Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani today announced that the Fiscal Year 2027 Executive Budget permanently baselines $31.7 million for New York City's three public library systems: the Queens Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library and the New York Public Library.
"For too long, library funding has been treated like a political bargaining chip and fought over every single year," said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. "That cycle ends with this budget. Libraries are where New Yorkers study, look for work, learn to read, cool off during heatwaves and build community. By baselining this funding, we are giving every branch in every borough the stability to plan ahead, hire staff and serve New Yorkers without wondering if the money will disappear next spring."
The Executive Budget adds $31.7 million in permanent funding to the City's library baseline, bringing total library funding to nearly $530 million - up from $491.4 million in the Preliminary Budget. Library funding now represents just under 0.5% of the City's $124.5 billion budget. Mayor Mamdani has committed to reaching the 0.5% benchmark and views this investment as the foundation of that goal.
For years, libraries, workers and advocates were forced to wage annual fights to restore funding during each budget cycle. The FY2027 Executive Budget ends that practice by permanently incorporating the $31.7 million into the City budget.
As Mayor Mamdani said when presenting the Executive Budget: "Traditional politics would decree that in a moment like this, when a crisis is so stark, when a budget gap is so wide, that the first things cut should be parks, libraries and cultural institutions. And yet we know that these services live at the heart of our city, that they give meaning to millions of New Yorkers' lives. Rather than cutting funding to these services, we will do the opposite and raise the baseline of what they can expect."
By converting what has historically been a discretionary restoration into a permanent, guaranteed floor, the administration is providing all three library systems the structural certainty to make long-term staffing, programming and operational decisions. The baseline means that fight is over - the $31.7 million is now locked into the City's budget permanently.
This investment reflects the administration's broader economic agenda to lower costs and strengthen public services for working New Yorkers. As the Mayor outlined in his budget address: "Balancing the books means little if working people still can't afford their rent, childcare, groceries or the cost of staying in the city they love. We are investing with a clear purpose to lower costs and make this city livable for the people who build it each and every day."
New York City's three library systems serve more than 37 million visitors annually across more than 200 branches. Libraries provide free internet access, job training, early literacy programs, ESL classes, cooling centers and critical social services - often serving as a neighborhood's primary public institution.
"We are deeply grateful to Mayor Mamdani for restoring and baselining library operating dollars in the FY27 Executive Budget," said BPL President Linda E. Johnson, NYPL President Anthony W. Marx and QPL President Dennis M. Walcott. "This is a win for all New Yorkers. Preserving these funds makes it possible for the city's public libraries to maintain the vital services and programs New Yorkers want and need. We'd also like to thank the City Council for being our tireless champions and long-time advocates. We are proud to have city leaders who recognize the importance of libraries."
Libraries are some of the most important and heavily relied upon public institutions we have in New York City," said Deputy Speaker Nantasha Williams. "Every day, they function as centers of learning, technology access, workforce support, cultural engagement, and community connection for New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds. As libraries continue taking on an expanding role across our communities, sustaining that work requires long-term operational investment and stability. The Council was proud to include more than $30 million for libraries in our April 1 budget response, and I'm glad the Administration agreed with the need for that investment. Baselining funding for our library systems moving forward is equally critical because it creates the long-term stability libraries need to plan, hire, expand services, and continue meeting the growing needs of New Yorkers across all five boroughs. Strong library systems strengthen neighborhoods, expand opportunity, and ensure these institutions can continue serving communities at the level people rely on every day."
"Year after year, my colleagues in the Council and I have fought tirelessly to ensure our city's libraries have the resources required to serve the diverse needs of their patrons," said Council Member Crystal Hudson. Libraries are third spaces for all New Yorkers, places they can go to do everything from take a class, rent an instrument, get career coaching, or, of course, check out a book - all at no cost. The Mayor's decision to baseline $31.7 million in funding and maintain library services will ensure more than 200 library branches have the operating support needed, including funding for more than 30 branches to keep their doors open on Sundays. I applaud Mayor Mamdani for finally ending the budget dance around library funding and thank Speaker Menin and the Council for their staunch advocacy for libraries."
"Every single day, our libraries serve as safe spaces for learning, literacy, technology access, workforce development, afterschool programming, and cultural connection for families across our communities," said Council Member Rita Joseph. "Libraries are more than buildings filled with books they are the cornerstone of education, opportunity, and community from birth through our senior years. That is why I am proud to celebrate the baseline investment in library funding included in the Mayor's Executive Budget. As a forever educator, I know firsthand that strong libraries help build strong futures. This investment is an investment in our children, our families, and lifelong learning for all New Yorkers."
"We are turning the page on the annual budget dance where libraries are forced to fight every year just to keep their doors open," said Council Member Shahana Hanif. "By baselining this $31.7 million investment, we are making library funding permanent and protecting branches from the repeated threats of cuts we saw under the Adams administration. That means libraries across the neighborhoods I represent - from the Cortelyou Library in Kensington to the Pacific Library in Boerum Hill - can finally plan for the future with stability, protect staff and programming, expand services, and continue serving as vibrant public spaces that our neighbors rely on every day."
"Mayor Mamdani is turning the page on years of cuts and uncertainty, and New Yorkers who've been shortchanged library access and hours are grateful," said Zara Nasir, Executive Director of The People's Plan NYC. "Restoring and baselining this funding ends the budget dance that has kept library workers and communities in limbo. And I hope it's just the beginning - our libraries are free, safe places to simply be for so many New Yorkers, and they deserve sustained investment that matches what they mean to this city."
