City Council Speaker Joins New York Public Library Officials and Bronx Delegation to Mark Two Weeks of IDNYC
JANUARY 23, 2015 – City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and members of the Bronx delegation joined Bronx cultural leaders and New York Public Library officials at Bronx Library Center today to mark two weeks of the mayor’s IDNYC initiative – a project that has brought thousands of New Yorkers into the city’s public libraries.
IDNYC – the city’s program to make municipal IDs available to all residents of the five boroughs – launched on January 12, and in two weeks, countless New Yorkers have applied for the cards at 12 enrollment centers, including five highly-trafficked public libraries across the city.
Two of those libraries – Mid-Manhattan Library in midtown Manhattan and Bronx Library Center in the Bronx – are in The New York Public Library system. In the first few days of the program (before an appointment system was put in place), Bronx Library Center saw its daily attendance spike from an average of about 3,000 people to about 5,000.
“It was enormously exciting,” said Bronx Library Center Chief Librarian Michael Alvarez. “There is such a need in our community for this service – we see it every day in our regular work with the public. People need IDs to visit their children’s schools, for example, or to apply for jobs. So we are proud to be part of it.”
City Council Speaker Mark-Viverito; City Councilmembers Ritchie Torres, Vanessa Gibson, Annabel Palma, and Andrew Cohen; leaders from Bronx cultural institutions such as the New York Botanical Garden, Wildlife Conservation Society – Bronx Zoo, Wave Hill, and Bronx County Historical Society; community organizations such as VIP Mujeres, Garifuna Coalition, Northwest Bronx Community Clergy Coalition, Brothers and Sisters United, BOOM Health, New York Immigrant Coalition; and New York Public Library President Tony Marx praised the program, as well as the role of libraries in facilitating it.
“Seeing the enthusiasm New Yorkers have since the launch of IDNYC shows the need for such an identification card and it will validate those living here and contributing to this city,” said City Council Speaker Mark-Viverito. “IDNYC card holders will enjoy a long list of benefits, including discounts at supermarkets, health centers, pharmacies, and cultural centers; but for many New Yorkers, it is a lifeline that will provide them with a way to finally feel like a part of our City. I thank my colleagues for their support in this process and thank the Administration and the New York Public Library for its partnership in making IDNYC a reality for all New Yorkers and I will continue to encourage all New Yorkers to sign up for this card.”
“I am thrilled to join my colleagues and constituents in applying for the IDNYC card today. All residents of New York City are now eligible to receive this ID card regardless of immigration status, gender identity, homelessness or other identifiers,” said Councilmember Palma. “Adding to the great benefits of this program are the many free and discounted admissions to our cultural institutions, some of which are in our great borough, such as the Botanical Gardens, and the Bronx Zoo. I am proud to support IDNYC, as it will help many residents overcome barriers to accessing vital programs and services.”
“The high demand for Municipal IDs is a testament to their value and necessity,” said Councilmember Torres. “I am thrilled to be partnering with my colleagues in government, as well as cultural institutions in my district like the Bronx Library Center, to ensure all New Yorkers can benefit from IDNYC.”
“The city's public libraries have long served as welcoming centers for learning and opportunity, offering free programs and services such as English language courses and citizenship classes to help make our neighborhoods stronger," said NYPL President Marx. "The IDNYC program perfectly aligns with that mission, and we are delighted to participate."
Libraries offer countless free programs, classes, and services to the public, including:
- Books and other materials in a variety of languages
- Internet, computer, and wi-fi access
- ESOL and adult literacy classes
- Job search resources
- Technology training
- Children and adult programming
Alvarez said that NYPL staff shared information and answered questions about the Library’s free programs and classes with those applying for the IDNYC cards, which can also be activated to act as library cards.
“Many of them seemed very interested, and so we’re hoping to see them again,” he said. “They are more than welcome.”
Contact
Angela Montefinise | angelamontefinise@nypl.org
About The New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 92 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library serves more than 18 million patrons who come through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.