Hi Library Defenders,
This Thursday week we’re asking to make your Thursday Call for Libraries to the Brooklyn Heights Association to ask them to represent the community, which has expressed its overwhelming opposition to the sale and shrinkage of their library on the Brooklyn Heights Blog’s poll, which is currently at 90% for Citizens Defending Libraries vs. 8% for the BHA (you can vote at this link if you haven’t alreadyhttp://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/65981). The community has also made it clear by signatures on petitions to save our libraries that they oppose the Brooklyn Public Library’s plans to remove the Business Library from its location in the downtown business district, selling the Brooklyn Heights Library and shrinking it into a much smaller library in a luxury high rise condo that could be as much as 50 stories high.
Thursday Calls for Libraries: Call the Brooklyn Heights Association718-858-9193
This week, instead of a suggested script, here is a list of talking points to use when you make your call. Choose and adapt as many or as few as you want, and of course, add your own if you want. Be sure to give your name and let the BHA know that you support the community in asking them to oppose the sale and shrinkage of the Brooklyn Heights Library. Even if you don’t live in Brooklyn Heights, you can still call, making it clear that this issue affects all New Yorkers, not just residents of the Heights, and that it especially threatens our most vulnerable citizens.
· The BHA’s stance in not opposing the sale and shrinkage of the Brooklyn Heights Library, which is at least the second most important library in the Brooklyn Public Library system, undermines not only the Brooklyn Heights community but also the fight of all New Yorkers to save and properly fund libraries throughout all of New York City.
· Just as, if the sale of the Donnell Library could have been stopped, it would have prevented the underfunding and sales of libraries from going forward, so standing up against the sale of the Brooklyn Heights Library can prevent further sales and shrinkage of libraries.
· The BHA is putting itself at odds with the community, sacrificing its principles and losing members.
· Can the BHA explain its claims to reporters that it is negotiating with the BPL for the “best possible library under the circumstances” when the BHA has stated that it is following the lead of the Friends of the Brooklyn Heights Library which claims that it cannot negotiate with the BPL and in light of observations by members of Citizens Defending Libraries that do not substantiate the BHA’s claims of negotiations?
· Why has the Brooklyn Heights Association not endorsed Mayor de Blasio’s call for a halt to this deal and other library sales, shrinkage and to the elimination of books and librarians?
You can find more information and perspective in Carolyn McIntyre’s open letter to the BHA at this link:http://citizensdefendinglibraries.blogspot.com/2014/02/february-27-2014-open-letter-from.html
Of course, you can also write a letter to the BHA if you want, since that is always a powerful way to communicate your concerns. Here’s their address: Brooklyn Heights Association, 55 Pierrepont Street, Box 17D, Brooklyn, NY 11201
As always, our weekly Thursday Thanksgiving thoughts will include all of you, who are helping to make this a better world.
Martha Rowen
This message was sent to Suzannah Troy by Carolyn McIntyre, Save New York City Libraries From Bloomberg Developer Destruction Campaign through MoveOn's public petition website. MoveOn Political Action licensed and paid for this service, but does not endorse contents of this message. To unsubscribe or report this email as inappropriate, click here:http://petitions.moveon.org/unsub.html?i=20903-579940-HQquac
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