In a city that is a magnet and adopted home for millions of “strivers”— immigrants seeking better lives for themselves and their families, young people attracted to its opportunities and vibrancy, older residents who want to remain active members of community life, and all New Yorkers with a “zeal to learn”—New York’s 219 branch libraries, located in every neighborhood across the City, are ideal venues for “expanding knowledge” in the 21st century. 

Millions of New Yorkers rely on their local branch for Internet access, job search assistance, English-as-a-second-language classes, homework help, community and cultural programs, and a safe and horizon-expanding place to go after school. The branches also continue to serve their essential role of offering free access to books and other reading materials for pleasure and curiosity. Our branch libraries are lifelines to opportunity. 

Yet, despite the City’s spectacular rebound from its darkest years and the overwhelming demand for library services in the “information economy,” our branch libraries suffered from decades of neglect and public sector disinvestment. Despite increases in demand for services, libraries saw their budgets slashed in the 2010s, and many branches were crumbling to the ground because of over $1.5 billion in decades-deferred construction and repair needs. Every year, there is a budget dance in which public funding for libraries is on the chopping block. 

Revson’s support for libraries as the heart of vibrant community life reflects many of the Foundation’s core approaches.

Public awareness, policy, and advocacy: We sought to raise awareness about the value and centrality of libraries to the health and welfare of communities and to build the case for public investment. To that end, Revson’s awarded multiple grants to the Center for an Urban Future for its research and symposiums on the impact of New York City libraries. We also supported the three library systems’ successful “Invest in Libraries Campaign” and conceived of and led the NYC Neighborhood Library Awards. These efforts resulted in an expansion of library hours to seven days per week, among other improvements.

Partnerships: Revson’s funding has also encouraged partnerships between libraries and like-minded community and institutional partners to expand and enhance services. We supported the research and development and community engagement leading to New York City’s first co-located library branch and affordable housing apartments in Sunset Park. We also supported the collaboration, Collections Connections, between the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and Brooklyn Public Library, bringing the Brooklyn Children’s Museum’s collection to 20 library branches and  complementing their partnership in the first co-located museum and public library in New York City. For eight years, Revson has supported the BKLYN Incubator at the Brooklyn Public Library which allows branch staff to generate, test, and share innovative programs. The Incubator has resulted in 86 projects that engaged 44,000 patrons and involved 170 community partners. Lastly, Culture Pass has enabled hundreds of thousands of people since 2018 to visit nearly 100 cultural institutions free of charge. 

Improving infrastructure: The research and partnerships above improved the infrastructure of public libraries by increasing public investment, refining the capital project process, and the creation of co-located new libraries. Revson funded research and convening conducted by Harvard Law School’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society of major publishers, library leaders, and policy advocates to explore emerging business models for distribution of eBooks to public libraries.  We provided follow-up support to the New York Public Library to develop and implement pilot programs with major publishers to test and assess potential business models for eBook sales/leasing to libraries. Funding was also provided to establish “ReadersFirst,” a national coalition of public libraries that collaborated to develop and advocate for more effective interface tools for the borrowing of eBooks.

Revson funding also seeded Making Space which has re-envisioned community rooms with flexible kits of components that can accommodate diverse program and space needs at ten Brooklyn branch libraries. Revson has also supported the libraries’ infrastructure in other ways. Branches in Bloom created gardens at 30 branches and 145 public garden-related programs for 2,500 children, teens, and adults. During the pandemic, Revson invested across the library systems to expand and deliver access to the libraries’ Wi-Fi signals to surrounding areas and to build welcoming outdoor spaces for library patrons. 

Learn more about Revson’s support of New York City’s public libraries:

Watch “Honoring the Charles H. Revson Foundation” 

Read “Adding Classes and Content, Resurgent Libraries Turn a Whisper Into a Roar” NY Times, July 4, 2016

Read “Not by the Book: The Revson Foundation and the struggle to revive New York City’s branch libraries 2008 – 2015” by Tony Proscio

Watch “Symposium for Re-Envisioning New York’s Branch Libraries” hosted by the Center for an Urban Future and funded by Revson

Photo credit: Gregg Richards