Queens Library branches were recently forced to stop purchasing new books because of budget cuts. But Kew Gardens residents and the Kew Gardens Hills Civic Association have decided to help their local library gain back some buying power. Last Thursday, the civic association donated $4,000 to the Kew Gardens Hills Library for new books. The donation was matched by the Queens Library Foundation, bringing the total to $8,000.
“KGHCA is pleased to make this donation, made possible by the support of hundreds of local residents, which expresses the community’s support for the Kew Gardens Hills branch,” said civic President Patricia Dolan. “It is shameful that the city’s budget cutting has forced the Queens Library to suspend book purchases. Another round of budget cuts beginning on July 1 could force service reductions and even shutdowns of local libraries. We are counting on local elected officials like Senator [Toby] Stavisky and Councilman [James] Gennaro for their continued support for Queens’s libraries.”
[Photo Credit] Photo courtesy of Kew Gardens Hills Civic Association/Jim Jaffe
[Photo Caption] From left to right: Queens Library CEO Tom Galante; Diana Chapin, executive director of Queens Library Foundation; Patricia Dolan; Senator Toby Stavisky; Borough President Helen Marshall; Councilman James Gennaro; and Charles Henry, KGHCA treasurer celebrate the new books that can be purchased thanks to the donation from the community.
