Richmond Hill resident Muhammed Anwara (center), along with his daughters Zahrah (left) and Zonayna Fatima show their support for keeping the Richmond Hill branch of the Queens Library open. Forum Newsgroup photo by Luis Gronda..
Since news broke that many libraries throughout Queens are in danger of closing, community members and library officials have been rallying in support of their library.
On Friday, June 1, residents of Richmond Hill got their chance as their local library branch held a small rally outside of its location on 118-14 Hillside Avenue.
Although the crowd that showed up to the rally was small in numbers, they were loud in their support for keeping the library open.
“I think saving libraries means saving our children’s future,” said Charlotte Taylor, one of a few Richmond Hill residents who stood up and spoke about saving libraries. “I don’t believe that the mayor has considered the cost of cutting libraries against the cost of tampering with our children’s future.”
In the executive budget released at the beginning of May, Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a $26.7 million cut to Queens Libraries, which would be a 31 percent reduction compared to last year’s budget.
The cut would force 18 libraries to close their doors for good. Thirty others would have to cut services, being open only four or five days a week. Six hundred jobs would also be cut from the libraries if the cut goes through.
“This center, it’s more than a library, this is a cultural and historical center,” said Ronald Tirino, who is also a Richmond Hill resident and works part-time as a New York City school teacher. “Great people have come through these walls and this is a legacy that needs to be kept alive.”
John Hyslop, who is the president of the union that represents the Queens library, Local 1321, said that he has been to several rallies around Queens and they all echoed the same sentiments as the Richmond Hill people: they love their Queens Library branch.
“If Mayor Bloomberg gets his way and it closes, it’s going to devastate the community,” he said. “We cannot let that happen.”
State Senator Joseph Addabbo, whose district includes Richmond Hill, also made an appearance at the rally.
He said it is important to highlight the role a library plays in a community.
“Our library doors are open to everybody, regardless of age, regardless of background,” Addabbo said. “It’s where people gather, it’s where people go for information or if they have a question or a concern.”
He added that he hopes Mayor Bloomberg will be as passionate for libraries as he is for sugary soft drinks. The mayor announced last week that he intends to ban sales of soft drinks that are larger than 16 ounces in restaurants, movie theaters and stadiums in New York City.
By Luis Gronda
