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Next media appearance: Urban Update - Channel 7 (WHDH) - May 9th, 2010 - 11:30 AM

What follows are the press releases and commentary released by People of Boston Branches since Amy Ryan's endorsement of a plan to close 4 branch libraries on April 7th. All were written by People of Boston Branches Founder, Brandon Abbs, and have been researched to the best of his ability. Corrections to statements of fact are welcomed. All may be used without restriction and we hope that their availability will help to inform the public as the situation around the libraries changes.

People of Boston Branches Endorses State Budget Amendments that Keeps All 26 Boston Public Library Branches Open

Boston - A week after the People of Boston Branches called on Boston City Mayor Thomas Menino to reject the Trustees budget as un-democratic, members of the State House of Representatives have heeded our call. Today twelve members of the house submitted three amendments that would withhold state funding of approximately $2.4M for FY11 if the city's budget includes a plan to close any of the 26 branch libraries. Their press release follows this statement.

While the amendment does not solve the $1M gap in funding that is being used as an excuse to short-change the people of Boston from library services, the PBB believes it is a significant step forward for 3 reasons:

1.) $350K is currently budgeted in a way that seems like it supports expenses related to closing down branches. Not closing branches will free up this money and can save jobs if the Mayor chooses to adjusted the budget in a way that would redistribute these funds to personnel that are currently being cut. However, the state cannot control how the city budgets its money.

An amendment that protects a certain number of jobs by proposing a budget option that is not one of the three that President Amy Ryan proposed is an unfunded mandate and the PBB would not have supported such an amendment. In no way are we or the state legislators attempting to manage the library system, we are simply advocating for the people of Boston. The present amendment says that the city has to take the option that the people want if they want state financial assistance. It asserts the people's choice.

We will absolutely continue to fight for more funding that will save all the jobs and fund our libraries at the level that they deserve.

2.) The Trustees have explicitly said that all they would do is revisit their options if the money shows up to fill the budget gap before the end of the fiscal year. This has been a major difficulty in trying to raise funds to fill the library's $1M funding gap because of the mistrust that has developed as a result of this process. If the amendment passes and the budget gap is filled in the future then they have to keep the branches open this year or lose the state's $2.4M.

3.) The amendment gives the people of Boston more protection from a reduction in services than they had yesterday. The entire city has always faced a reduction in services because of the cuts to the Central Library staff. Distributing hours reductions across the city makes this fact crystal clear. While the mayor stood idly by when it appeared that only certain neighborhoods would loose services, it is our hope that the mayor will not stand by now that it has been made absolutely clear that an underfunded library system results in a reduction in services for the entire city.

The only way to restore these services is to support the libraries at the city level. The state is working on new revenue streams that can be used to support the libraries in the future. The mayor must dedicate his resources and support the libraries today. We will keep fighting for full funding and can focus on our 77 Copley workers who are being laid off while Pres. Ryan and other administrators hire $500K and we will plan a day of lobbying once we know what dates are important in the months ahead and how we can be most effective.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Contact:

Louis Manzo (Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry)

Louis.Manzo@state.ma.us

Boston State Representatives Mobilize to Save Local Libraries

Earlier today 12 State Representatives from the Boston delegation in the Massachusetts State House co-sponsored three amendments that seek to keep all Boston Public Library (BPL) branches open.

“The Trustees of the Boston Public Library and the Mayor of Boston have made clear their budget priorities,” Representative Michael Moran said. “Today, as a united group of legislators from neighborhoods throughout Boston, we are standing together and clearly stating that our priorities are to keep every branch library open.”

The BPL receives over $3 million worth of funding via three separate line items in the state budget. The amendments filed today would add additional language onto each line item, making their allocation contingent upon all 26 local branches remaining open in 2011.

“We had hoped that the Board of Trustees would do the right thing by keeping each branch open,” Representative Carlo Basile said. “Today we are taking steps to make sure that the right thing for our neighborhoods does happen.”

Two weeks ago, the Board of Trustees unveiled three plans to compensate for the current budget shortfall. Two of the plans called for the closing of branches, while the third reduced hours system wide. On April 9, the trustees voted to close the branches at Faneuil (Brighton), Lower Mills (Dorchester), Orient Heights (East Boston), and Washington Village (South Boston). The decision has pitted neighborhood against neighborhood but, despite the decision of the trustees, citizens from across Boston have united to rally to save all the libraries.

The House members of the Boston Delegation have responded to their constituents.

“Libraries are centers of education and civic engagement and closing them is closing part of a community. No neighborhood should be deemed less worthy of a library, and, simply put, it is the wrong thing to do,” Representative Linda Dorcena Forry said. “Boston is the intellectual capital of the world. We are a reading city and we must not lose track of who we are despite the economic times. “

In the last two years libraries nationwide have seen a substantial rise in usage. The four libraries alone that the trustees voted to close recorded over 255,000 visits last year. With unemployment high, many citizens have increasingly used the libraries to search for jobs and others are taking advantage of the free programming for children as well as adults.

After the budget process moves through the House of Representatives, the Senate will take up the issue, where there is also substantial support for keeping the libraries open.

“I want to applaud our colleagues in the House for the work they have done on this,” Senator Jack Hart said. “As the budget process moves forward in the Senate we are planning on filing similar amendments to ensure that all libraries in the Boston Public Library System remain open.”

Note: The 12 State Representatives are: Reps. Forry, Moran, Basile, Wallace, Allen, Fox, Honan, Malia, Michlewitz, Rushing, Sanchez and Walz

April 15, 2010

Costs of closing branches and hiring in administration add $1M to FY11 Budget Projections.

Boston - Further analysis of the Boston Public Library's budget as proposed by the City of Boston reveals avoidable operating expenses of nearly $1M and finds that the proposal does not contain the $1.2M in increased spending presented during meetings as a part of the budget gap faced by the library.

The city's $35.6M proposal is divided into two revenue streams: Operating Budget (funded by revenue provided by the city) and External Funds Budget (funded by revenue provided by the state, trust funds, and donations). The budget does not include $3.2M in revenue of the trustee's $38.9M budget that was approved last Friday. This additional revenue presumably has restricted use, such as the Federal Communications Commission's $1.5M in support of the Federal E-Rate program, trusts whose funds are dedicated towards a particular use, etc.

The city's revenue contribution is further divided into three programs: Library Administration, Community Library Services, and Research Library Services. Library Administration funds "the centralized offices of the President, Human Resources, Finance, Facilities, Systems, Technical Services, and Communications and Community Affairs." Included in this year's budget is roughly $500K in new spending on personnel services for this project while $800K is cut from the other two projects.

One of the increased personnel costs is nearly $100K in unemployment compensation that the library has brought about itself through the layoff of 77 employees.

An additional $1.6M is cut in the personnel services supported by external services, for a total reduction in personnel costs of $2M. Laying off 77 employees to save $2M results in an average savings of approximately $26K per employee.

While the library has said repeatedly that part of the financial gap comes about from increases in part due to contractual obligation payments, the budget includes no such increase. In fact, the largest increase in "contractual services" comes from an unprecedented $350K increase in "Repairs Buildings & Structures". These costs were absent as an FY08, 09, or 10 expenditure, and are assumed to be due to the library's plan to close and reallocate resources among the branches. Previously, the city's highest expenditure for this line item was approximately $29K in FY09.

Without this $350K expenditure, contracted services and other operating expenses would decrease by $500K. Other costs, such as "critical needs" that the library's presentation presented as part of the gap may be contained in the capital budget, not the operating budget, of the library. This includes 250K for critical facility repairs found in the capital budget.

It is unclear, why more of these facility costs cannot be contained within the city's $5.2M capital budget thus saving the operating budget and avoiding unnecessary layoffs that will only reduce the amount of service available to the citizens of Boston.

The capital budget includes $1M in spending for an East Boston Library Study designed to "develop a library program, evaluate existing and potential sites, and begin design for a new branch library." PCMD Project #6886, whose report is available on the Library's website, just completed a report in July of 2009 that does just what this $1M in new spending proposes to do. Specifically, it reports the outcome of an evaluation existing and potential sites.

$1M in new spending that does not break ground on a facility and repeats work completed just last year is simply irresponsible when branches in other areas of the city are being closed down and 77 employees are being laid off.

It is expected that during budget hearing, city councillors will ask tough questions about these numbers and demand much more by way of justification for this budget before approving the mayor's proposal.

April 14, 2010

City Budget Shows Insensitivity to Public Need for Library Services

Boston - The city of Boston's budget was released today and revealed city plans to increase spending by 2.5%. The budget reveals that from a financial standpoint, the proposal endorsed by Boston Public Library Trustees and leaders is an unnecessarily drastic and irreversible plan that takes away resources from our neighborhoods. This plan will create huge gaps in services within Boston's neighborhoods and it begins to dismantle a library system that has been serving Boston well for over 100 years.

Library usage is up 30% over the past 2 years and these branches offer Internet connections, child care, audiovisual materials, language programs, summer reading programs, and reading materials to the citizens of Boston who must cut back spending on these services themselves during these financial times or use these services to secure new employment.

According to US Census data, the city's library proposal cuts back on services to areas of the city that have lower educational achievement, lower incomes, and lower home values. The plan disproportionately allocates resources to adults aged 18-24, many of whom are already served by colleges and universities, and areas of the city with the highest rental costs. The plan will continue to widen the income gap in Boston, which according to the Boston Foundation is already the nation's largest. This plan also comes at a time when the city should be devoting more resources to education and literacy in preparation for the achievement levels that must be made by 2014 in order to comply with the Federal "No Child Left Behind" requirements.

The $3.3M that the library needs to maintain current operations (assuming the projected $1.2M in cost increases is realized) represents just .1% of the city's budget, and would represent just 5.5% of the $60M in new spending and 7.3% of the $45M being taken from the city reserves, which will still have $90M remaining in it. Lastly, the gap represents just 2% of the $153M being saved for future costs that the city has planned.

Despite being such a small percentage of the city's budget, 77 workers are being laid off, one of the highest totals of any city department and 30.8% of layoffs in the budget. The point has already been made that 15% of the branches will be closed and approximately 18% of the staff will be laid off. Again, this is compared to a budget shortfall that is just .1% of the total budget and represents a disproportionately large cut to services that are vital to the city's future financial health and education.

April 9, 2010

People of Boston Branches Calls on Boston Mayor to REJECT the Boston Public Library Budget Recommendation

Boston - Today the Trustees of the Boston Public Library authorized President Amy Ryan to submit a budget to the city that includes in its plans to layoff 90 workers and the closure of 4 branch libraries: Lower Mills in the Dorchester neighborhood, Washington Village in the Old Colony Housing Project in South Boston, Faneuil in the Brighton/Oak Square neighborhood, and Orient Heights in East Boston. An amendment to delay a vote on the Orient Heights closure until September 2011 failed on a 3-3 tie. Both votes come as no surprise to people who have been following this process closely, but are a failure of the democratic process. The vote was 5-0-1 in favor of closure, with one abstention from Trustee Paul LaCamera due to the failure of his amendment. Trustee Jeff Rudman was visibly upset at LaCamera for the proposal.

Not one voice from one person who has spoken up about these plans has called for the closure of these libraries. No public official who is honestly representing their constituents concerns has said to close these branches or lay off workers. The decision by the Trustees is unilateral and should be rejected by Mayor Thomas Menino for not representing the voice of the people.

The people elected Mayor Menino so that he could appoint Trustees that would represent them in their decisions. Today they failed in representing the public and now Mayor Menino must reject their budget and give the library the democratic choice. It is clear that the democratic choice is for Option 1: reduced hours in the branch libraries.

A candlelight vigil will be held at Faneuil Branch library tonight at 5:30 P.M. The Faneuil Branch is located at 419 Faneuil Street in Brighton, MA 02135. The phone number for this branch is 617-782-6705 and the branch librarian is Dorothy Keller. Maria Rodrigues is organizing the event mrodrigu@holycross.edu. Councillor Mark Ciommo represents this district and is chairman of the Ways & Means committie, which will hold a hearing on the city budget's funding of the library sometime after April 14, 2010.

April 8, 2010

Census Data Show Boston Public Library Plan Will Disproportionately Affect the Poor and Uneducated

Boston - An analysis by People of Boston Branches member Sam Zager shows that according to the most recent census data (the year 2000 census), Boston's poorer and less educated citizens would be further disadvantaged by the Boston Public Library's preferred plan to close 4 branch libraries and reduce services at the Central library. This plan has been formally endorsed by President Amy Ryan in a press release issued April 7th and Zager points out that it would work against state initiatives to close the achievement gap in schools.

The plan to close 4 libraries (Faneuil, Lower Mills, Orient Heights, and Washington Village Branch libraries) would affect zip codes where the education level is markedly lower. Specifically, 40.2% in at-risk branch census blocks had only HS diploma, and 23.3% had a college degree whereas 33.7% in rest of branch census blocks had only HS diploma, and 31.8% had college degree.

The plan would also affect zip codes where income is markedly lower (median household income is $37,338 in at-risk branch census blocks v. median income is $42,398) and where home values are markedly lower in at-risk branches' neighborhoods (median home value is $156,900 in at-risk blocks v. median home value of $204,695 in rest of blocks).

Under the plan to close 7 branches (above 4 plus Egleston Square, Jamaica Plain-Sedgwick, and Uphams Corner) the education gap remains approximately the same (39.6% in at-risk branch census blocks had only HS diploma, and 24.1% had college degree whereas 33.0% in rest of branch census blocks had only HS diploma, and 32.9% had college degree). However, the income gap increases (median household income is $34,548 in at-risk branch census blocks v. median household income is $44,225 in rest of branch census blocks) as does the home-value gap (median home value is $159,057 in at-risk blocks v. median home value is $211,447 in rest of blocks).

At meetings held by the Boston Public Library to receive public comment (that has been ignored) patrons have described the plans as "an attack on the poor" and "a civil rights issue". At a community stakeholders meeting held at the Cathedral of St. Paul on April 7th, Brandon Abbs of People of Boston Branches questioned why the city can agree that citizens have a right to be educated by the city, and thus rightly continue to fill gaps in the budget of the Boston Public Schools, but do not agree that citizens have a right to educate themselves, and thus allow the library President to propose the laying off of almost 70 workers who provide vital support for the library system and the closure of branch libraries.

The branches most likely to close (those under the 4-library plan endorsed by BPL President Amy Ryan) represent branches that have been within the library system for 89 - 125 years. At times, these branches have been kept open or were re-opened as a direct result of the action of the citizens of Boston. Closing these branches destorys a model of providing services to the community that defines the Boston Public Library as a world-class library system and that has been in action for 110 years. Closing these branches breaks promises that are more than a century old through a process that has lasted all of two months.

History:

Boston Public Library: Commitment to the 69 workers that now face layoffs at central library was made when the library was founded in 1848 - Commitment to Boston's neighborhood was made shortly thereafter when 22 branches built between 1870 and 1900.

Washington Village Branch: Opened 1901, closed by fire in 1972, reopened by "a task force of Old Colony [public housing] residents [who] applied for a federal grant that enabled the Housing Authority to remodel two apartments into a small library facility. The Branch was reopened in 1983."

Faneuil Branch: Opened 1931 during the height of the great depression, being closed during the current depression.

Orient Heights Branch: Opened 1912 - Current building donated to the city by the Druker Family in 1986.

Lower Mills Branch: One of the earlies branches, opened in 1875, moved to a new and expanded facility in 1981, renovated in 2005.

April 7, 2010

People of Boston Branches Against BPL President's Endorsement of Closing Branch Libraries

Boston - The People of Boston Branches is dismayed by Boston Public Library President Amy Ryan's endorsement of a plan to close four library branches and lay off over 100 workers during the next budget cycle. The closing of any branch is a mistake, but the plan to close the Faneuil branch is the most concerning and flies in the face of public opinion. This plan comes after tremendous vocal and active opposition to the closing of this branch. The patrons of this branch have been one of the most active groups in organizing to prevent any branch closure, meeting with local representatives, and meeting with library officials. Nearly the entire public comment portion of Monday's community meeting at Honan-Allston library, where community feedback was supposed to be gathered, was devoted to arguing for Faneuil to remain open. To close this branch is to openly ignore the voice of the people in this transformation process. It, as well as each of the other four libraries, is vital to the neighborhood that it serves. The voice of the people is clearly against these measures and the public is actively organizing to improve the library's situation. As a representative of this voice People of Boston Branches will continue to lead the fight against these cuts.

Latest Column

Financial Argument for Downsizing the Library Does Not Add Up

The Boston Public Library has proposed to cut 25% of the staff and close 15% of the branches to fill a budget gap that is less than .2% of the city's total 2011 budget. What we have not been told, by anyone, is how this plan saves any money at all.

First, consider the Central Library and Library Administration. Here 70 workers will be laid off at a time when previous cutbacks already have the library working on a skeleton crew and library usage is up 30%. These 70 are not redundant, they are vital. Remaining workers will be over committed and will work over time. Last year, the library paid out $1.3M in over time, what can we expect next year? When essential workers are rehired in better times, costs associated with rehiring and retraining persons with less experience can be added to the tab.

Second, consider the cost of branch closures. No branch is likely to be sold, so we are left with costs associated with closing and re-purposing, which have not been disclosed, and the cost of losing assets inside the buildings (books, computers, etc.). The Lower Mills branch was renovated in 2005 and we will likely renovate again for its re-purposing. At the Faneuil Branch, abandonment will leave another empty shell in Oak Square making it less attractive to residents and businesses, thus limiting new investment and property tax revenue.

Third, consider the hidden costs. The system being proposed is designed for commuting rather than walking. It places an increased burden on the MBTA, which is already heavily subsidized and loses money every time a patron steps on a bus. The RIDE program costs the state $40 per trip with costs rising every year. As the state funnels more money into the MBTA, other programs will suffer. Other patrons will simply stop going to the library, which will lead to a long-term decrease in literacy and education. Failure to teach our children to read will result in costs associated with failing to meet the No Child Left Behind requirements that loom in 2014, not to mention lawsuits related to violations of one's right to education that may begin to pile up. Public school systems around the country regularly pay $100,000 per student for additional tutoring and $100M or more for private school tuition when public schools fail to teach children to read. The libraries in our neighborhoods help to stave off this failure, but not when their resources cannot be accessed.

While columns on the supposed benefits of this plan are able to give an exhaustive list, the costs and consequences enumerated above are just a sample. The entire plan is designed to reduce services and interactions with employees and has been presented with a lot of wishful thinking and promises that are likely to come up empty. Without firm commitments and more specific details the plan is simply asking us all to pay more for less.

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