NY Post
A state-of-the-art new Queens library that took $41 million to
build over more than a decade isn’t fully accessible to people with
disabilities — and bookworms are outraged.
The Hunters Point Library in Long Island City features a three-tiered fiction section that can only be reached by a steep staircase.
But the design fails to consider wheelchair-bound users, some elderly folks and anyone who isn’t able-bodied, advocates say.
“I’m appalled,” Christine Yearwood, founder of the disability rights group Up-Stand, told The Post.
“Everybody — young, old, able-bodied and disabled — should be able to enjoy it.”
Yearwood, who lives in Astoria, added: “With all of the delays they had a chance to do this the right way … It’s off-putting.”
The eye-catching lit house opened on Sept. 24 to much fanfare, complete with a sleek modern facade facing East River. Its design began in 2010 and construction started in 2015.
The library has one elevator but it doesn’t stop at the fiction section, which is on three separate levels above the lobby, according to Gothamist, which was first to report the accessibility problems.
By law, public buildings must meet accessibility requirements in the American Disabilities Acts. And the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions has a checklist noting “All parts of the library should be accessible.”
On Friday, elderly library visitors called it a major screw up.
“[It’s] an unfortunate oversight, clearly,” said Dottie Jeffries, 68, who was browsing for books. “I hope there’s a way to remedy this.”
A 74-year-old man, who lives across the street from the building, added, “I’m disappointed. It should be accessible to everyone.”
Queens Public Library President Dennis Walcott said the library is aware of the issue and plans to move the books.
The issue with this "library" is that it's more designed to hold gilded events and galas for city officials, lobbyists, corporate owned local news reporters, business executives and myriad plutocrats. The book and the bookshelves are obligatory.
It's a big club...
The Hunters Point Library in Long Island City features a three-tiered fiction section that can only be reached by a steep staircase.
But the design fails to consider wheelchair-bound users, some elderly folks and anyone who isn’t able-bodied, advocates say.
“I’m appalled,” Christine Yearwood, founder of the disability rights group Up-Stand, told The Post.
“Everybody — young, old, able-bodied and disabled — should be able to enjoy it.”
Yearwood, who lives in Astoria, added: “With all of the delays they had a chance to do this the right way … It’s off-putting.”
The eye-catching lit house opened on Sept. 24 to much fanfare, complete with a sleek modern facade facing East River. Its design began in 2010 and construction started in 2015.
The library has one elevator but it doesn’t stop at the fiction section, which is on three separate levels above the lobby, according to Gothamist, which was first to report the accessibility problems.
By law, public buildings must meet accessibility requirements in the American Disabilities Acts. And the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions has a checklist noting “All parts of the library should be accessible.”
On Friday, elderly library visitors called it a major screw up.
“[It’s] an unfortunate oversight, clearly,” said Dottie Jeffries, 68, who was browsing for books. “I hope there’s a way to remedy this.”
A 74-year-old man, who lives across the street from the building, added, “I’m disappointed. It should be accessible to everyone.”
Queens Public Library President Dennis Walcott said the library is aware of the issue and plans to move the books.
The issue with this "library" is that it's more designed to hold gilded events and galas for city officials, lobbyists, corporate owned local news reporters, business executives and myriad plutocrats. The book and the bookshelves are obligatory.
It's a big club...
33 comments:
Far Left solution ! #EatTheBabies and #EatTheHandicapped
$15million was spent on design plans alone. Probably a major donor to the mayor and Councilmember. Also, Walcott is a dope! A token of the administration.
The city spends $41 million on a library and is so stupid that they design a building that is not 100% accessible. Then the DOB goes after people to make sure that a private development is 100% accessible. Ridiculous really.
Queens is run like a third world communistic puppet state - think the 'stans in Central Asia. All that you need is official Party approved propaganda to believe, official Party approved cultural events (designed only with potential voting blocks in mind) to attend, and official Party approved (reflecting their stunted world view) agendas to be feed.
This monster has no taste, put in the wrong place (yes folks, the sun will bake the inside and the river will sooner or later flood it) and costs a laughable kings ransom which is what Party hacks always do when put in charge of anything.
But it does one thing very well: showcases the dystopian world the Party expects us to live in. Sorry, we just do not share their view of reality. It is because of them we have that mess in Washington.
Douche's
Most university libraries have gone online see https://recap.princeton.edu/
Remember how they replaced the library board for ... well you know. Glad to see that was an effective move to clean up things, eh?
Yet another reason the library system in NYC needs to be merged into one system.
"...hard for the handicapped and elderly..." How about impossible. What an imbecilic way to spend the public's money. If this were a private library they would be closed. But no, this is a public boondoggle, approved by the Community Planning Board and the NYC Council. What next? A ten billion dollar jail?
Who the hell reads and carry's books outside some home collection of dust & mildew in the year 2019?
Its all e-books, computers and tablets now, and why that paper media was placed up the boonies.
People are crazy
My mother had 1500 books of paperback and junk that cost me a fortune to carry away because re-cycling paper is such a nasty toxic process that costs a fortune.
Books belong in a museum's and assisted living facility's.
Scrap places will not touch paper because it has negative value and it treated like the black plague in the re-cycling business. --I tried
Tar and feathers.
Well the homeless will like sleeping on the steps so they got that going for them
Can't be used. Will be sued on day one. Just sell it. Let some private developer make a go of it.
this is against the american disability act - JVB is going to be getting into alot of trouble with this in which he should -
To the book burner: You are a sign of the times. All you have to do is look around and witness how the lack of reading and appreciation for books has adversely damaged our society. Nothing on the internet replaces the value of books. Instead of destroying your mothers treasures, you should have read them.
This is so annoying with the damn complaints. I understand there are certain individuals who suffer from some sort of disability but when I observe people using a ramp or elevator its usually some obese person. Obesity is not a disability, I don't care what any has to say. Lay off the chips,popeyes,super sized cokes and work out.
(Nothing on the internet replaces the value of books)
Educate yourself.
Books are available now as E-Books, and you dont read them on the internet.
Its an electronic file where you can change font styles, sizes etc, even have narrator read them to you.
Its easier for old people, vision impaired, disabled to obtain via download at a library or home internet purchase and read on a tablet. Any language you want you want also.
--No need for that environmental disaster called paper media, ramps, elevators and all this bullshit.
I agree 100% Obesity is not a disability.
And that's another issue, and epidemic of diabetes, heart disease sending healthcare costs skyrocketing.
Why should taxpayers have to pay for these peoples bad decisions in life, refusal to adaption to modern technology included and live in the stone ages.
And those are my college professors words not mine !!
So, Dennis Walcott strikes again. He was a dismal failure as Schools Chancellor, so that qualified him to be the head of the NYC library system. How on earth did they see their way to spending $41 million on a building where you have to mount so many steps to reach the books? As for the 'tard criticizing people who have to use elevators as mostly being obese--have you never heard of hamstring injuries, arthritis, heart disease, foot disorders or simply being elderly? Whether someone chooses to use an elevator over taking stairs is their business, not yours to criticize, the point being there has to be a choice.
@Skip: it's healthier to read printed material via reflective soothing light bouncing off a printed book's pages than having the same words blasted directly through your eyes via harsh light on electronic devices.
@ George:
Put the new tablet reader screens next to paper you can not tell the difference George. And you have no flashing, blasting, strobotic refresh rate also like the older LCD and TFT panels. You can even set the screens to soft or even reflect the rooms ambient light like you say. Epileptic people can use them now.
The technology has come a long way in the past 2 years.
Seems Queens Crap or Archie Bunkers place is the proper name for this blog.
Here George:
You slide any type of backing paper in the e-reader and you have soft light bouncing off same as a printed book's pages. -And with any fonts, colors you like, double spaced or otherwise.
People must get out of the stone ages or they are going to be left behind.
Its explained here:
https://www.visionect.com/blog/electronic-paper-explained-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work/
I'm an old people and I love books. Easy on the eyes, immediate access to my library and always something new that I never discovered before. Maybe you just don't need to read, Skip. Sounds like you already know everything. You're just a modern day Meathead!
Obesity is a disability. Try not to judge everybody by your own standards. Look up morbid obesity and clue yourself in to the seriousness of this illness. It can be caused by psychological or metabolic influences, which could also include unwise eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle. Like sitting at a computer terminal looking up e-news and typing in your worthless, uninformed opinions all day long.
What about blind people? How will they enjoy all those books and periodicals?
Obesity is NOT a disability, its caused by ones ownself over 90% of the time......No one gets obese by eating Yogurt chicken breasts fish apples bananas peppers onions, squash mushrooms etc.........But they sure do eating Pizza Pringles Pork Rinds, Little Debbies, and those 2 for $1 Honey buns loaded with chemicals and fake icing.
The taxpayer should not be funding somebody's hobby anymore then some 55 Chevy in the garage.
Paper is on its way out.
Anon says: Maybe you just don't need to read, Skip.
I do read to keep myself up to date, especially with all these politician crooks running New York. Especially the bills a proposal PDF files on the government websites, you will not find reading paper media like the Daily News .
Hey, If you like reading your books and corrupt news-rags fine, and nobody is asking you to toss your home library away. Go ahead buy a book, read Black Beauty or Huckleberry Finn in a library for the 15th time.
However do not use my tax dollars and public resources to support keeping stock of books. Its a HUGE waste of space and library's only have selections limited to public domain books anyway.
Who sleps around or reads paper books, 1-2% of the population these days ?
Its closer to stamp collecting and wagon wheel making as in HOME HOBBY PERSONAL CHOICE personal the public should not be paying for.
Main point is don't design a library that many people can't use....especially in an age of increased accessibility and after an expensive study. Also, people still read books---the death of books is highly exaggerated. Yes we live in an electronic age and books are not as significant, but many people prefer them and libraries are supposed to make them available. The whole population cannot afford e-books, readers, or may not know how to use them etc. These people are part of NYC too.
The idiotic design process reminds me of the expensive red- of the N stations with no elevators.....
The Queens Library needs to be merged in with NYC Library.
SIBL in NYC is closing, merging with the new Niarchos Libaray. Google used NYPL like a spent whore, scanned all their books then dumped them. All the off copyright books are on archive.org, the copyrighted ones on books.google.com. Beware the way google dumped their deja news franchise, they might start censoring book sonce they do to libraries what big box did to retail. All the scholarly journals are on jstor.org, no longer on paper. There is still scaffolding on the third floor of the "Lions" NYPL. Libraries and schools are disappearing off to the internet. Check out k12.com. No one trusts tjhe professulas, psychatrulas, teachulas and reportulas to teach our kids their fake news. Times v Sullivan is the origin of Fake News.
Most Libraries were built with donations.
Will Mayor Dumbliso donate some money ?
I'm betting that Skip is a register Democrat of the liberal bent and vote for DiBlasio twice. Huh, Skippy?
So why do all those commie librarians harass us on entry with pleas to write politicians for more money. THey are doing it on paid time and should be fired. The Holy Planet of America can no longer tolerate their twaddle skanking.
Wow, this ain't yer granps library. Check out:
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/21/nyregion/new-york-public-library-book-train.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/16/books/beneath-new-york-public-library-shelving-its-past-for-high-tech-research-stacks.html
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