHG projects going on at the same time, makes them some of to go out to bid can be an extremely time-consuming and the slowest and most expensive to complete in the city. arduous process in its own right. Because the vast ma- Library projects move out of the city’s commitment plan, MRULW\RIFDSLWDOSURMHFWVLQWKHFLW\EXGJHWDUHÀQDQFHG which includes only fully funded and authorized projects, through long-term debt, OMB has to make sure each into the bidding and contracting process at a much slow- SURMHFWPHHWVWKHVWDWHÀQDQFHODZDQGWKHFLW\FRPSWURO- er rate than most other agencies, even the Department

SOURCE&KDUW²2IÀFHRI0DQDJHPHQWDQG%XGJHW)LVFDO

Rising IT Costs, Constrained Budgets

Public libraries have long been important access points for information, and in a digital world serving that function well requires technology. According to a 2011 study by researchers at SUNY Albany, approximately 2.9 million residents in New York City don’t have broadband Internet access at home.21 For many of these of these people, the neighborhood library is WKHRQO\SODFHWKH\FDQJRWRFKHFNHPDLOVHDUFKIRUMREVVXEPLWDSSOLFDWLRQVÀOHWD[HVRUDQ\QXPEHURIRWKHUHYHU\GD\ tasks that require computers and Internet access. However, as technology becomes an increasingly important part of what libraries do, funding has not kept pace with the rising costs of additional computers and bandwidth. The libraries’ operating budgets have actually decreased since 2008, and although desktop computers are eligible to receive capital funds, many other important technologies are not. These include laptops, tablets, cloud storage, broadband and, in many cases, even electrical distribution upgrades to increase the number of outlets for patrons on their laptops. Outside of desktop computers, most computing devices do QRWPHHWWKHÀYH\HDU´XVHIXOOLIHµFULWHULRQIRUFDSLWDOHOLJLEOHLWHPVDQGHOHFWULFDOXSJUDGHVRIWHQIDOOLQWRWKHFDWHJRU\ of a “surface treatment,” making them ineligible as well. This combination of rising IT costs and low budgets have impaired the libraries’ ability to meet the technology needs of their patrons. Nearly 70 percent of respondents in our survey indicated that existing computers, printers and Wi-Fi VSHHGVZHUHQRWVXIÀFLHQWWRPHHWGHPDQGLQWKHLUOLEUDULHV$QGLQDWHVWRIEURDGEDQGVSHHGVDWWKH%URRNO\Q3XEOLF Library earlier this year, library staff found that nearly all of their locations fell far short of national standards. The down- ORDGVSHHGVDWWKHORFDWLRQVWHVWHGUDQJHGIURPNLORELWVSHUVHFRQG NESV WRPHJDELWVSHUVHFRQG PESV  By contrast, the FCC’s 2014 Measuring Broadband America report found that average download speeds at homes across the country were approximately 21 mbps, or nearly eight times faster than the fastest libraries in Brooklyn.22 30 PART I: BRANCH BREAKDOWN

NEW VISIONS FOR URBAN LIBRARIES

Public libraries in other major American cities have taken ambitious steps to modernize their buildings and services

WHEN FACED WITH DETERIORATING AND OUTMODED which, along with the branch library expansions, effec- libraries, a number of other cities across the country have tively doubled its square feet across the city. Similarly, invested in ambitious modernization plans. By develop- Los Angeles replaced over 90 percent of its library infra- ing thoughtful, systemwide capital planning programs, structure during its 1989 and 1998 capital programs, they’ve been able to revitalize their aging libraries while building or renovating 64 branches in a 15-year period. improving services for their patrons. In L.A.’s most recent strategic plan, they propose an addi- In Chicago, library construction has been a key com- tional 19 projects, including two renovations and 17 new ponent of the city’s larger neighborhood revitalization ef- buildings in order to keep pace with projected demand.25 IRUWV/LEUDU\VWDIIZRUNHGFORVHO\ZLWKWKHPD\RU·VRIÀFH In 2000, the San Francisco Public Library launched to develop an ongoing capital program which has renovat- the largest capital improvement program in its history, ed or rebuilt 60 of the city’s branch libraries since 1989. in order to replace older storefront branches or create %\&KLFDJRKDGUHEXLOWRUUHQRYDWHGPRUHWKDQ entirely new locations. The 24-building campaign, reno- percent of its library system, often replacing leased store- vating 16 existing facilities and building eight new ones, fronts with modern, environmentally friendly buildings. touched the lion’s share of the system’s 27 total loca- In 1998, Seattle issued the largest library bond in tions.26 U.S. history in order to build a new central library down- The Columbus Metropolitan Library in Ohio, a consis- town and build or renovate 26 branch facilities. Totaling tently top-performing library system, is in the early stages $197 million ($287 million in 2014 dollars), the bond of its 2020 Vision Plan, with a goal of more than dou- ZDVVXSSOHPHQWHGE\PLOOLRQ PLOOLRQLQ bling—and possibly tripling—the system’s square footage dollars) in foundation grants and individual donations.24 in just 20 years. Responding to a need for more activity With that, the Seattle Public Library was able to build an space, they are designing buildings that provide ample LPSUHVVLYHVWRU\VTXDUHIRRWFHQWUDOOLEUDU\

31 VHDWLQJFROODERUDWLYHZRUNVSDFHVDQGÁH[LEOHOD\RXWVWR We would buy old meet a variety of user needs.27 motels and liquor stores ,QHYHU\RQHRIWKHVHFDVHVOLEUDULHVDQGFLW\RIÀFLDOV “ didn’t just raise funds to cover existing state of good re- pair needs, they articulated comprehensive plans based in order to transform on evaluations of their buildings, user and community needs, and demographic changes. The Columbus Met- these communities with ropolitan Library’s 2020 Vision Plan, for instance, used FXVWRPHUPDSSLQJGDWDWRKHOSGHÀQHVHUYLFHDUHDVDQG libraries at their center. locate both overstretched branches and underserved neighborhoods. The library evaluated use patterns across its branches as well as demographic trends throughout the region. And, with the help of a team of architects and library consultants, they found that all but one of their Two campaigns H[LVWLQJ IDFLOLWLHV ZDV XQGHUVL]HG DQG ODFNHG VXIÀFLHQW seating and meeting spaces to meet current and future in Chicago resulted in patron needs. In Chicago, proactive capital planning plus support 60 NEW from city and state government led the library to work ZLWKWKHFLW\SODQQLQJGHSDUWPHQWWRÀQGQHZORFDWLRQV OR RENOVATED for dozens of outmoded and underperforming storefront branches. The new locations needed to be in places BRANCHES where they could attract patrons and bolster larger com- munity development efforts. “We would buy old motels and liquor stores in order to transform these communi- ties with libraries at their center,” explains former library commissioner Mary Dempsey. In West Englewood, the li- Backed by a $200M bond, brary worked with the department of city planning to help stabilize a neighborhood that had suffered from decades the Seattle Public Library doubled of disinvestment, putting the library next to a planned their original goal and raised GD\FDUH FHQWHU DQG VRFLDO VHUYLFH QRQSURÀW DV ZHOO DV parks and schools. “We got in our cars and drove around 30% IN ADDITIONAL to see what kind of development would have the biggest effect,” says Dempsey. PRIVATE FUNDING While some cities like Chicago can issue bonds uni- laterally, others must turn to voters. Columbus, Los An- geles, and Seattle all passed ballot initiatives by large margins for their library capital campaigns.28 Seattle’s “Libraries for All” initiative passed with 70 percent of the vote, and when the Columbus library sought to increase Voters in Columbus the property tax levy to help make up for declining state support and fund the debt service for their new capital approved a tax increase to fund campaign, voters approved it by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, library capital improvements by a despite a weak local economy. With the increased proper- ty tax revenue, the library chose to sell tax-exempt library 2 TO 1 MARGIN notes in 2012 to fund part of the 2020 Vision Plan. The library received so much interest that the notes sold out within three hours.29 Of the library’s ability to issue notes to fund capital projects, Columbus Metropolitan Library

32 Ambitious Library Capital Campaigns in Other Cities

LIBRARIES BUILT % OF BRANCHES CITY YEAR CAMPAIGN COST* OR RENOVATED AFFECTED

Seattle, WA 1998 $408.6 27 100%

Los Angeles, CA 1989 $207.6 64 90% 1998 

San Francisco 2000 $146.6 24 88%

Chicago, IL 1996-2000  60 75%

Cuyahoga County, OH 2010 $120.2 18 66%

Columbus, OH** 2010  10 48%

'ROODUDPRXQWVDUHOLVWHGLQPLOOLRQVDQGUHÁHFWLQÁDWLRQDGMXVWHGGROODUV **Phase 1 of Columbus Metropolitan Library’s 2020 Vision Plan.

CEO Patrick Losinski says, “We have a level of indepen- library staff build stronger relationships with neighbor- dence that makes us more nimble, much less subject to hood leaders and groups. the whims of a certain political wind.” Through these community meetings and the result- In Seattle, Columbus, Indianapolis, and Washington ing capital investments, Libraries for All had a tremen- D.C., among other cities, community engagement has dous impact on library performance. At the completion played a critical role in documenting patron needs and of the building program in 2008, circulation across Seat- winning public support for capital campaigns. To create tle’s 27 branches had risen 94 percent and attendance the 2020 Vision Plan, the Columbus Metropolitan Library at public programs 62 percent. held focus groups and community meetings to help docu- ment shortcomings in existing facilities. Like in New York, they found a lack of electrical outlets, group activity spac- es and meeting rooms were at the top of the list. In Seattle’s Libraries for All campaign, library staff held over 100 community meetings over the course of just four months in order to listen and document ideas for new and renovated libraries. Through this process, residents started to develop a sense of ownership over the process that was critical in getting the bond initiative passed. But, according to Deborah Jacobs, the head li- brarian during the campaign, it also paved the way for deeper community relationships after the libraries opened (or reopened) in their communities. The meet- LQJVUHVXOWHGLQXQLTXHEXLOGLQJVWKDWUHÁHFWWKHLQGLYLGX- al needs of their communities, she says, and they helped

33 PART II BLUEPRINT FO

Glen Oaks, Queens. Marble Fairbanks. Photo: Queens Library

Hamilton Grange, Manhattan. Rice+Lipka Architects. Photo: Michael Moran

Stone Avenue, Brooklyn. SeeChangeNYC and Biber Architects. Photo: © Albert Verceka/Esto 34 OR THE FUTURE

NEW YORK CITY NEEDS A BOLD NEW VISION FOR HARNESSING THE POTENTIAL OF ITS BRANCH LIBRARIES.

:LWKURRWVLQQHDUO\HYHU\FRPPXQLW\DFURVVWKHÀYHERURXJKVWKHOLEUDULHVDUH uniquely positioned to help the city address several economic, demographic and social challenges that will impact New York in the decades ahead—from the rapid aging of the city’s population (libraries are a go-to resource for seniors) and the continued growth in the number of foreign-born (libraries are the most trusted institution for immigrants) to the rise of the freelance economy (libraries are the original coworking spaces) and troubling increase in the number of disconnected youth (libraries are a safe haven for many teens and young adults). But the city has not thought strategically about these assets in decades. $OWKRXJKOLEUDULHVKDYHVWHSSHGLQWRÀOOFRPPXQLW\QHHGVLQDYDULHW\RIZD\VWKH vast majority of the city’s branch libraries are struggling to meet the demands of their communities. As we detail in this report, the average branch library in New York is 61 years old and 59 branches have at least $5 million in state of good UHSDLUQHHGV,QDGGLWLRQWRRPDQ\EUDQFKHVDUHQRWZHOOFRQÀJXUHGIRUKRZ1HZ Yorkers are using libraries today. Designed around their book collections, many don’t have enough space to accommodate the growing demand for literacy and after-school programs, computers and quiet spaces to work. It’s time for Mayor de Blasio and the City Council to work with the three public library systems and develop a comprehensive vision for bringing these incredible assets into the 21st century. In the following blueprint, we detail more than 20 steps that the city and libraries can take to make the most use of these important public facilities, including how to make them responsive to the needs of today’s residents and how to put them on a more sustainable path for the future. The recommendations fall into three broad categories: Funding and Management; Collaboration and Community Engagement; and Design and Development.

35 PART II: BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE FUNDING AND MANAGEMENT

&UHDWHDQGÀQDQFHDFLW\ZLGHFDSLWDOSODQ valuable assets into its other policy priorities, particularly to bring New York City libraries into the 21st with respect to affordable housing and community devel- century opment. And it would give the libraries an opportunity to New York City’s community libraries have not been a UHDOL]H PXFKQHHGHG HIÀFLHQFLHV LQ WKHLU RSHUDWLRQV DV priority in decades. The piecemeal approach the city has well as in their building layouts and locations. taken to their repair has resulted in crippling needs and a widespread lack of modern amenities. The vast majority 2. Create a “Director of Libraries” inside City of library buildings were designed around a very different, Hall outmoded model of library service and struggle to pro- By creating a new position in City Hall for a Direc- vide spaces for people to study and get on the computer, tor of Libraries, the city could strengthen these institu- much less take part in workshops. tions’ status as quasi-public agencies. Because all three In partnership with the libraries, the de Blasio admin- V\VWHPVDUHLQGHSHQGHQWQRQSURÀWVDQG\HWGHSHQGVR istration should create a ten-year capital plan to address heavily on city funds for the majority of their expense the $1.1 billion in physical plant needs at the city’s librar- and capital budgets, and because the vast majority of ies. Although $1.1 billion sounds like a lot, it would repre- branch buildings are owned by the city, it makes sense VHQWRQO\SHUFHQWRIWKHFLW\·VWHQ\HDUFDSLWDOEXGJHW to appoint someone who can both exercise oversight over given the spending levels over the last decade. And just the libraries’ management of city assets and serve as a as the Bloomberg administration doubled spending on knowledgeable voice on the city’s side during budget ne- cultural facilities over the last ten years—increasing total gotiations. capital spending to $2.1 billion in that time—the de Blasio With respect to capital investments, in particular, administration should prioritize these increasingly critical a Director of Libraries could provide a knowledgeable neighborhood resources. A $1.1 billion commitment to perspective on what increased investments could do for the libraries would represent just over double the funding library services across the city, how they could support the libraries have received in the last ten years. Making a other city goals, and how they might be best structured ÀUPÀQDQFLDOFRPPLWPHQWDQGZRUNLQJZLWKWKHOLEUDULHV to create a long-term capital plan consisting of a pipeline to create a planning framework would also open the door of priority projects. A library liaison in City Hall could also to increased philanthropic dollars, as it did in Seattle’s help pave the way for partnerships between the libraries Libraries for All campaign in the late 1990s and early and other city agencies. 2000s. Backed by a $196 million bond, Libraries for All At the same time, this person and his or her team doubled their private funding campaign goal, ultimately could encourage more cooperation across the three li- UDLVLQJ  PLOOLRQ³RU QHDUO\  SHUFHQW LQ DGGLWLRQDO brary systems by urging them to merge their collection support—from private sources. management operations and invest in shared perfor- When the city submits a new ten-year capital plan mance measures and asset management systems to aid QH[W-DQXDU\OLEUDULHVVKRXOGÀJXUHSURPLQHQWO\$VWKH LQSODQQLQJ$QGKHRUVKHFRXOGWDUJHWRWKHUHIÀFLHQFLHV rest of this blueprint makes clear, creating a long-term by working with the libraries, OMB and DDC to package plan and vision for New York City’s libraries would give capital investments into single contracts, create clearer the city an opportunity to incorporate these increasingly design standards for new and renovated branch libraries,

36 and pave the way for “pass-through” contracts for proj- 3. Give the libraries a dedicated capital allo- ects that draw on private donations and grants. Accord- cation for repair and expansion projects ing to Deputy DDC Commissioner David Resnick, project Like other city agencies, the libraries shouldn’t have management support at the Department of Cultural WRGHSHQGRQWKHFLW\·VGLVFUHWLRQDU\IXQGLQJSURFHVVWRÀ- Affairs has had a positive effect on on-time completion nance critical infrastructure upgrades. City Council mem- rates. “We have an intermediary agency on the cultural bers, in particular, rarely have enough money to cover side that doesn’t really exist for libraries,” he noted in a these expenses in full, and most don’t want to use their recent City Council hearing. limited funds on invisible state of good repair (SOGR) needs like new boilers, roofs, and HVACs. Because rais-

Making a firm financial commitment and working with the libraries to create a planning framework would also open the door to increased philanthropic dollars, as it did in Seattle’s Libraries for All campaign.

The $10.6 million Ballard Branch, which opened in May 2005, was the 15th project37 completed under Seattle’s “Libraries for All” campaign. Photo: julesantonio / CC BY ing funds through this process can take so long, needed 21 percent, compared to 45 percent for all city projects repairs are often left to fester until an emergency makes DQGSHUFHQWIRU'&$IXQGHGSURMHFWV them impossible to ignore. Doing as many other city agencies do and packag- As an alternative, the de Blasio administration should ing multiple projects into just one contract and bid could reserve enough capital funds every year for the libraries dramatically reduce the time it takes to complete this pro- to create a pipeline of priority projects based on an as- cess. For example, 76 branches across the city are in need sessment of their physical plant conditions rather than of security system upgrades, the combined cost of which the success of their fundraising efforts. This is something is an estimated $10.4 million. Rather than processing 76 past administrations have done for most other city agen- different security system requests and contracting them cies, while requiring the libraries to raise their funds proj- out individually, these jobs should be packaged together ect by project and location by location. Guaranteeing a and contracted out as one large project (or perhaps two pool of funding for critical infrastructure improvements or three projects, depending on the circumstances—but would allow the libraries to be more proactive in their ap- not 76). The city could do this for HVAC repairs, roof re- proach to building needs, investing in repairs long before SDLUV ÀUH DODUP UHSODFHPHQWV RU DQ\ QXPEHU RI RWKHU they become emergencies. And it would help close the common building upgrades. The School Construction Au- stark geographic disparities in funding resulting from the thority likes to combine its playground renovations into a discretionary process. single contract, for instance, while the Department of En- Moreover, a guaranteed pool of SOGR funds would vironmental Protection does the same for sewer repairs. enable the libraries to make most use of the discretionary Grouping projects in this way would save each individ- dollars they raise from individual City Council members ual upgrade from having to go through the city’s lengthy and borough presidents. Instead of using those funds FHUWLÀFDWLRQDQGFRQWUDFWLQJSURFHVVVHSDUDWHO\,WPLJKW for critical but invisible building upgrades, they could use DOVRDWWUDFWDODUJHUJURXSRITXDOLÀHGFRQWUDFWRUVDQGLQ them for interior renovations and other strategic modern- certain cases, reduce costs through bulk purchases and izations, including new computer labs, community rooms, other economies of scale. teen centers and the like. Once a steady pipeline of ad- ministration-funded projects is underway, these kinds of 5. Pool discretionary allocations to form a Li- interior renovations could be added in as enhancements brary Innovation Fund for each borough to make most use of the time branches are closed to the Library capital projects are time-consuming in part public. If the libraries have a roof replacement job sched- because the libraries have to shop around projects to in- uled at the end of the following year, for example, they GLYLGXDO HOHFWHG RIÀFLDOV DQG SLHFH WRJHWKHU IXQGV RYHU could try to raise additional funds for a new teen center several years. For even relatively simple projects like roof as well. Being able to plan and coordinate projects in this replacements or interior renovations, the libraries have to way would be an enormous relief for the city’s libraries. lobby borough presidents, council members, the council speaker and the mayor, putting together partial funds un- 4. Package similar capital projects into a sin- til the project is fully covered and can start the approvals gle contract and bid process with the city. To help expedite this process, the After funding is secured, getting individual capital libraries should work with the borough presidents and projects into the city’s Commitment Plan and then from borough delegations in the City Council to create a pool WKH&RPPLWPHQW3ODQWRD&HUWLÀFDWHWR3URFHHGZKHUH- of capital funds for each borough. As discussed in a re- upon an RFP is issued and ultimately a contract signed, cent report on the Department of Parks and Recreation, tends to be a time-consuming and complicated process this will enable the libraries to create a more predictable for all city agencies, but none more so than the librar- pipeline of fully-funded projects while making these proj- ies. As shown on page 29, library projects take much lon- ects a more attractive investment for individual elected ger on average to complete the city’s approvals process RIÀFLDOV before being contracted out for work. Over the last ten As a part of the funding pool—perhaps called the years, the average annual commitment rate for library “Library Innovation Fund”—individual projects will still projects in the city’s Commitment Plan—which measures EHVKRSSHGDURXQGWRLQGLYLGXDOHOHFWHGRIÀFLDOV%XWLQ- how many projects authorized in the plan turn into re- stead of contributing directly to a given project in their al-world contracts registered by the Comptroller—was just GLVWULFWRIÀFLDOVZLOOSD\LQWRWKHIXQGRYHUVHYHUDO\HDUV

38 SOURCE&KDUWV²1HZ

Construction Projects (years) TOTAL COST/SQFT CONSTRUCTION COST/SQFT

7.26 $1,262

$883

$642 3.57 $523

DDC MANAGED NYPL MANAGED DDC MANAGED NYPL MANAGED PROJECTS (AVG) PROJECTS (AVG) PROJECTS (AVG) PROJECTS (AVG) 39 (DCLA) worked with key staff members at the Department hundreds of thousands of dollars that would have mod- RI'HVLJQDQG&RQVWUXFWLRQ ''& WKH2IÀFHRI0DQDJH- ernized the layouts and changed the function of library PHQWDQG%XGJHW 20% DQGWKH0D\RU·V2IÀFHRI&RQ- spaces as mere surface treatments. Third, it has turned tracts (MOCS) to standardize and expedite the approvals down plans to invest in new buildings that could be ex- process for various kinds of projects and independent or- panded in the future to accommodate increases in users ganizations. DCLA staff worked with client organizations and changing neighborhood demographics because the to prepare the necessary construction documents and libraries’ current operating budget wouldn’t be enough to organize presentations so that staff members at DDC, FRYHUIXWXUHVHUYLFHH[SDQVLRQV7KHÀUVWRQHRIWKHVHGH- OMB and MOCS could become better acquainted with cisions is arguably inconsistent with broader capital eligi- the project and raise concerns before issuing (or declin- bility criteria; the second is hard to assess in the absence LQJWRLVVXH D&HUWLÀFDWHWR3URFHHG$FFRUGLQJWRVHYHUDO of a clearer set of rules distinguishing surface treatments agency insiders we interviewed for this report, this pro- from comprehensive improvements; and the third is sim- cess not only expedited projects considerably—it led to ply shortsighted. more “pass-through” contracts and reduced frustration ,QFRQMXQFWLRQZLWKWKHOLEUDULHVFLW\RIÀFLDOVVKRXOG on both sides. develop a clearer set of capital eligibility standards that Though more needs to be done to bring down costs, relies less on individual interpretations and more on an DVLPLODUSURJUDPIRUWKHOLEUDULHVZRXOGEHDJRRGÀUVW assessment of needs that includes use patterns, service step toward addressing crippling delays and high con- area information, and a long-term plan governing both struction costs. operations and capital investments. In the absence of DQ\FOHDUO\GHÀQHGVWDQGDUGVRUDQ\LQIRUPDWLRQGHWDLOLQJ 5HÀQHDQGVWDQGDUGL]HWKHFLW\·VLQWHUSUH- library service areas, customer needs and demographic tations of capital eligibility requirements for changes, OMB is forced to make critical capital investment libraries decisions in a vacuum of information, and the libraries As all capital projects funded by the city are blended are oftentimes left to labor on proposals whose eligibility WRJHWKHUDQGÀQDQFHGE\ORQJWHUPGHEWLWLVLPSRUWDQW they are unsure about. This could begin to change with to make sure that every project meets state law and gen- the creation of a long-term capital investment plan and erally accepted accounting principles governing the types if the city appoints a Director of Libraries at City Hall, but RIWKLQJVWKDWFDQEHÀQDQFHGLQWKLVZD\*HQHUDOO\WKH\ LWZLOODOVRUHTXLUHEXGJHWRIÀFLDOVLQVLGH20%WRPDNH KDYHWREHÀ[HGRUORQJOLYHGDVVHWVDQGWKHFLW\·VFDSLWDO reforms in how staff members interpret capital eligibility investments have to go toward acquiring or functional- requirements for libraries. ly improving these assets. Although the city comptroller has articulated a set of guidelines to help determine the 8. Revisit capital eligibility rules and expense FDSLWDOHOLJLELOLW\RIVSHFLÀFSURSRVDOV20%KDVH[WHQVLYH funding formulas to cover rising Information latitude in its interpretation of those guidelines. What technology costs FRXQWVDVDIXQFWLRQDOO\VLJQLÀFDQWRU´FRPSUHKHQVLYHµ As the demand for library services has increased over improvement, for example, as opposed to a “surface” im- the last decade, information technology has entered the provement, or even what counts as a single project as picture as a core component of those services. People opposed to separate projects at the same site, are deci- come to libraries to access the Internet and use software sions made by members in the OMB’s task force on Infra- or databases they don’t have access to at home. And in- structure, Culturals and Libraries and the bond counsel’s creasingly they go to the libraries’ websites to check out RIÀFH$QGRIWHQWLPHVWKHVHGHFLVLRQVDUHPDGHLQWKH HERRNVDQG03VRUWRKDYHSK\VLFDOERRNVGHOLYHUHGWR absence of any clearly stated standards or precedents their local branch through the online holds system. and without consideration of any long-term planning on However, as demand for these services has in- the part of the libraries. creased, IT costs have skyrocketed. Fewer and fewer Over the last few years, for instance, OMB has electronic devices qualify for capital funds, and the ex- deemed proposals to turn the exterior grounds of librar- tra costs for these and other services are putting more ies into public parks as ineligible for capital funds, even pressure on the libraries’ already stretched operating though public parks and playgrounds regularly quali- EXGJHWV&LW\RIÀFLDOVVKRXOGWDNHVWHSVWRPDNHVXUHWKH fy. Second, it has rejected interior renovations costing OLEUDULHVKDYHWKHÀQDQFLDOUHVRXUFHVWRFRQWLQXHWRRI-

40 IHUWKLVFULWLFDOSXEOLFVHUYLFH)RULQVWDQFHRIÀFLDOVFRXOG %XWPRVWLPSRUWDQWRIDOOFLW\RIÀFLDOVQHHGWRPDNH explore ways to loosen certain capital eligibility restric- sure the libraries’ operating budgets are able to keep tions that currently prohibit laptops, tablets, e-readers pace with their patrons’ IT demands. Increasing funds on and other mobile devices from being purchased through the operating side will allow the libraries to keep pace the city’s capital fund. To be capital-eligible, an asset has with innovations and allow them to purchase devices that WRKDYHDXVHIXOOLIHRIDWOHDVWÀYH\HDUVPDNLQJPDQ\ GRQ·WPHHWWKHÀYH\HDUUHTXLUHPHQWIRUFDSLWDOHOLJLEOH IT components and devices—even desktop computers— assets. If policymakers want assurance that the extra risky candidates for capital funds, but since books, CDs funds are going toward the purchase of new technolo- and DVDs are an eligible expense during a library’s “ini- gies, an IT carve-out could be considered. The federal WLDORXWÀWWLQJµUHJDUGOHVVRIZKHWKHUWKH\DUH´ORQJOLYHGµ E-rate program, which was created in 1997 to help fund assets, mobile devices should be considered eligible as technology purchases for schools and libraries across the well. After all, laptops and tablets are now checked out for FRXQWU\FRXOGKHOSÀOOWKHJDSLIIXQGLQJZHUHLQFUHDVHG use at the library just like books. When they are a part of and more evenly distributed between schools and librar- a larger IT system using onsite servers, e-readers should ies, but it is not likely to be enough to avoid an increase in also be considered capital-eligible whenever the system city spending as well. is eligible. In the past, RFID chips in library books have Either way, given how important access to technology been considered capital-eligible, since they are an inte- is in our increasingly information-driven economy, skimp- gral part of some self-checkout systems. ing on this service is not an option for libraries.

Technology has become a core component of library services. The Bronx Library41 &HQWHUORJJHGRYHUFRPSXWHUVHVVLRQV)<Photo: Ross Mantle possible for speakers of other languages (particularly Chi-  &RQWLQXH WR LQYHVW LQ ÁRDWLQJ FROOHFWLRQV nese and other languages that don’t use the Latin alpha- and consolidate collection management op- bet) to browse and order titles, and more residents need erations to be made aware of all the materials—millions system- Though e-book lending tends to get a lot more atten- wide—that are available to them at the click of a button. tion in the media, being able to browse an online cata- But these issues can all be solved. As new strategies get logue and have nearly any book delivered to the nearest implemented to deal with the volume imbalance among branch has made perhaps an even bigger mark on library book-return locations, and as more and more people services over the last few years. The so-called “online VWDUWWRXVHWKHRQOLQHKROGVV\VWHPWKHYDOXHRIDÁRDW- holds” system has made it possible for patrons to search ing collection will only grow, both in terms of costs for the through millions of books using an increasingly sophisti- libraries and convenience for patrons. Relatedly, Book cated set of online tools rather than what happens to be Ops will make it easier in the future to develop branch on the shelves at any one branch, and it gives the librar- libraries with very small or no on-site book collections ies the opportunity to be more strategic in the manage- without reducing local patrons’ access to physical books ment of their collection, diversifying their purchases and and DVDs. This would be a big advantage for many retail DOORZLQJWKHERRNVWRÁRDWEHWZHHQEUDQFKHVDVWKH\DUH spaces and Lindsay boxes that would otherwise struggle ordered and returned to new locations. to accommodate lots of shelving while still offering public Rather than purchasing and housing a set collection programs and access to computers. for each branch, NYPL and BPL have both moved to this So far the Queens Library has opted to stay out of the ´ÁRDWLQJFROOHFWLRQµPRGHODQGFRQFHQWUDWHGWKHLUFROOHF- arrangement, even though the Long Island City Book Ops tion management activities in the same facility in Long facility can easily handle another system. The Queens Island City. And, as with other prominent public library Library has only recently begun to centralize its collec- systems, these changes have started to achieve a num- tion management operation. Until recently, each branch EHURILPSRUWDQWHIÀFLHQFLHV)LUVWDVDOOPDWHULDOVPRY- purchased and processed its own collection of books ing through the online holds system now go through an and DVDs, and though nearly all of the processing now automated sorting machine, the error rate for deliveries happens out of a central location, branches still receive has dropped from 12 percent to 1 percent, meaning that funds to make purchases for their own community. Book patrons are much more likely to receive their requests on Ops also allows local branch staff to make purchasing re- time (typically within two or three days). Second, because quests and recall books for their own branch, but by and nearly all book purchasing, sorting, and labeling happens large the materials are allowed to travel where they’re in one place, using dedicated staff, fewer employees most wanted so that local library personnel can spend have to be used for this work and branch librarians can more time working face to face with patrons. focus more on front-facing services like answering patron Queens could centralize more of its collection man- questions and administering public programs. DJHPHQWDFWLYLWLHVDQGDGRSWDÁRDWLQJPRGHOZKLOHUH- Last but not least, the tens of thousands of square maining in the current distribution location. But joining feet that were formally dedicated to collection manage- %RRN2SVFRXOGDFKLHYHHYHQPRUHHIÀFLHQFLHVLQWHUPV ment activities in the branches can now be turned into of distribution equipment and personnel, and it would programmable space for patrons. As more and more pave the way for a citywide return and holds system that branches get renovated and modernized over the next would allow patrons to order books from all three library ten years, this could have a transformative effect on pa- collections and have them delivered to their closest tron experiences, giving them more room to work, study branch. or participate in classes and other events. *LYHQ WKH FRQVLGHUDEOH DGYDQWDJHV RI ÁRDWLQJ FRO- +RZHYHU EHFDXVH WKH ÁRDWLQJ FROOHFWLRQ PRGHO lections and the relatively space-intensive use of onsite FDOOHG%RRN2SVLVVWLOOLQLWVÀUVW\HDUVRPHLPSRUWDQW sorting machines at Queens library branches—many of kinks still need to be worked out. As books travel from which are badly stretched for space as it is—the library branch to branch, for example, some branches are re- should revisit the issue and strongly consider adopting ceiving more books than their shelves can handle while D ÁRDWLQJ FROOHFWLRQ PRGHO DQG PRYLQJ WKHLU FROOHFWLRQ RWKHUVDUHKDYLQJDKDUGWLPHNHHSLQJWKHLUVKHOYHVÀOOHG management operation to the Book Ops facility. The online catalog still needs to be improved to make it

42 PART II: BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE COLLABORATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

10. Tie library investments to larger communi- terfront—but the location on 21st Street was in a manu- ty development initiatives facturing district, surrounded by auto body shops and gas Between 1989 and 2011, spanning Mayor Richard stations, and the resulting anti-pedestrian environment 0'DOH\·VÀYHWHUPVLQRIÀFHWKHFLW\RI&KLFDJRXVHGOL- KDVPDGHLW GLIÀFXOWWRDWWUDFWSDWURQV A coordinated braries as a key component in its neighborhood revitaliza- development approach would have paired a major li- tion efforts, building 55 new or fully renovated branches brary investment with a proposal to rezone 21st Street, and locating them in strategic areas to bolster economic an idea with merit all its own, or else another site in a and community development. Library projects played crit- more pedestrian friendly part of the neighborhood might ical roles in the redevelopment of the near North Side, have been found. If the Near North library in Chicago is for instance, where a public housing complex (the Cabri- any indication, a new library at the intersection of public ni Green Homes) was undergoing major redevelopment, housing and new market rate developments would have and in West Englewood on the far south side, where of- been—and, in this case, may still be—a powerful way to ÀFLDOVZDQWHGWRHQFRXUDJHQHZGHYHORSPHQWDIWHUGH- bridge social divides and build a sense of community and cades of decline and disinvestment. According to former common ownership of the neighborhood. Chicago Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey, the library Now that community development and neighbor- partnered with other city agencies to coordinate efforts hood revitalization are top priorities in Mayor de Blasio’s and locate the most appropriate sites, oftentimes elim- housing plan, the city’s Department of City Planning, inating blight in the process of acquiring land for new li- Economic Development Corporation and Department of braries. Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) should in- This kind of cross-agency collaboration rarely hap- corporate libraries in their affordable housing strategy, as pens in New York. Even where libraries have been built or should any plan to redevelop NYCHA facilities. In newly rebuilt over the last decade, little effort has been made developed areas of the city, new libraries should be con- to tie these investments to a larger vision for the neigh- sidered. And where increased residential density is being borhood. In 2007, the Queens Library opened a new encouraged near existing branches, renovations and ex- branch in western Queens, not far from the Ravenswood pansions should be on the table. and Queensbridge Houses and a quickly developing wa-

New libraries at the intersection of public housing and new market rate developments would be a powerful way to bridge social divides and build a sense of community.

43 Like the Long Island City branch in western Queens, ly enough to foster lasting partnerships and a sense of several libraries across the city are stranded by empty FRPPXQLW\RZQHUVKLSRYHUWKHÀQDOSURGXFW lots and anti-pedestrian streetscapes and would actually A more effective community engagement process EHQHÀWIURPUHVLGHQWLDOGHYHORSPHQWRQQHDUE\SURSHU- should start by building strong relationships with com- ties. The 125th Street branch on the far east side of Har- munity leaders and include focused public meetings in lem, for instance, is a beautiful three-story library built in which broader community concerns can be articulated the Italian Renaissance Revival style, but it is surrounded and documented. The meetings should happen before by vacant lots and auto body shops and has struggled to plans are fully developed, and the libraries should use attract patrons as a result. Three empty parcels across them to inform future services in addition to capital im- the street on 125th and 126th Streets (totaling 122,000 provements. A focused community engagement process square feet) are city-owned. If they become sites for new can help identify future programming partners as well as housing developments, the 125th Street branch, which possible gaps in neighborhood resources. It might uncov- KDV D FORVHGRII WKLUG ÁRRU DQG  PLOOLRQ LQ FDSLWDO er an arts group that could be a programming partner needs, should undergo a full renovation to better serve in a new after-school space for teenagers, for example, the neighborhood. Other branches located near govern- or a newly refurbished NYCHA community center that is ment or Local Development Corporation-owned parking already attracting local teenagers. In the latter case, in- lots or other vacant property include the Queens Central vesting in a teen room may be a counterproductive use of Library (located in Downtown Jamaica, Queens), Seaside precious space, and the library should consider specializ- (Rockaway Beach, Queens), Inwood (Upper Manhattan), ing in something else the neighborhood lacks. Woodstock (160th Street, Bronx), St. George (Central Ave- According to David Lankes at Syracuse University’s nue, Staten Island), Marcy (Dekalb Avenue, Brooklyn) and School of Information Studies, to get the most out of this Coney Island (Mermaid Avenue, Brooklyn). process libraries should partner with community-based organizations to set up focus groups and public meetings, 11. Create opportunities for community in- since, as he says, “The majority of librarians are taught to volvement in the design of new libraries deal with collections, not to have these conversations.” Engaging neighborhood residents and leaders in a But the libraries themselves should also invest in a struc- structured and transparent way during the creation of tured process that can be implemented in every neigh- new branches and spaces can serve two interrelated ERUKRRGUHFHLYLQJVLJQLÀFDQWVSDFHXSJUDGHV,QDGGLWLRQ goals: giving library administrators and designers an op- to documenting public input, the libraries will need to portunity to assess real needs in the community, thereby FDUHIXOO\GHÀQHZKHUHDQGKRZWKHFRPPXQLW\LVJRLQJWR avoiding unnecessary service duplications; and paving LQÁXHQFHWKHGHVLJQSURFHVVDQGPDQDJHH[SHFWDWLRQV the way for the kind of organizational partnerships that RYHUWKHÀQDOSURGXFW3DUWLFLSDQWVVKRXOGQRWEHPDNLQJ can lead to important new programs and services once detailed design decisions but provide input on communi- the new building or space reopens. ty needs and concerns so that the libraries and designers “No matter what you do, you really need to reach out are informed. and understand what your community needs,” says Su- san Hildreth, director of the Institute for Museum and Li- 12. Invest in spaces that facilitate and even brary Services and former chief librarian of the San Fran- encourage outside partnerships cisco Public Library. “You’re not retooling these buildings Public libraries have long been important civic spac- in a vacuum. Reaching out to communities and under- es for social mixing and sharing, but their importance in standing what their top priorities are—it’s not the same this sphere has undoubtedly grown as more and more in every neighborhood. And it should impact the look and people of all ages seek to pick up new skills for their own feel of the new building or renovation.” pleasure and economic advancement. In this regard, de- In cities across the country, local libraries and muse- veloping spaces that facilitate and even promote outside ums have initiated new phases in their community pro- partnerships will be critical if the libraries are going to gramming and positioned themselves more explicitly as avoid overburdening their own human capital capacity.41 partners in community development through the process The libraries have already started to invest in differ- of building new facilities.40 But convening community ent kinds of spaces and partnership models. For exam- meetings to get feedback on existing plans is not normal- ple, NYPL recently partnered with Coursera, an online ed-

44 Madison, WI. The Bubbler program provides space in Madison’s nine branches for community involvement and sharing. Photo: Madison Public Library ucational provider based at Stanford, to develop several branch-based “learning hubs” to supplement the compa- ny’s virtual courses. And BPL recently opened a media lab and recording studio—the Shelby White and Leon Levy InfoCommons—that draws on outside organizations and experts to offer both basic and advanced classes in dig- ital media. But these kinds of arrangements are still rel- atively rare. Although most library buildings in New York have community rooms for workshops and classes, many of them are underutilized due to their size, design and location within the building (despite the fact that other community rooms are oversubscribed). And in some cas- es, even when the room is well-used, it fails to register as a resource for outside groups rather than as a place for library-led programming. DUHDOUHDG\RXWÀWWHGZLWK:RUNIRUFHMRESODFHPHQWFHQ- In Madison, Wisconsin, the library co-developed a ters run through the City’s Department of Small Business room and program that successfully advertises itself as Services, and they will soon be home to several walk-in a space for ongoing community involvement and sharing. RIÀFHVIRUWKHGH%ODVLRDGPLQLVWUDWLRQ·V0XQLFLSDO,'SUR- Like InfoCommons, the so-called “Bubbler” draws on the gram. Future spaces could be made available for Finan- skills and expertise of the broader creative community cial Empowerment Centers, Business Solution Centers to put on workshops and demonstrations for anybody in- or third-party organizations like Single Stop USA, which terested in learning or perfecting a new skill, but it is not helps people through the application process for a wide limited to digital media and does not require specialized variety of social safety net and educational programs.44 equipment or software. Though anchored in a room in In New York, these services are typically squeezed into the Central library, Bubbler events—including everything already existing spaces inside the library, but newer build- from beer brewing and cheese-making to creative writing ings offer different, more deliberate possibilities. In Seat- and video game design—take place in all nine of the city’s tle, where the library partnered with another city agency library branches.42 This could be a model for New York. to put “mini-City Halls” in a number of branches, the of- In new or renovated facilities, not all community rooms ÀFH ZDV QRW RQO\ SURYLGHG ZLWK D VHSDUDWH URRP EXW D need to have the same resources—some could have spe- separate entrance from the street. The service was thus cialized equipment like a recording studio or commercial branded as something separate and distinct from the kitchen, while others are simply inviting spaces with good OLEUDU\ EXW FRXOG VWLOO EHQHÀW IURP WKH OLEUDU\·V ORFDWLRQ seating and storage—but like the “Bubbler” they should as well as its status within the community as a go-to re- all communicate their status as a community resource source for information and advice. RSHQ WR RXWVLGH RUJDQL]DWLRQV ZKHWKHU QRQSURÀW VRFLDO service and educational providers, artist collectives or 13. Make libraries a stronger presence in small businesses. their communities Where community rooms are located inside the li- For libraries to be truly connected to their communi- brary, how they are branded or packaged to patrons, and ties, they must be a palpable presence in their neighbor- what the rules and process are for reserving and using hoods. Libraries must think intentionally about their exte- these spaces makes a huge difference to how they are rior presentation—including how they communicate to the perceived and used by third parties. With respect to the community that they are an open, welcoming space and a community room rules, the libraries should consider al- vital community resource for all. lowing some outside organizations to charge reasonable For many libraries that are tucked away on side fees for their classes, as long as they abide by stated eth- streets or otherwise hidden from the main pedestrian ical standards and pay a fee for use of the facilities. and transportation centers of their neighborhoods, par- In some new buildings, the city and libraries should ticular attention needs to be paid to creating an engag- also consider developing separate facilities for more per- LQJ SUHVHQFH7KH :DNHÀHOGEUDQFK LQ WKHQRUWK %URQ[ manent partners. A number of New York City branches

45 Where community rooms are located inside the library, how they are branded or packaged to patrons, and what the rules and process are for reserving and using these spaces makes a huge difference to how they are perceived and used by third parties.

and the Arlington branch in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn, for hoods, including libraries and public plazas. This is also instance, are both relatively large Carnegie-era facilities happening in Cleveland, where the Cuyahoga County li- that have struggled to make themselves known in their brary partnered with a local hospital to bring more robust neighborhoods. Both are only a block away from neigh- services to patients, and in Columbus, where the library’s borhood commercial centers, but they are hidden by Ready-to-Read program sends librarians into shelters, one- and two-family homes on quiet residential streets. laundromats, and homes to tackle the literacy crisis in Everything from a building’s façade and exterior signage their communities. New York’s libraries should take steps WRZD\ÀQGLQJV\VWHPVRQFLW\VWUHHWVFDQKDYHDVWURQJHI- to be similarly embedded in their communities. The Uni fect on people’s mental maps of their neighborhood and Project, a mobile unit of books and benches that creates should be taken seriously when investing in new and ren- mini reading rooms in outdoor spaces around the city, is ovated facilities. But a neighborhood engagement strate- just one example of how libraries can extend services be- gy should also be considered. yond their walls. Services could be developed for local Other cultural institutions in New York, as well as ur- schools, senior centers, NYCHA community centers, and ban libraries throughout the country, have demonstrated public plazas. thoughtful and proactive engagement with their commu- Beyond formal service arrangements, branch man- nities. For example, the Queens Museum, which is locat- agers should be empowered to create relationships with ed deep in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, took a radical community leaders and local organizations, and position approach to overcoming its isolation problem by part- themselves as partners in meeting community needs. nering with talented community organizers to bring art This means doing more than simply opening their doors SURJUDPVLQFOXGLQJLQVWDOODWLRQVRXWRIWKHFRQÀQHVRI and hoping people will come in—it means going to com- the museum building, and into the surrounding neighbor- munity planning meetings and cultural events to build relationships with area stakeholders. This is starting to happen a little more in the context of participatory bud- geting, which more and more City Council members are using to inform how they spend discretionary capital funds. Library initiatives are frequently presented at pub- lic meetings, both by residents and by library administra- tors hoping to see funds dedicated to particular neigh- borhood library projects. In each of the three years that the city has engaged in participatory budgeting, library initiatives have been funded in at least one district, and many more have ended up on the ballot. While the highly localized nature of participatory budgeting does not allow for a broader discussion of systemwide or citywide needs, it does provide an important starting point and a crucial Columbus, OH. Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Ready-to-Read opportunity for collaboration between library staff and program sends librarians into communities to provide literacy services. Photo: Columbus Metropolitan Library the larger community.

46 14. Make libraries partners in community re- “Libraries really became heroes in the aftermath of silience planning the storm,” says sustainability expert Rebbekah Aldrich. Eric Klinenberg, a sociologist who has studied how “But imagine what they could have done if they had actu- different neighborhoods responded to a devastating heat ally been part of the planning?” wave in Chicago in 1995, argues that communities with a Because libraries have a footprint in most neighbor- robust social infrastructure—including businesses, public hoods and are often staffed by local residents, Aldrich places, and well-maintained roads—are less vulnerable in argues that libraries are in a prime position to inform di- times of crisis because residents are given the tools and saster preparedness plans in partnership with other city opportunities they need to support and help one anoth- agencies. And they could be even more valuable resourc- er.45 Klinenberg cites libraries as particularly important es for residents and disaster recovery personnel in the to community resilience because they are familiar and aftermath of the next storm, if the city invested more in trusted public places. “Every neighborhood in this coun- their physical resources. Since more than 15 percent of try should have a designated emergency safe space,” he WKHFLW\·VEUDQFKHVDUHLQQHHGRIVLJQLÀFDQWHOHFWULFDOXS- told NPR during a recent interview, “and it will work well grades, for instance, their usefulness as a place where if it’s also a place that people use in their lives every day residents and recovery workers can access electricity and or every week.” 46 technology is limited. After Superstorm Sandy, Red Cross workers used the With about $4.2 billion in federal funding from Com- New Dorp library in Staten Island to print out maps and munity Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery plan their door-to-door house checks.47 Libraries in Red funds, and billions more from FEMA Public Assistance Hook and Far Rockaway quickly became places where and other public and private sources, the city has money people could get food and blankets, charge their phones, to invest in these critical neighborhood assets.49 As the use the Internet, and share information. Yet libraries have city awaits an additional allocation of disaster recovery QRWÀJXUHGSURPLQHQWO\LQWKHFLW\·VSRVW6DQG\SODQQLQJ IXQGVWKH2IÀFHRI5HFRYHU\DQG5HVLOLHQF\VKRXOGFRQ- HIIRUWV ,Q D UHFHQW UHSRUW E\ WKH 0D\RU·V 2IÀFH RI 5H- sider how investing in libraries can add value to their ex- covery and Resiliency that evaluates New York City’s re- isting community resilience plans. sponse to Hurricane Sandy, libraries are not mentioned a single time.48

Following Hurrican Sandy, Queens Library held children’s story time outside47 Peninsula Branch while adults sought relief assistance. Photo: Queens Library PART II: BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

15. Maximize public space chasing and sorting, in a facility in Long Island City and Too many of New York City’s branch libraries are inef- no longer need to accommodate these activities in the ÀFLHQWO\ODLGRXWZLWKH[FHVVLYHDPRXQWVRIVSDFHHLWKHU branches. But even the large circulation desks and pri- closed off to occupants entirely or devoted to behind-the- YDWHRIÀFHVZKLFKDUHQ·WXVHGIRUWKHVDPHNLQGRIZRUN scenes administrative purposes. As shown on page 24, can get in the way of a more spontaneous, active style of EUDQFKHVDFURVVWKHFLW\KDYHSHUFHQWRUPRUHRI customer service. the building barred to the public, while 26 branches have “You have to design from the perspective of user ex- 40 percent or more so designated. perience rather than from materials storage,” says Mar- Many multi-level Carnegie buildings have large un- garet Sullivan, an architect with experience designing GHUXWLOL]HG URRPV RQ WKH XSSHU ÁRRUV DQG LQ WKH EDVH- SXEOLFOLEUDULHV´,WKLQN>ODUJHFLUFXODWLRQGHVNVDQGRIÀF- ments. Fourteen, mostly in the NYPL system, have empty es] are part of a more passive service model,” she adds. custodial apartments that could be reactivated either as “Whenever possible, staff and patrons should occupy the publicly accessible community rooms or more specialized same space.” rooms for outside organizations to use in exchange for When addressing the growing need for onsite library teaching classes or otherwise engaging in the life of the li- VHUYLFHVWKHOLEUDULHVDQGFLW\RIÀFLDOVVKRXOGSULRULWL]HLQ- brary. But in most cases these spaces haven’t been used for decades and would require extensive renovations to bring them up to code. Top Needs According Even more widespread than closed-off custodial apartments and basements are branches that devote to NYC Librarians large portions of the building to clerical rooms, large cir- FXODWLRQGHVNVRIÀFHVIRUWKHEUDQFKPDQDJHUDQGFKLO- ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR QUIET WORK dren’s librarian, rooms for book processing, staff loung- ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR GROUP WORK es and private staff bathrooms. Some branches, like DEDICATED TEEN SPACE 0XKOHQEHUJRQUG6WUHHWLQ0DQKDWWDQUHVHUYHVHSD- rate rooms for all these purposes, using almost as much A COMMUNITY ROOM space for the staff as for the public. DEDICATED CHILDREN'S SPACE With so many people wanting to spend time in the library to work or play, using too much of the building 74 for behind-the-scenes administrative purposes compro- mises its effectiveness, especially when buildings are strained for space as it is. According to several of the de- 60 58 signers and librarians we spoke to for this report, reserv- ing so much space for staff can also foster an outmoded model of librarianship. NYPL and BPL do the vast majority 40 of their collection management work, including book pur-

23 48 SOURCE6RXUFH&HQWHUIRUDQ8UEDQ)XWXUH6XUYH\RI1HZ York City librarians and other branch staff. terior renovations that tap underutilized rooms and min- imize onsite administrative space. In addition to expan- sions at select branches, this would create more space for onsite users by making the most of existing facilities.

0D[LPL]HÁH[LELOLW\ 0RGHUQ OLEUDU\ EXLOGLQJV KDYH WR EH ÁH[LEOH LQ WZR ways: they have to be versatile enough to serve different constituencies and needs, and they have to be able to change over time in order to better incorporate new ser- vices and technologies. Finding the right balance for those who learn in a noisier, more socialized setting and those who want qui- et was one of the biggest concerns raised by librarians in our survey. One tendency in more recently renovated Mott Haven, Bronx. Modern library buildings have to be branches is to create separate rooms for different kinds versatile enough to serve different constituencies and needs. of activities and constituencies: a teen room for teens, for example, a quiet room for solitary readers, a children’s li- technologies make new demands on space. Electrical brary, a computer lab, and bookable study rooms for small distribution systems have to be nimble, and seating ar- groups. But many, if not most, branch buildings aren’t big rangements have to accommodate the changing use enough to provide separate spaces to meet all of these patterns of new devices. Years ago, for example, libraries needs, and some architects believe that an overly balkan- started to invest in computer labs under the assumption ized library can detract from what is supposed to be an that each computer would be used by just one patron, inspiring and dynamic place. “From a design perspective, but this is now changing as more people migrate to por- there’s a risk of the library becoming a Swiss Army knife,” table devices and as more people need to look at the says architect Andrew Bernheimer. “You make room for same screen in group settings. To accommodate these all of these uses but you lose a sense of identity, and new needs, soft-seating areas have to come with plenty the space becomes generic and uninteresting.” For this of outlets, and newer computer labs need projectors and reason, using the same rooms to meet different needs at smart boards. Future technologies will no doubt require different times of the day, or doing so at the same times different spatial arrangements. RI GD\ DQG PLWLJDWLQJ FRQÁLFWV ZLWK VRXQGSURRÀQJ DQG clever furniture arrangements, may be preferable to di- 17. Prioritize electrical system upgrades to in- viding up the space into lots of different rooms. For larger crease the number of outlets branches, locating quieter areas deeper in the building, Of the 45 branches visited for our site surveys, 58 and noisier ones closer to the entrance, where people percent had plugs for ten or fewer devices, and 18 per- tend to congregate and socialize, has also proved to be cent had plugs for just one or none at all. The ability to an effective strategy. ÀQG D TXLHW SODFH WR SOXJ LQ DQG JHW VRPH ZRUN GRQH $W WKH VDPH WLPH ÁRRU SODQV KDYH WR EH YHUVDWLOH is one of the most basic services a library can provide, enough that branch managers can rearrange furniture as not just for freelancers but also for students working on unforeseen needs arise, or if the changes are more dra- school projects, distance learners, and teens who just matic, so that the library can build out new spaces with want to surf the web after school. Ensuring that branch- very little money. “When we built the Bronx Library Center es have an adequate number of outlets should be a city- QLQH\HDUVDJRZHWKRXJKWWKHÁRRUSODQZDVSHUIHFWµ ZLGHSULRULW\,QSDUWQHUVKLSZLWKWKHOLEUDULHVFLW\RIÀFLDOV says NYPL’s Director of Capital Projects Joanna Pestka, should consider conducting an assessment to identify all “but we have moved things around several times now. We the branches in need of electrical upgrades and recom- have to be able to change layouts quickly without using a mend improvements that would enable the provision of lot of capital funds.” additional outlets. At the current rate of change in the consumer tech- nology industry, this is truer now than ever before. New

49 With so many people wanting to spend time in the library to work or play, using too much of the building for behind-the-scenes administrative purposes compromises its effectiveness, especially when buildings are strained for space as it is.

18. Invest in library hubs that can anchor ser- small to meet local demand. A few older regional branch- vices for nearby locations es are now left to serve a much smaller community than Although many existing neighborhood branches are originally intended. Similarly, as new library administra- too small to provide even basic library services—which tions have pursued a succession of different programs include providing work spaces, hang-out spaces and and strategies, new specialized facilities have been de- community meeting rooms in addition to computers and veloped in close proximity to existing libraries, which has books—not every branch has to be all things to all people. resulted in a heavy concentration of resources in just a If the library systems invest in larger buildings in strate- few areas. Although NYPL’s research libraries are destina- gic places, they can serve as regional hubs providing a tion facilities that serve patrons all over the city and, in- broader range of services than most neighborhood build- GHHGWKHZRUOGXQWLOUHFHQWO\SHUFHQWRIWKHOLEUDU\·V ings have room for. A regional hub should be located in total physical plant was concentrated in just a 20-block a denser neighborhood with good transit connections, stretch along 5th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. The and it should provide seven days of service and stay open Main library at 42nd Street (now called the Schwarzman longer during the work week. In addition to more exten- building), the Science Industry and Business Library on sive shelving for books and seating for different styles of WK6WUHHW0LG0DQKDWWDQRQWK6WUHHWDQG'RQQHOO work and learning, these buildings can offer specialized RQUG6WUHHWWRJHWKHUDFFRXQWHGIRURYHUPLOOLRQRI amenities such as physically divided teen centers, formal WKHV\VWHP·VPLOOLRQVTXDUHIHHWRIOLEUDU\VSDFH%\ classrooms for English learning and other adult literacy downsizing the Donnell facility from 97,000 square feet classes, maker spaces, auditoriums and job placement to 28,000 and incorporating SIBL in a new renovated centers. space either at 42nd Street or Mid-Manhattan, NYPL is Concentrating a broader range of services in strategi- taking steps to reduce the concentration of resources in cally placed hubs would, in turn, allow smaller branches this area, which could free up expense funds for hubs in nearby to focus on providing a narrower range of key ser- other parts of the city. vices. Though every branch will want to offer a core set of The Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) has a large services, one satellite branch might devote more resourc- central library as well as several hubs spread out across es to those who want a quiet place to work, while another its service area. CML’s hub facilities are not as big as the could focus on lounging spaces for noisier school kids. main library, but they are larger than their neighborhood A so-called “hub-and-spoke” model is how many li- branches and they stay open longer during the week. In brary systems across the country were originally set up, New York, similar hub facilities exist on Fordham Road in including to some degree New York’s. The Brooklyn, New the Bronx, where NYPL built the 64,000 square foot Bronx York and Queens libraries were all set up with “central” li- Library Center in 2006, and Flushing in Queens, where braries as well as larger buildings in some outlying areas. the Queens Library built an even larger 76,000-square- For instance, the Arlington branch in Cypress Hills was foot facility in 1999. But outside of the two Central li- originally called the East Branch and meant to serve the braries in Brooklyn and Queens, few other buildings are north-eastern region of Brooklyn. But this model was nev- equipped to serve effectively as regional service centers. er fully realized, and a coherent network of services never From a purely geographic standpoint, the Mid-Manhattan fully articulated. Over the decades, new buildings were and St. George libraries would be natural places to devel- created in growing neighborhoods—but now they’re too op regional hubs, but Mid-Manhattan, which already has

50 capital funding in place, is in need of a full renovation to When investing in new branch facilities, the libraries replace its mechanical equipment and make more effec- QHHGWRGRDPXFKEHWWHUMRERIGHÀQLQJWKHVHUYLFHDU- tive use of space, and St. George, which sits across from eas of their facilities as well as how they link together to the Staten Island Borough Hall, needs a new HVAC sys- form a coherent network of services. And OMB needs to tem and full interior renovation. In Northern Manhattan, take these considerations seriously when making critical Countee Cullen and the Schomburg Center for Research funding decisions. Right now, OMB tends to view each fa- in Black Culture, a world-class research library specializ- cility in a vacuum. For instance, according to staff at the ing in African-American history, are located in separate Queens Library, a newly designed Far Rockaway branch but contiguous buildings with tens of millions in state would have more than doubled the current building size— of good repair needs. A true hub-and-spoke plan would from 9,000 to 22,000 square feet—but OMB required a seek to combine the services of both locations in just one smaller facility because the library’s current operating well-designed facility, one that could be a center for both budget, it said, couldn’t support the larger proposal. With researchers and residents all over northern Manhattan. over 60,000 residents in its service area and the dis- Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Public Library has been tance residents have to travel to the nearest library hub, evaluating ways to expand resources in the Kings High- a larger facility—larger even than the library’s original pro- way, New Utrecht, and New Lots branches to serve a wid- posal—should have been easy to justify.50 er public in southern and eastern Brooklyn, but none of these buildings can accommodate the range and quality 19. Co-develop libraries with affordable of services that can be found in the Bronx Library Cen- housing ter and Flushing Library. Queens would do well to look In a number of cases, rebuilding branches as a part at developing regional hubs in western Queens, south- of a larger development could be an effective way to re- ern Queens and the Rockaway Peninsula, as these areas duce the costs of new construction, even while increasing are far from Flushing and Jamaica, where the system’s the size of branches and improving the links between li- current regional libraries are located. But, as with NYPL brary buildings and the communities they serve. In oth- and BPL, the branches that are in the most promising er cities, libraries have been co-developed with public ORFDWLRQV WR ÀOO WKLV UROH³HJ -DFNVRQ +HLJKWV /RQJ ,V- schools, theaters, museums and commercial facilities, land City, Ridgewood and Far Rockaway—are generally but in New York, where the demand for housing is driving too small to accommodate a full range of resources and up the city’s already high cost of living, there is a pow- services. erful rationale for locating them inside new residential projects.

Potential Library/Affordable Housing Co-Developments

CURRENT PROPOSED CAPITAL MAX MAX LIBRARY RESIDENTIAL HOUSING BRANCH BLDG LOT NEEDS FAR FA SQFT SQFT UNITS Brooklyn Heights (B) $9.2M 62,917 26,848 10 268,480 20,000 248,480 248 Bloomingdale (M) $10.4M  46,076 6.5 299,494 20,000   Kips Bay (M) $6.2M 9,400  12 59,256 9,876  49 Inwood (M) $2.8M  11,825 6.5  20,000  57 Brighton Beach (B) $4.7M 12,166 15,498 4.8  20,000  54 Grand Concourse (Bx) $8.5M 18,670 8,864 6.5 57,616 20,000   Peninsula (Q) N/A 12,750 22,500 2 45,000 20,000 25,000 25 Francis Martin (Bx) 0  9,100 4.8  20,000  24 Belmont (Bx) $8M 20,000 8,750 4.8 42,000 20,000 22,000 22 Sunset Park (B) N/A 12,174 10,017 4 40,068 20,000 20,068 20

Source: Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library, Queens Library and the Department of City Planning’s Zoning and Land Use Application 51 )RUWKLVVWXG\ZHLGHQWLÀHGWHQEUDQFKHVDFURVVWKH mention its ability to serve during any future community FLW\WKDWZHIHOWZRXOGEHQHÀWIURPDQHZEXLOGLQJDQG recovery efforts. are located on lots whose size and zoning would allow Fitting new branches inside larger residential proper- construction of apartment units in addition to a new ties also has the potential to improve street life by adding branch.51 Collectively, these branches have over $57 mil- residential density in areas that can support it. The Sun- lion in capital needs and because of poor layouts struggle set Park branch, for example, is a one story box located to meet the needs of their communities. They were built on the corner of a wide avenue in southern Brooklyn. De- between 1952 and 1981 and have no obvious architec- veloping space for residents in the immediate vicinity of tural or historical value. A number are Lindsay boxes, the library could help rejuvenate the Fourth Avenue com- stretched desperately for space. mercial district and improve the library’s visibility in the By rebuilding these branches inside of residential neighborhood. The areas around the Peninsula, Brighton buildings, the city could save tens of millions in capital Beach, Brooklyn Heights and Inwood branches could costs on new library branches, while accommodating over DOOEHQHÀWLQVLPLODUZD\V%XWDVZLWKDOOOLEUDU\FROR- 772,000 square feet (772 units) of new housing. As the cations, good design has an important role to play. The table above shows, the Brooklyn Heights branch on Cad- libraries have to make sure their facilities are visibly and man Plaza in Downtown Brooklyn could accommodate a functionally separate from the rest of the building, with new 20,000-square-foot library and 248 units of hous- a separate entrance and clear visibility from the street. ing. The Bloomingdale branch on the Upper West Side Ideally, there will be little or no setback from the sidewalk, of Manhattan, which shares space with the Department so that the interior of the library can be viewed by pedes- of Health, could accommodate a new 20,000-square-foot trians outside. branch as well as a 45,000-square-foot public health clin- Several projects (at Brooklyn Heights, Bloomingdale LFDQGXQLWVRIKRXVLQJ7KH.LSV%D\VLWHRQ7KLUG and Kips Bay) could be developed under the city’s inclu- $YHQXH LQ (DVW 0LGWRZQ FRXOG ÀW D VTXDUHIRRW VLRQDU\KRXVLQJSURJUDP DWHLWKHURU DQG EUDQFK RQ WKH ORZHU ÁRRUV DQG  XQLWV RI KRXVLQJ RQ JHQHUDWHVLJQLÀFDQWUHYHQXHIRUDGGLWLRQDOEUDQFKUHQR- top.52 vations. Others (including Sunset Park, Grand Concourse, At a time when housing is in such short supply, using )UDQFLV0DUWLQDQG%HOPRQW FRXOGEHÀQDQFHGWKURXJKD library properties to build so many new units would be a variety of different federal, state and city programs that VLJQLÀFDQW DFFRPSOLVKPHQW DOO E\ LWVHOI %XW WKH OLEUDU- provide tax credits and capital for low-income housing and ies—and the communities that depend on them—stand supportive housing for the elderly. Still others could be to gain enormously as well. Because the Business Library developed as offsite components to nearby market-rate at Brooklyn Heights is being relocated to the Central Li- developments seeking a density bonus under the inclu- brary at Grand Army Plaza, the public space square foot- sionary housing program (Inwood and Brighton Beach). age for branch services would actually increase in that Finally, although we considered only as-of-right op- neighborhood despite being housed in a smaller facili- portunities, many of these branches—and many oth- W\ 6LPLODUO\ GXH WR WKH VSDFH DOORFDWLRQ HIÀFLHQFLHV RI ers not considered—could accommodate more housing co-locations, public space square footage would double than the current zoning allows. This is especially true in at both Brighton Beach and Sunset Park, and increase Queens, where a number of small Lindsay boxes (such as dramatically at Peninsula and Francis Martin. Mean- Rego Park and Sunnyside) sit on wide thoroughfares in ZKLOHHLJKWRXWRIWKHWHQEUDQFKHVZLWKVLJQLÀFDQWVWDWH districts with low-density zoning. A mixed-use community of good repair needs would receive entirely new facilities facility on some of these sites could be promising candi- at a much lower cost to the libraries; and the sale of de- dates for a zoning variance. velopment rights at Bloomington, Kips Bay and Brooklyn Heights could generate millions of dollars in additional 20. Invest in joyful spaces UHQRYDWLRQIXQGVSRWHQWLDOO\EHQHÀWLQJRYHUDGR]HQRWK- Successful libraries have recognized that the space er branches. Though the Peninsula branch, which was itself is an integral part of the service they provide, and badly damaged in Hurricane Sandy, already has funding it should be a joyful, vibrant space that inspires cre- in place for a new building, siting the new branch in a larg- ativity and fosters a sense of discovery. What’s more, er, more technologically advanced building could bolster transforming a children’s room or even an entire library LWV GHIHQVHV DJDLQVW IXWXUH VWRUPV DQG ÁRRGLQJ³QRW WR doesn’t have to involve expensive renovations. For under

52 $150,000, Lonni Tanner of SeeChangeNYC and Biber Ar- well as critical, provocative and engaging. “I would use chitects recently remade the drab, institutional interior the fence for installations,” she says, “using words and of the Stone Avenue branch in Brooklyn into a dynamic poems. I would hang words from the trees and write rec- space for both kids and adults. They covered the walls ipes on the walls. I would create an inconvenience store of one room—the so-called “Room of Words”—in nearly where kids could take blocks and crafts home, or a mak- 1,000 of the Fry Words that every school child should er space where they could build a desk to bring home.” know, intermixing Lewis Carroll-like critical thinking ques- tions such as “When is the sky happy?” They created a 21. Use outdoor spaces more effectively to much warmer space for patrons with new, colorful car- create opportunities for programming and SHWLQJ EHWWHU OLJKWLQJ HOHFWULÀHG WDEOHV DQG ZLQJEDFN civic engagement reading chairs. A number of library buildings sit on sizable lots in “If you want to energize the space, you have to create dense residential neighborhoods with ample pedestrian some excitement and joy,” says architect James Biber. WUDIÀF\HWWKHJURXQGVRXWVLGHDUHIHQFHGRIIIURPWKH Though many, if not most, of these changes wouldn’t sidewalk and used as an aesthetic gesture rather than an qualify for capital funds outside of a larger capital project, active, participatory space. At a time when neighborhood the libraries could raise money from private sources and civic spaces are so rare, this is an enormous lost oppor- use expense funds to brighten and upgrade the interiors tunity. With the success of the Department of Transpor- of many more neighborhood libraries. They could invest in tation’s public plaza program, it is increasingly clear that a toolbox of designs and ideas—including everything from New Yorkers are hungry for places where they can hang activity walls and posters to lighting and seating arrange- out outside, read the paper, watch pedestrians, and run ments—and then draw on capital funds to strategically into neighbors. upgrade furniture and equipment. For the Stone Avenue Queens, in particular, is home to a number of library makeover, Lonni Tanner went beyond mere decoration buildings with extensive grounds—some of them with to create a template for light-hearted community en- lawns and large trees—fenced off from the sidewalk and gagement. Neighborhood residents, even nearby bodega never used by the library or surrounding community. The workers, were given black T-shirts with one of the 1,000 5LFKPRQG+LOOEUDQFKIRUH[DPSOHKDVVTXDUH Fry Words on them. The key is to be playful, she says, as feet (three quarters of an acre) of outdoor space, while

Stone Avenue, Brooklyn. For under $150,000, Brooklyn Public Library remade a drab, institutional53 branch interior into a dynamic space for both kids and adults. Photo: © Albert Verceka/Esto Ridgewood has 21,000 square feet and Queens Village cheaper alternatives to stand-alone buildings, but their 19,000. The grade changes at Ridgewood could make purpose was more or less identical: to warehouse a col- the area facing Forest Avenue on the side of the building lection of books and other materials for patrons in their a great place for an amphitheater, where people could sit service area. But due to their small size, they struggled and eat lunch, listen to readings and watch public events. to provide enough space for people to work and mingle Richmond Hill’s fenced-off lawn, meanwhile, could be on-site. turned into an outdoor reading garden with plenty of Today’s patrons, by contrast, can make use of a vast seating, plugs and WiFi for those who want to work or online catalogue with increasingly sophisticated brows- play chess outside. Other branches sit on smaller lots but ing tools and have any book in the collection delivered still have plenty of space in front of the building for place- to their closest branch. This frees up the humble retail making interventions such as furniture, signage and library to be a place for people rather than just books. art. These include McGoldrick on Northern Boulevard in Space can be made available for book orders and returns Flushing, Long Island City on 21st Street, North Forest and perhaps even a few curated shelves, while making Park in Forest Hills, Broadway in Woodside, and Steinway the vast majority of the space available for onsite ser- in Astoria. vices and amenities, such as worktables, soft seating, In Brooklyn too, a lot of library buildings are cut off computers, events and exhibitions. And because modern from the sidewalk and surrounding community by out- UHWDLOVSDFHVDUHVRÁH[LEOHVWRUHIURQWEUDQFKHVFDQEH dated wrought-iron fences. At Carroll Gardens, for in- shaped to an even greater extent than standalone librar- stance, there is a ten-foot clearance between the front ies by their communities. One storefront could devote of the building and the fence next to the sidewalk. If the more space to computers, for example, while another is fence were taken down the sidewalk could be extended given over to exhibitions and workshops; one could spe- and benches and lighting added. Similarly, at the Bed- cialize in after-school programing, while another serves ford branch on Franklin Avenue near Fulton Street, a path as a “mind gym” for seniors. surrounds the building on all four sides. If the fence were Retail spaces also lend themselves to rapid transfor- removed, the path area could be used for seating in an mations, either over the course of a single day to make otherwise crowded neighborhood with few parks. Both way for a rapidly revolving list of events, or over months the Walt Whitman and Arlington branches in northern and years as user preferences become clearer or demo- Brooklyn have front lawns secured behind wrought-iron graphic shifts create a demand for new services. The fencing. Because both buildings are relatively hidden space can be converted from a coffeeshop during the from nearby pedestrian centers, opening up the lawns for day, for example, into an event space in the evening. Or, public use could be part of a larger strategy to increase as the demand for some programs and amenities out- their visibility in the neighborhood. strip others, it can go from serving freelancers with lots of Relatively few NYPL branches, by contrast, use soft seating and coffee, to young families who would pre- fences. Most Manhattan branches come right up to the IHUFRUNÁRRULQJDQGDZLGHYDULHW\RIWRGGOHUSURJUDPV,Q sidewalk, as do many branches in the South Bronx. The Oak Park, Illinois, for example, as usage patterns were re- :DNHÀHOGEUDQFKLQWKHQRUWKHUQ%URQ[LVVXUURXQGHGE\ evaluated, the library transformed a malleable storefront fences, and Westchester Square has a front courtyard. space at the front of one of its branches from a cafe into But, overall, opportunities for outdoor placemaking are a shop-window studio for artists to produce and display comparatively rare in the NYPL system. new work.55 In New York, storefront branches would be a creative 22. Expand the libraries’ footprint with and cost-effective way to expand the libraries’ footprint. storefront spaces in retail corridors and New locations could be added in rapidly developing transit centers waterfront areas like Dumbo (which still doesn’t have Although many librarians will remember storefront li- a library), Williamsburg/Greenpoint, Hallets Point and braries as a failed experiment of the 1960s and 70s, new Hudson Yards. They could be added in high-volume pe- technologies and patron expectations have made these destrian and retail corridors like the Hub in the South spaces viable again—exciting even as supplemental out- Bronx or Fulton Mall in Downtown Brooklyn. Locations posts to more traditional, full-service branches.54 Forty could be added inside of popular shopping malls like the years ago, storefront branches were understood to be Queens Center Mall in Rego Park, where the Queens Li-

54 Chattanooga, TN. Fourth Floor is a technology-focused “public laboratory” used by both professionals and curious patrons alike. Photo: Chattanooga Public Library brary is currently creating an express location, the Staten Island Mall or the new Pier 17 in lower Manhattan. Or they could be put inside transit hubs like Jamaica Station, the St. George and Whitehall Ferry Terminals, Penn Station, Grand Central Terminal, and even La Guardia and JFK airports. To be sure, all of these locations will make very different kinds of demands on a new library, but retail VSDFHVDUHÁH[LEOHHQRXJKWKDWWKHVHUYLFHVFDQEHWDL- ORUHGWRWKHLUVSHFLÀFHQYLURQPHQWDQGFDQFKDQJHRYHU time as some prove to be more successful than others.

23. Develop branches and spaces designed VSHFLÀFDOO\IRUIUHHODQFHZRUNHUV The libraries should seek input from the Freelanc- ers Union and other organizations that serve freelancers and independent contractors—including established co- working organizations like WeWork—and develop several tually, need a beta space where you can try new services EUDQFKHV WKDW FDWHU VSHFLÀFDOO\ WR WKLV JURZLQJ SRSXOD- and fail or really succeed, while you continue to offer your tion. A freelancer library would likely stay open later and traditional services.” offer plenty of electrical outlets and seating spaces for ,Q%URRNO\QWKHVHFRQGÁRRURIWKHODQGPDUNHG:LO- patrons with their own computers, and they would need liamsburgh branch was recently converted into artist to be located in dense, transit rich areas of the city like VWXGLRVDQGUHKHDUVDOVSDFHVE\DQDUWVQRQSURÀWFDOOHG downtown Brooklyn, lower Manhattan, Long Island City, SpaceWorks. Like Chattanooga’s Fourth Floor, the space St. George and the Hub in the South Bronx. According to was underutilized and need of repair, and SpaceWorks WKH&RDOLWLRQIRU4XHHQVDQRQSURÀWIRFXVHGRQH[SDQG- covered the cost of renovations. But beyond making bet- ing the tech sector, Queens, in particular, has a dearth of ter use of the space, the partnership has the potential services for independent workers in creative industries to attract new patrons to the library and increase its vis- like technology and design, including just one coworking ibility in an area of Williamsburg that can seem tucked space and one small business incubator. away and off the beaten path. SpaceWorks is developing additional studio space in Red Hook, but the partnership 24. Find spaces to test out new ideas and model could work in a number of other buildings with ex- services tensive untapped square footage, including the Arlington For libraries to be a true resource to the communi- and Leonard branches in Brooklyn and the Muhlenberg ty, they must be able to grow and adapt as community DQG(SLSKDQ\EUDQFKHVLQ0DQKDWWDQ/RFDWHGRQUG needs change. Many library systems across the country 6WUHHWQHDUDJURZLQJFOXVWHURIWHFKDQGFUHDWLYHÀUPV and abroad have created beta spaces within their facili- WKHXSSHUÁRRUVRI0XKOHQEHUJDQG(SLSKDQ\FRXOGEH ties to test out new services, programs, partnerships and transformed into beta spaces for nearby tech entrepre- technology in an ongoing effort to improve service and in- neurs. crease community involvement. The Chattanooga Public However, beta sites shouldn’t be limited to existing Library, for instance, recently converted an underutilized underutilized spaces. Knud Schulz, manager of the Main VSDFHRQWKHIRXUWKÁRRURIWKHPDLQOLEUDU\GRZQWRZQ Library in Aarhus, Denmark, says that new libraries should into a technology-focused “public laboratory” that can incorporate unprogrammed space that library staff mem- be used both by professionals and curious patrons alike. bers can program together with the users. With no major Part workshare space for budding tech entrepreneurs, EXLOGRXWWKHVSDFHUHPDLQVÁH[LEOHDQGFDQFKDQJHZLWK part creative space for hobbyists, library director Corinne patron needs, which allows the library to evolve and keep +LOOLQVLVWVRQÁH[LELOLW\DQGH[SHULPHQWDWLRQ´:H·UHDOO the dialogue open about its role in the community. More- WU\LQJWRÀJXUHLWRXWDQGWKHSXEOLFLVKHOSLQJXVµVKH over, incubating an idea in a small unprogrammed library VD\V´,QRUGHUWRÀJXUHRXWZKDWZH·UHJRLQJWRGRLQWKH space can be an effective way to demonstrate ideas to future to move forward, I think libraries, all industries ac- outside funders.

55 ENDNOTES

1. This is a rough calculation based on the libraries’ average ser- 10. According to one widely used library planning and development YLFHKRXUVSHUZHHNZKLFKLQ)<ZDVDSSUR[LPDWHO\:H document written by Anders Dahlgren, greater Jackson Heights, GHÀQHDGD\DVKRXUVVRLQ)<WKHOLEUDULHVZHUHRSHQ with a population of approximately 108,000, should have a library approximately 224 days. ZLWKUHDGHUVHDWVXVLQJWKH&ROXPEXV0HWURSROLWDQ/LEUDU\·V metric, it should have 270 reader seats. See Anders Dahlgren, 2. As of March 2014. At that time, nearly all of the $1.1 billion was “Public Library Space Needs, A Planning Outline / 2009,” Wiscon- unfunded. sin Department of Public Instruction, p. 15, retrieved from http:// pld.dpi.wi.gov/pld_plspace and Columbus Metropolitan Library,  7KHVHDUHFRQVHUYDWLYHÀJXUHVDVZHGLGQRWKDYHGHWDLOVIRUDOO ´ 9LVLRQ 3ODQ 'UDIW 5HSRUW ([HFXWLYH 6XPPDU\µ 0D\  branches in need of major renovations, many of which could in- 2009, p. 22, retrieved from http://ebranch.columbuslibrary.org/ clude one or more of the improvements listed. docs/ebranch/CML_FACILITIES_PLAN.pdf.

4. Agency comparisons of administration and discretionary capital 11. ,QÀVFDO\HDU0F.LQOH\3DUNUDQNHGWHQWKE\QXPEHURIYLVL- funding are based on capital commitments (rather than appropri- tors across the city. DWLRQVRUSODQQHGFRPPLWPHQWV IRU)LVFDO

5. $QQXDO H[SHQGLWXUHV ZHUH DGMXVWHG IRU LQÁDWLRQ XVLQJ FRQVWDQW  We also did not count powerstrips, since this is generally not a GROODUV7KRXJKPXFKRIWKHVSHQGLQJRQFXOWXUDOJURXSV permanent solution. LQ )< )< DQG )< PD\ KDYH EHHQ DSSURSULDWHG during the previous administration, the city has not yet spent 14. We were able to obtain the square feet of space dedicated to over $600 million in capital funding that was appropriated and bookshelves for 56 of BPL’s branches. Due to recent changes in DSSURYHGXQGHU%ORRPEHUJ 7KH)<&RPPLWPHQW3ODQLQ- their interiors, we don’t have information for the Central, King’s cludes $606 million in approved cultural capital projects, and Highway, or Macon branches. the FY2014 Commitment Plan includes over $750 million in proj- ects.) As a result, a more detailed analysis of capital spending on 15. Shannon Mattern, “Library as Infrastructure,” Places: Design Ob- cultural groups under Bloomberg, we believe, would show an even server, June 9, 2014. bigger increase in capital spending over previous administrations. 16. All annual expenditures going back to 1994 were adjusted for 6. For purposes of our physical plant analysis, we are counting only LQÁDWLRQXVLQJFRQVWDQWYDOXHVDQGWKHVHÀJXUHVLQFOXGH permanent, circulating community branches. We exclude swing spending on research libraries. The comparison to previous ad- spaces for buildings under construction (in Kew Gardens Hills, PLQLVWUDWLRQVLVLPSHUIHFWVLQFHIXQGVVSHQWLQÀVFDO\HDUV Elmhurst and Far Rockaway), offsite buildings that aren’t being 2004 and even 2005 may have been appropriated before Mayor used as circulating library branches (Queens’ adult literacy cen- %ORRPEHUJWRRNRIÀFH ters in the Ravenswood and Queensbridge Houses and in the Central annex), NYPL’s research libraries, and new branches cur- 17. ,QGHSHQGHQW%XGJHW2IÀFHDQGWKH1HZ

8. For buildings that date from John Lindsay’s mayoralty, which went 19. Since 2010, 97 branches have received capital investments of IURPWRZHLQFOXGHGEXLOGLQJVWKDWZHUHEXLOWLQ some kind; 77 still have outstanding SOGR needs, and 62 have and 1975, since many of these share the same general design needs worth at least $1 million. features and were probably designed in earlier years. 20. According to Brooklyn Public Library, the average cost and du- 9. DC Public Library, “Library Building Program.” Retrieved from: ration of recent and similarly scoped renovations was $576 per http://dclibrary.org/node/616. square foot and six and a half years when managed by the city but RQO\SHUVTXDUHIRRWDQGOHVVWKDQD\HDUDQGDKDOIZKHQ they managed projects themselves. In Queens, the renovation of

56 the Queensboro Hill branch, managed by the city, took 2 years Agencies,” June 4, 2014, p.9. http://www.ny4p.org/research/ DQGFRVWSHUVTXDUHIRRWZKLOHWKHOLEUDU\PDQDJHGUHQRYD- other-reports/Capital%20Projects%20Report%20FINAL.pdf tion of the Fresh Meadows branch was completed in under a year at $109 per square foot. Neither Brooklyn nor Queens’s library  Ibid, p.10. systems have managed (and completed) their own new construc- tion projects in recent years, but the DDC managed the construc-  Kristen Meriwether, “The City Council Moves Forward on Reform,” tion of the new Kensington branch in Brooklyn, which took about Gotham Gazette$SULO \HDUVWRFRPSOHWHDQGFRVWSHUVTXDUHIRRW  For NYPL’s averages, city managed major renovations include: 21. Anthony Cresswell, Broadband Internet Service Adoption and Use High Bridge, Jerome Park, Mulberry Street, St. Agnes, and Wood- in New York State Households, Center for Technology in Govern- stock. NYPL managed major renovations include: Grand Central, ment, May 10, 2011, p.11. the Hamilton Grange Teen Center, The Library Services Center, and Washington Heights. City managed new construction projects 22. 7KH)&&2IÀFHRI(QJLQHHULQJDQG7HFKQRORJ\DQG&RQVXPHUDQG include: Kingsbridge, Mariners Harbor and Stapleton. NYPL man- Governmental Affairs Bureau, Measuring Broadband America ² aged new construction projects include: the Bronx Library Center, 2014. %DWWHU\3DUN&LW\DQGUG6WUHHW VWLOOXQGHUFRQVWUXFWLRQ )RU Brooklyn and Queens project numbers see footnote 20.  &LW\RI&KLFDJR´&LW\RI&KLFDJR%XGJHW2YHUYLHZµS Retrieved from: http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/  7KH2IÀFHRIWKH1HZ

26. San Francisco Public Library, “Branch Library Improve-  See Robert D. Putnam and Lewis M. Feldstein, Better Together: ment Program.” Retrieved from:http://sfpl.org/index. Restoring the American Community6LPRQDQG6FKXVWHU SKS"SJ  SS´7KHOLEUDU\DQGWKHPD\RUKRSHGWKDWORFDWLQJ1HDU North on the border between Cabrini Green and The Gold Coast 27. &ROXPEXV0HWURSROLWDQ/LEUDU\´9LVLRQ3ODQ'UDIW5HSRUW would accomplish two things: encourage other improvements in ([HFXWLYH6XPPDU\µ0D\SJY5HWULHYHGIURPKWWS Cabrini and bring together residents of two neighborhoods who ebranch.columbuslibrary.org/docs/ebranch/CML_FACILITIES_ had virtually no contact with one another.” PLAN.pdf  See “Housing New York: A Five-Borough, Ten-Year Plan,” p.29. 28. The Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project Retrieved from: http://www.nyc.gov/html/housing/assets/down- consistently demonstrates that Americans value libraries, with loads/pdf/housing_plan.pdf their March 2014 report showing that 90 percent of Americans over the age of 16 feel the closing of their local library would have 40. Carl Vogel, “A new role for local libraries and museums,” LISC an impact on their community. See Kathryn Sickuhr, Kristen Pur- Institute for Comprehensive Community Development, June 9, FHOODQG/HH5DLQLH´)URP'LVWDQW$GPLUHUVWR/LEUDU\/RYHUV² 2014. Retrieved from: http://www.instituteccd.org/news/5016 and Beyond: a typology of public library engagement in America,” 0DUFK 41. For more on this important point, see Shannon Mattern, “Library as Infrastructure,” Places: Design Observer, June 9, 2014 29. Meredith Schwartz, “Columbus Library Notes Sell Out,” Library Journal)HEUXDU\ 42. Lauren Pongan, “The Bubbler, a New Madison Public Library Pro- gram, Finds Innovative Ways to Connect Creative Types,” Isthmus  7KH6HDWWOH3XEOLF/LEUDU\´/LEUDULHVIRU$OO²$5HSRUWWRWKH&RP- Daily Page$SULO munity,” September 12, 2008, p.6. Retrieved from: https://www. spl.org/Documents/about/libraries_for_all_report.pdf.  Libraries across the country are starting to open their doors to certain kinds of commercial activities and organizations. The  Public Works Partners and New Yorkers for Parks, “A Survey of main library in Salt Lake City, for instance, incorporates small Capital Projects Management Among New York City Government shops in an arcade called the Urban Room, but they are carefully 57 ENDNOTES CONT’D

curated to promote the library’s ethos. In the Urban Room, there  A new David Adjaye-designed affordable housing complex in the is a comic book store, for instance, a community radio station, Sugar Hill neighborhood of Harlem, housing a 15,000-square-foot and a library store operated by a Friends of the Library group. See FKLOGUHQ·V PXVHXP RQ WKH JURXQG ÁRRU ZDV UHFHQWO\ EXLOW DW D Mattern, “Libraries as Infrastructure.” Libraries could state open- cost of $276 per square foot. See Justin Davidson, “In Harlem, ly that the third parties who charge for their classes in branch the Sugar Hill Complex Reimagines Affordable Housing as an Arty libraries have to promote sharing in the community. Weight Fortress,” New York Magazine, June 9, 2014. Watchers might not meet this standard, but the League of Kitch- ens may very well. On the League of Kitchens, see Justin Rocket 54. Nate Hill, “Library Outposts, a new service model for urban public Silverman, “The League of Kitchens is a UN of cooking, teaching libraries,” Wordpress, March 15, 2008. http://natehill.wordpress. international cuisine,” New York Daily News0DUFK FRPOLEUDU\RXWSRVWVDQHZVHUYLFHPRGHOIRUXU- ban-public-libraries/ 44. 6LQJOH6WRS86$KDVDQRIÀFHLQWKH%URQ[/LEUDU\&HQWHU 55. The Library as Incubator Project, “Live Art and Community Partic- 45. Urban Omnibus, “Toward a Stronger Social Infrastructure: A Con- LSDWLRQLQWKH2DN3DUN3XEOLF/LEUDU\,GHD%R[µ-XQH YHUVDWLRQZLWK(ULF.OLQHQEHUJ2FWREHU http://www.libraryasincubatorproject.org/?p=5025

46. Here and Now with Robin Young and Jeremy Hobson. “Sociologist: 56. Response rates for individual questions may vary, as respondents For Better Disaster Readiness, Build More Libraries.” Retrieved were not required to answer every question, and some questions IURP KWWSKHUHDQGQRZZEXURUJGLVDVWHUSXE- allowed respondents to select multiple answers. Percentages are lic-spaces RXWRIWRWDOVXUYH\VXQOHVVRWKHUZLVHQRWHG

47. Joel Rose, “For Disaster Preparedness: Pack a Library Card?” 57. Rhonda Abrams, “Pricey High Speed Internet Hurts Entrepre- National Public Radio$XJXVW5HWULHYHGIURPKWWS neurs,” USA Today, May 9, 2014. ZZZQSURUJIRUGLVDVWHUVSDFND ÀUVWDLGNLWERWWOHGZDWHUDQGDOLEUDU\FDUG 58. SPARK Ohio, “Results.” Retrieved from: http://sparkohio.org/re- sults/. 48. William Goldstein, Amy Peterson, Daniel A. Zarrilli, “One City, Re- building Together: A Report on the City of New York’s Response to Hurricane Sandy and The Path Forward,” April 2014, p. 8. Re- trieved from: http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/home/downloads/ pdf/reports/2014/sandy_041714.pdf. Although it states that the city has allocated over $800 million for infrastructure and other city services, including rehabilitation/reconstruction of public fa- FLOLWLHVOLEUDULHVDUHQRWVSHFLÀFDOO\PHQWLRQHG

49. According to the city’s CDBG-DR Action Plan, the city has received WZRDOORFDWLRQVRI&'%*'5IXQGLQJELOOLRQLQ0DUFK DQGELOOLRQLQ1RYHPEHU7KHWKLUGDOORFDWLRQLVH[- pected to be nearly $1 billion. Retrieved from: http://www.nyc. gov/html/cdbg/html/approved/action_plan.shtml.

50. Using the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s standards, a service DUHDDVODUJHDV)DU5RFNDZD\ZRXOGUHTXLUHDVTXDUH IRRWEUDQFK6HH´9LVLRQ3ODQ'UDIW5HSRUWµS

51. The Pratt Center for Community Development conducted a simi- ODU XQSXEOLVKHG VWXG\LQDQGLGHQWLÀHGEUDQFKHVWKDW FRXOG DFFRPPRGDWH VLJQLÀFDQW UHVLGHQWLDO GHYHORSPHQW XQGHU current zoning laws. They modeled construction at four sites in detail, including Brighton Beach, Marcy (since downzoned), Kips Bay, and Grand Concourse.

52. The Kips Bay site has a commercial FAR of 2.0, which would lim- it the library to under 10,000 square feet. But additional space could be built below grade, or the project could seek a zoning variance for a larger branch.

58 59 The Center for an Urban Future is a NYC-based policy institute dedicated to highlighting the critical opportunities and challenges facing New York and other cities, and providing fresh ideas and workable solutions to policymakers.

The Center’s primary focus is on growing and diversifying the local economy, expanding economic opportunity and targeting problems facing low-income and working-class neighborhoods.

The Center does this through publishing fact-based research reports that are accessible to a wide audience and holding KLJKSURÀOHSROLF\IRUXPV

For more information or to sign up for our monthly e-mail bulletin, visit www.nycfuture.org.

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