Council Members David G. Greenfield and Brad Lander announced today the opening of four branches of the Brooklyn Public Library on Sunday to accommodate Brooklyn’s growing Orthodox Jewish population that can’t utilize a library on Saturday. The new Sunday service will go into effect at the Midwood (Avenue J and East 16th), Borough Park (13th Ave and 43rd), Mapleton (18th Avenue and 60th) and Ryder (23rd Avenue and 59th Street) Brooklyn Public Library branches starting Sunday, October 25th. Thanks to funding secured by Greenfield and Lander, these libraries will join the Kings Highway (on Ocean Avenue) and Central branches in being open on Sunday. Due to union rules, operating on Sunday is considerably more expensive than any other day of the week.
“I am thrilled that after years of advocacy, four libraries in Borough Park, Midwood and Bensonhurst will now be open on Sundays so that children, families and adults can enjoy weekend access. This expanded service is especially important to Orthodox Jewish families, who cannot take advantage of Saturday library hours,” said Council Member Greenfield. “For the past five years, I have made investing in libraries a top priority by allocating significant funding for programming, books, capital upgrades and now hours to our neighborhood libraries. These extended hours will give library patrons in Borough Park, Midwood and Bensonhurst the opportunity to fully explore the multitude of outstanding free resources our neighborhood libraries have to offer. My thanks to the Brooklyn Public Library and their President Linda Johnson, the Berg Foundation and my colleague Councilman Brad Lander for joining together with me to finally meet the need for Sunday hours.”
“The Borough Park Library is one of the busiest in Brooklyn, in the heart of one of the great Jewish neighborhoods in the world. Like all New Yorkers, Borough Park residents deserve six-day access to the books, computers, community programs, and treasured spaces of their local library. And in Borough Park — where so many members of the Jewish community observe Shabbat on Saturday — that sixth day needs to be on Sunday,” said Council Member Brad Lander. “So I am thrilled to work with the Brooklyn Public Library and the David Berg Foundation to bring Sunday hours to Borough Park, add evening hours throughout the week, and further enhance access and programming for all the residents of this great community.”
“As patrons throughout the borough continue to access library services in record numbers, it is essential that our branches operate on schedules that meet the needs of the neighborhoods they serve,” said BPL President & CEO Linda E. Johnson. “Brooklyn Public Library is proud to be able to offer Sunday service at Borough Park and Midwood with help from our generous partners in city government and in the community.”
Since taking office, Councilman Greenfield has made supporting and funding neighborhood libraries a priority. He is a key member of the Budget Negotiating Team where he fought to restore critical funding for Brooklyn Public Library. Additionally, Greenfield secured funding to create a new $250,000 outdoor plaza, sitting area and book drop-off outside the Midwood Public Library branch that will be completed this fall.
(YWN Desk – NYC)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
One Response
The union is par tof the Democratic machine. If they agreed to non-discriminatory work rules, and to hire more Shomer Shabbos librarians, there would actually be able to save money by opening on Sunday. The real reason for the limited Sunday service (compare to the Saturday hours), is that the Democratic Party runs the city, and is dominated by secular Jews who hate the Shomer Shabbos community.