New York Public Library Reviews

Cut backs in funding lead to it being an unstable career

Imagine working onboard the Titanic. The ship is a marvel to behold. Majestic architecture. The envy of many a more superficial eye. Yet, with a closer look, you begin to see the cracks in the steel. The many rats scurrying about beneath the floorboards. That's very much like working at NYPL. More to the point, imagining tragically hitting that iceberg, or not only hitting it, but backing up, and hitting it again. And again. And again. Public libraries are at a point in their history where they have to challenge themselves to adapt to the changing needs of their users. As more and more customers become self sufficient, what's the role of the information professional in today's world? In the mind of NYPL senior management, that role seems to be expendable. Degreed professionals are an increasing rarity in the branches. Staff who have been with the system long enough to have witnessed new management make the same mistakes previous management did are being let go left and right, and the knowledge gap is not being filled. And the library's leadership continues to position itself with a posture of arrogance and certainty that is entirely undeserved and unbecoming.