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Council hearing spotlights libraries' early‑literacy programs and funding needs amid Head Start uncertainty
Summary
Library leaders testified to a City Council committee about expanding early‑literacy programs for children under 5, citing growing demand, program metrics and a request for increased City funding as federal Head Start offices close.
Council Member Carlina Rivera opened an oversight hearing of the New York City Council Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries, and International Intergroup Relations by warning of federal cuts that could increase pressure on local literacy programs and libraries. "America's beloved public libraries, art organizations, and museums are under siege," Rivera said, quoting a recent editorial.
The hearing brought testimony from leaders of the three New York City public library systems and from Literacy and Community (LINC), the facilitating partner for the City Council's City's First Readers initiative. Witnesses detailed the breadth of early‑literacy programs for children from birth through age 5, their outreach strategies to reach low‑income and multilingual families, and specific data on participation and materials distributed.
"Supporting the city's youngest New Yorkers has been part of the library's mission since its founding," said Eva Shapiro, associate director of early literacy programs and services at the New York Public Library. Shapiro told the committee that NYPL has expanded multilingual kits and branch spaces to promote…
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