From The Real Deal:Sometime in the spring, a glamorous new branch library will open in the unlikeliest of places, at 255-01 Union Turnpike in Glen Oaks, Queens. Designed by Scott Marble and Karen Fairbanks, who founded Marble Fairbanks in 1990, this blast of neo-mod zazz will rise in the midst of what is akin to a strip mall. Replacing an older brick-faced structure on the same site, the new library will be an 18,000-square-foot, LEED certified space on three levels — one of them below grade — that will contain a circulating library, a cyber center and communal meeting spaces.
Weren't we threatening to close Queens Library branches recently due to lack of funding? Why is a glamorous new hoidy-toidy branch being built in Glen Oaks?
23 comments:
I believe capital money - that used to renovate and build library structures - and operational money, are two completely different things.
Yes, they are. But why is the Queens Library spending millions of dollars to build a branch when it doesn't have the money to staff it?
Which from a budgetary viewpoint is absurd.
Let's see, we don't have enough operation funds to keep branches open but we have enough capital money to build new ones.
Only government could think this way. Business would be out of business if they tried this.
The capital budget was also cut.
"The library also faces a ten percent cut ($12.5 million) to the city's contribution to its capital budget."
http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/889415-264/bloomberg_proposes_22_percent_less.html.csp
Check out the board of developers er directors. Top heavy on scholars?
Staffing cut, books cut, are the hours less than other boroughs?
but its build baby build.
How is that Child Discover Center doing in Jamaica, you know, the one that had what 3 or 4 press releases and cost - what was it now - how many millions?
http://www.timesnewsweekly.com/news/2011-09-22/Feature_Stories/Childrens_Discov
ery_Center_Opens_In_Jamaica.html
That's right, almost $40 million.
The capital vs. operational budget is decided by the City Council, not the library. Library isn't allowed to spend capital money on staff.
Also, this money was already allocated so any cuts were made to future projects.
When the city council hands you a budget cut, it's best to reprioritize your spending. I'm sure lots of existing branches could have used that money for repairs. How about libraries in Broad Channel or Rockaway that were destroyed?
How about libraries in Broad Channel or Rockaway that were destroyed?
---
Or building a new branch in LIC that will undoubtedly get flooded.
Um since they have such lavish funds for capital why can't they ask council to reprioritize money to operations.
It's all about kissing up to the new immigrants.
In this nabe that is becoming increasingly Indo-Pak-Bangla...these new groups insist on better facilities.
They'll wind up getting screwed with library hours being cut to the bone and severe understaffing.
For decades this particular library branch stood like a bare bones rustic outpost on the Great Plains.
Now we suddenly climb all the way up the architectural ladder to this glitz and glamour glass box?
Somebody's making a bundle off of this, or garnering votes from the 3rd worlders who have arrived here.
Take a good look to see which politician(s), the head of the Queensborough Public Library system's apron strings, is tied to.
There, you will find your answer!
Will there be books inside?
Did you mention "books"?
I'd like to see a library set up,
that specializes in books for crooks.
I envision this to be a major resource for the study of political corruption.
How about Claire Shulman, for its director?
I suppose that it should be located as close to borough hall as possible. That's appropriate, isn't it?
This capital budget was also there to demolish the original Carnegie Elmhurst Library and replace it with another steel and glass monster. From the Victorian to the Nazi.
You have to wonder if there's a long range plan to create some faux libraries that can be easily re-purposed to commercial use when the Queens Library shuts down.
Let's look at the big picture. It takes at least a decade or more to raise funds, design and build a library. The new library will serve the community long, long, long into the future.
Of course the library has to deal with the fiscal situation in 2012, but it also has to think about what's going to be needed in 2062.
They will be rebuilding the Bellerose branch soon.
One result of the renovation is the installation of self-check-in and self-check-out resulting in less employees?
Central Library in Jamaica has half the number of public service librarians than when I worked there in the 90s - and morale is at an all time low. Meanwhile, their CEO keeps giving himself bigger titles and the administration keeps getting more top heavy - like Senior Vice President of Capital Planning and Strategic Development Peter Magnani.
Project Gutenberg.
"LACK OF FUNDING" ? there is plenty of $$$$ to be borrowed from China. Who replaced St.John's Dean of Asian Studies political bundler Cecilia Chang in Queens County ?
Low Information voters will gladly work their ass-s off for the rest of their lives ,to repay the Chinese benefactors.
while the public union construction workers build,build,build what the taxpayers can not afford and do not need..... DURING A DEPRESSION.....
Oh good, a fancy new place to temporarily abandon your screaming out-of-control children.
The homeless will give it a 5 star rating.
Yeah....
a pretty expensive place for street people off their meds to hang out.
A good bed bug transfer station too.
Say good bye to paper book, say hello to ebooks and electronic journals. Pretty soon the library will just be a passcode you use from home.
We can't exactly go all ebook/paper free if the library doesn't spend at least spend some money on fixing the queenslibrary website. When it needs to be accessed (usually a day before something is due), the whole website shuts the #%#$ down.
Post a Comment