Description

We’re talking with Abby and Hal about NYC Public Library Action Network (PLAN)! Learn about what they’re doing, how you can help, how you can copy them, and what’s working for them by having a community-led library advocacy group that is separate from the library itself. 

How can people get involved?

nycplan.org 

Email your city councilmember

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/city-council-we-demand-half-a-percent-of-the-overall-city-budget-for-libraries  

May City Council meeting

info@nycplan.org for agendas

Media mentioned

Mamdani failed to deliver on the campaign promises that NYC PLAN pushed him to make. Here's a roundup of coverage in case it helps:

• NYC PLAN (Newsletter, Feb. 17th, the day after the preliminary budget release)
• Mariame Kaba
  • Mayor Mamdani Breaks His Promise to NYC Public Libraries (Feb 18th)
  • NEW! The Dreaded NYC Library Budget Dance Continues… (March 23rd)
• Seven Stories Press: Guest Post: Hal Schrieve on the Fight to Fund NYC Libraries (Feb 27th)
• WNYC: WNYC_Budget Cuts.mp3 (Feb 20th)
• The City: Mamdani Promised a New Era for Parks and Libraries. His First Budget Falls Short. (Feb 19th)
• Literary Hub: New York Mayor Mamdani is breaking his promise on library funding. (Feb 19th)
• Gothamist: Taking page from Adams, Mayor Mamdani proposes NYC library cuts (Feb 19th)
• La Voce di New York: Mamdani Proposes Cuts to Public Library Funding–Despite Campaign Promises (Feb 20th)
• New York Daily News: Budget shortfall may close the book on Mamdani’s library funding promise
• FOX 5: Clip_Budget Cuts.mp4  (Feb 19th)
• The New York Post: Mamdani wants to slash NYC library budgets by $30M— despite calling similar cuts by Adams ‘cruel’ (Feb 20th)

Here are some details on NYC PLAN's recent assembly event:

• https://nycplan.org/peoples-assembly-march-21-2026/
• And a slide deck from part of the event: Public Library Funding in NYC (Queens, March 2026)

https://www.librariansequalliteracy.org/

All transcripts: https://podscripts.co/podcasts/librarypunk 

Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/qWPTurTnkT