Urban Librarians Unite
For Immediate Release
October 26, 2010
Media Contact: Lauren Comito 646.555.0100
Save NYC Libraries Postcard Campaign and Urban Librarians Unite Announce
Halloween Zombie Walk to Save NYC Public Libraries
October 31, 2010
11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Brooklyn, New York—October 2010—Urban Librarians Unite announce a Halloween Zombie Walk in supportof New York City’s public libraries, to be held October 31, 2010, beginning at Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn andcontinuing over the Brooklyn Bridge to commence at City Hall, New York, New York, USA. Official website:
The Halloween Zombie Walk brings library-loving New Yorkers together for a day of public theater to drawpublic attention to the mid-year budget cuts faced by New York City’s public libraries. What does any of thishave to do with zombies? Well, without libraries there are simply no brains, and zombies need to eat brains tolive. With libraries across the city closed on weekends there is a desperate food shortage. So New York City’szombie librarians will be walking across the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall this Halloween to protest the drasticcuts to their food supply. These zombies are starving and without the support of the public library their futureappears grim.
New York City’s three library systems serve 8 million residents from a combined 212 locations, numbering over43 million visits in FY’09. Since the economic crisis began, library use has been at an all-time high, with manyNew Yorkers depending on their local library for access to the information, resources, and programs necessaryto conduct job searches, complete their education, navigate the Internet, and access public services.
Mayor Bloomberg’s projected mid-year budget adjustment will cut funding for libraries by $16.5 million—5.4%across the board. This comes on the heels of a devastating August reduction of $30 million that decimatedweekend library service. Three years of brutal cuts during the biggest economic crisis in a generation havereduced public library funding by a shocking $74.5 million since 2008, or 20%. Additional cuts will result infurther service reductions and layoffs, right before the holiday season. Unless Mayor Bloomberg and the CityCouncil maintain funding, libraries’ ability to provide New Yorkers with job search help, afterschool tutoring,computer access and instruction, English classes, and research assistance will be sharply reduced byDecember 2010.
Dress in your bookish zombie best and march/shamble your way to City Hall to support your local library andfeed your brain.
For more information on the Halloween Zombie Walk, please contact
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