Sunday, November 10, 2013

NY Public Library hires Parkside Group

From the NY Times:

The New York Public Library is paying a prominent lobbying firm $25,000 to help promote the library’s controversial renovation plan, according to a contract obtained by The New York Times.

Opposition to the library plan, which calls for creating a circulating library in the area now occupied by stacks, has arisen “from a loose coalition of scholars opposed to circulation returning to the 42d St. building and anti-development activists,” the contract says. “These opponents have attracted some press coverage and some support from elected officials and prominent New Yorkers. Therefore the library seeks public affairs representation in order to build support for their innovative model with key stakeholders.”

The library has enlisted the Parkside Group, whose team will be led by Evan Stavisky, the contract says.

Asked about the decision to hire Parkside, library officials said in a statement that, like other large cultural institutions and library systems that rely on government financing, “the library has for decades used a variety of consultants to help amplify our own efforts at community and officeholder outreach.”

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

"library officials said in a statement that, like other large cultural institutions and library systems that rely on government financing, “the library has for decades used a variety of consultants...."
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Sure; they use tax-exempt funds for consultants.I wonder if they tell donors where their $$ go to.

Anonymous said...

The NYPL central research library on 42nd St (now known as the Schwarzman building), as well as their other research libraries (Schomburg, Lincoln Center, etc.) used to get the bulk of their money from the Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations, so they were rarely wanting for funds. Since all of their money came from private funds, they could have their own rules - thus, no children allowed at 42nd St; searching of your small bags; no large bags; etc - and they didn't even have to let you in. Technically the NYPL research libraries were private libraries that were open to the public, if you met the criteria to be there. The NYPL branches were/are public libraries.

Anonymous said...

Can Public School grads in NYC even read anymore?

John said...

Can Public School grads in NYC even read anymore?

Well, at least the specialized HS students can, but deBlasio is going to ruin things for all the Asian parents by pushing for quotas to get into them, instead of relying on the admissions test.

But public libraries found new functions last decade when they started focusing first on videos, and then DVDs; plus they provide free Internet for people who still don't have, or can't afford to have, Internet access on their own; as well as job placement and other skill development activities. Librarians are expected to be social workers, but unfortunately that's not taught in M.L.S. programs, nor is it factored into their comparatively paltry salaries.

Anonymous said...

Really? Evan Stavisky? More like Tales from the Darkside!!!

Anonymous said...

If this is an idea that needs Parkside to bring it to fruition it is a bad idea and should be opposed by all to the fullest extent possible.

Anonymous said...

Has Evan Stavisky ever spent a day reading a book in that library?

He's had his lips on Parkside's gravy faucet for some time, though...judging from the ever increasing size of his already ample paunch.

He's looking more like his dad every day. And his Moby mom ain't exactly a light weight either.

Can we be correct in referring to the Staviskys as fat cats?

Anonymous said...

Yet another example of a pathogen festering in Queens that somehow ends up biting New York in the ass.

Think how much the culture of this city has fallen when the Queens Library board of developers is now something being looked at by New York.

Anonymous said...

The 5th Ave. NYPL is great and worth keeping in repair.

The QPL (other than Jamaica's main branch) really is obsolete.

Most people use the internet for everything.

Ink on paper is old technology, and will soon pass like the neighborhood movie theaters and Woolworths.

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