Nov. 22, 2023 By Iryna Shkurhan
This weekend will mark the final day of Sunday service at two Queens Public Library locations for the foreseeable future.
Central Library on Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica and Flushing Library on Main Street will no longer be open on Sundays as a result of citywide budget cuts for Fiscal Year 2024 that were announced last week.
The Queens, Brooklyn and New York public libraries were some of the many city agencies that will have funding cut by five percent this month. The cuts will also eliminate overtime for the FDNY, reduce the number of officers in the NYPD and eliminate funding for community composting programs.
“Brooklyn Public Library, Queens Public Library, and The New York Public Library regret to announce that as a result of mid-year budget cuts, we must eliminate seven-day service across the city, including ending Sunday service at the vast majority of branches that currently offer it,” read a collective statement from the city’s three library systems.
The cuts will also reduce spending on library materials, programming and building maintenance and repairs.
“Without sufficient funding, we cannot sustain our current levels of service, and any further cuts to the Libraries’ budgets will, unfortunately, result in deeper service impacts,” the statement continued. “We know how much New Yorkers rely on the vital resources we provide, and we remain committed to meeting their needs as best as we can.”
The Kew Gardens Hills library will remain open on Sundays among other locations.