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'They Don’t Care About Our Health': Brooklyn Public Library Staff Furious Over Decision To Stay Open
By
Gwynne Hogan
Published Mar 14, 2020
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Gwynne Hogan / WNYC
By
Gwynne Hogan
Published Mar 14, 2020
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As large gathering venues have been told to close their doors and other establishments are mandated to decrease capacity in an effort to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, librarians at Brooklyn Public Library and Queens Public Library have been told to report to duty as usual, causing fear, concern, and alarm among staff.
“I don’t feel supported. It feels like whatever priorities have been discussed at City Hall, ours are really not being taken into account,” said a worker at the Central Branch of Brooklyn Public Library, who declined to give his name as he was not authorized to speak to the press. “I’m a bit worried. It seems to go against what public health officials are saying.”
On Friday, New York Public Library, which operates branches in Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx announced all of its branches would close through at least March 31st. Both the Queens and Brooklyn public library systems decided they would stay open, though they would suspend programming. Despite that, a growing list of branch libraries were closed due to staffing shortages, according to several sources at Brooklyn Public Library.
As of noon Saturday, the list of shuttered branches included Cypress Hills, Paerdegat, Sunset Park, Arlington, and Brower Park, though that list was changing minute by minute.
New York state reported its first death due to COVID-19 on Saturday morning, an 82-year-old woman who was hospitalized on March 3 at Wyckoff Medical Center. The number of confirmed cases of the virus in the state climbed to 524, an increase of 100 overnight as the capacity to test for the virus continues to expand.
During a press conference on Saturday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said, "We want to strike a balance and we're trying to discern that balance every day... The library system play a crucial role...I think there is a massive fallacy in this discussion as you keep closing what do 8.6 million people do."
The mayor also said he disagreed with New York Public Library's decision to close their doors, "They made the decision without consultation with us which was a mistake in my view."
"We agree with City Hall that libraries are a crucial resource integral to our communities," said a spokesperson for the Brooklyn Public Library. "We have closed some branches due to staff availability and asked all staff who are in at-risk categories, living with someone who is at-risk or exhibiting any symptoms to remain at home. We have also cancelled all programs and group activities and increased our cleaning protocols. We remain in close contact with the City and are prepared to change course as circumstances change."
"As we continue to talk with our staff, union partners, our board, the State and the City to determine the best course of action, our locations will remain open to offer access to vital resources and reliable information during this unprecedented time," a spokesperson for the Queens Public Library said. The spokesperson also mentioned QPL president Dennis Walcott, adding, "Also, all of our branches were open today. Dennis visited our locations in the Rockaways—Arverne, Seaside, Peninsula, and Far Rockaway—as well as Broad Channel and Howard Beach this morning. All of them had customers."
The Brower Park branch of the Brooklyn Public Library was shuttered and gated on Saturday, March 14, 2020.
Gwynne Hogan / WNYC
Several employees at the Central Branch Library at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn spoke to Gothamist on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation from their employers. One employee said she rides the bus to the subway to get to work every day.
“I’m so mad. I have kids at home,” she said. “We’re in the front and we make things run..They don’t care about our health... Which one of the management staff is here today? None.”
Another staffer revealed that he’d recently run out of Clorox wipes.
“Headphones, computers—there are a lot surfaces here,” he said. He pointed out the library also lends out headsets. “Custodians are doing a good job but they can’t wipe off a keyboard every time someone uses it.”
Others who turned out to work on Saturday, did so fearfully.
“I just pray they have nothing happens,” one woman said. “We don’t know who walks in here, we have to interact with them. I’m concerned. I have family. I have my kids.”
Another added the library was less crowded than normal, but it was still a congregation spot for people who needed it.
“Even if the world ends, I think people will still be here, until the very last second.”
Tagged
coronavirus
queens public library
brooklyn public library
nypl
new york public library
Gwynne Hogan
Gwynne Hogan is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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