Newark Library Workers Will Rally For Funding Boost at Budget Hearing

NEWARK — Flat library funding in the city’s proposed budget has prompted plans for a rally by the union representing the Newark Public Library’s workers. The rally is to be held on the steps of City Hall before the Sept. 5 public hearing on the spending plan.

The city's business administrator this week gave no indication there would be an increase in public dollars dedicated to the library, despite a request from City Council that funds be boosted amid staffing shortages, reduced library hours, long-shuttered branches and crumbling buildings.

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“While the city contribution may be over the mandated minimum, it is 55% lower than Jersey City's contribution to its library, lower per capita than similar cities, has gone down 25% since 2007 – 48.6% with inflation – and is only 1% of the city's budget,” Beth Zak-Cohen, president of the library workers union AFSCME Local 2298, said in a statement on Monday. “It is not enough to fund a library system for a city the size of Newark.”

Jersey City, with a population of about 19,000 fewer people than Newark, approved $16.93 million for its libraries in its 2024 budget, compared to the $10.91 million proposed for Newark’s library system.

Business Administrator Eric Pennington, in a statement, defended the funding allocation.

“The city of Newark’s primary administrative responsibility is a balanced budget and financial stability that benefits all aspects of governance and our residents’ well-being,” Pennington said through the press office. “This requires prioritizing and compromising to do the most with available resources to support the administration’s many essential initiatives.”

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The city's Prenatal to 3rd Grade 10-Point Literacy Plan , for which the library is a key partner, is an important initiative, Pennington said, adding that the city values the library, including its staff, “and is committed to supporting and expanding its efforts however possible.”

This year, he said, the city exceeded the state-mandated amount to fund the public library by almost $3 million and last year exceeded the mandated amount by over $5 million.

“The city extends itself as far as possible in any given year, and we are confident that the library will continue to prioritize its own expenditures,” Pennington said. “Because the Newark Public Library is the singular repository for certain materials and documents of value to the entire state, and in some cases, the entire country, its budget should have robust input from every level of government.

“And because it is so beloved by residents and passionate supporters, it should receive the highest generosity from Newark’s corporate and philanthropic organizations.”

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The library union, however, said the materials referenced by Pennington could be lost if adequate dollars are not allocated for their preservation. “The unique and valuable archives and documents mentioned by the business administrator will disintegrate and be lost if the library is not funded,” Zak-Cohen said.

Council President LaMonica McIver, on Tuesday, stood by the council’s request to increase support for the library.

“The Council requested that the Administration find additional funding for the library. The Council is expecting such from the Administration,” McIver told TAPinto Newark. “We support the library, and we understand the financial difficulty that they are experiencing due to the lack of funding they have not received for years. Our libraries are essential to the prosperity and growth of our community and this Council is committed to making sure our libraries thrive.”

Executive Director of the New Jersey Library Association Brett Bonfield said he hopes Newark and every town and county in the state will grow to appreciate that funding their libraries is an investment, and that strong libraries lead to more cohesive communities.

"I know that increasing a library's budget can feel like a risk," Bonfield said. "There is even greater risk in letting talented, dedicated, well-trained staff members leave because they don't have enough coworkers to serve their neighbors' needs. There is enormous risk in limiting a library's budget, so its building, collections, and hours cannot adequately serve a community."

He advocated support for the staff and their services.

"The Newark Public Library staff is superb, and needs an increased budget to hire additional outstanding library workers to serve Newark, provide the service hours that community members want and need, and improve the buildings to restore them back to being the welcoming places that a prominent, historical, vital, proud city deserves," Bonfield said.

Library Director Christian Zabriskie, who at a budget meeting earlier this month focused on the library’s fiscal challenges and requested a $2.56 million increase, took a more modest tack on Tuesday.

“We appreciate the support that we get from the city of Newark and recognize that we receive more support than is mandated,” Zabriskie said. “We also appreciate that the city has not cut our budget in many years.”

Responding to Pennington’s comments on philanthropic support, however, Zak-Cohen said it is the city’s responsibility to adequately fund its public libraries.

“While we welcome funding from all sources, it is the city's responsibility to fund the Public Library, which is a city agency, and we demand that they step forward and prioritize funding,” she said. “Private donations can not pay the salaries of workers who are not making a living wage.”

What’s Next?

The library workers union AFSCME Local 2298 plans to rally on the steps of City Hall, 920 Broad St., on Thursday, Sept. 5, starting at 11:30 a.m. before the public hearing on the 2024 municipal budget. The meeting begins at 12:30 p.m.

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