Council Library Chair Van Bramer Does A Lousy Job At Keeping Them Open Blames Everyone But Himself
Read it & weep: New York City next to last in state library hours (NYP) New York is the city that never sleeps — except when it comes to its public libraries. A study released Thursday by the Center for an Urban Future found that the city’s libraries are open the fewest hours of any in the state, except for those in depressed Buffalo . On average, libraries here operate for 45 hours a week. But in Queens , books, computers and other items are available for only 41 hours per week — dead last of the most populous counties in the state. By comparison, other jurisdictions are meccas for learning. “We should be outraged. This is a wake-up call for everyone,’ said Queens City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, who chairs the committee that oversees library services. “The richest city in the world has some of the poorest libraries in the state.” Van Bramer, a Democrat, said the results clash with Mayor de Blasio’s pledge to attack inequality. “Right now there is a gaping hole in the war on inequality in our city because libraries haven’t been a part of it,” he said.* * Measured by operating hours, New York City ’s libraries now rank among the worst in the state, averaging 44.7 hours a week, according to the report by the Center for an Urban Future, the Journal writes:
After Galante Fall Queens Library Cleaning House
GONZALEZ: Four Queens Library officials, pals of ex-chief Thomas Galante, resign in reshuffling (NYDN) Four top aides to former Queens Library chief executive Thomas Galante resigned this week after a reshuffling of the library’s management by interim executive director Bridget Quinn-Carey
Queens Library Pay Thug Fired
Queens LibraryDirector Thomas Galante fired for his wild spending habits(NYDN)The library’s Board of Trustees axed Galante on Wednesday after reviewing his expense accounts, which included charging more than $40,000 to his library credit card for food, alcohol and entertainment. Galante is still facing federal and city probes into how he managed library funds.* The board of the Queens Public Library closed the book on lavish spender Thomas Galante last night. He was fired from his roles as CEO and president after the board met to vote on his fate. The board of the Queens Public Library fired President and CEO of the board Thomas Galante on Wednesday after trustees reviewed his expense account, which included opulent meals, expensive concert tickets and high-priced furniture
Queens Boss Crowley Blows Up Trader Van Bramer's Queens Library Political Machine
In a letter to Queens Library trustees, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz demands that they rein in library President Thomas Galante and cut the $2 million payout he’d receive if he is dismissed, the Daily News’s Juan Gonzalez writes: * Flashback: City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer explodes at colleagues(NYDN) Van Bramer's colleagues questioned whether Van Bramer's ties to the Queens Library would compromise his ability to hold a hearing on the library's finances
More Queens Library Corruption
Fat city fathead NYYDN Ed) Thousands of reasons to fire Tom Galante
The Daily News’ Juan Gonzalez, who previously revealed that Galante was pulling down a $392,000 salary while also working for a Long Island school district, now brings to light Galante’s expense-account bills. They totaled more than $40,000 during 2013, as he funded the accoutrements of a lavish lifestyle, seemingly missing only Galante’s morning corn flakes but definitely covering his taste for Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts.
Queens Library Head Dumped But Still Getting Paid
* Money for nothing (NYDN) Suspended Queens library chief Thomas Galante idles on the public dime
More About the Queens Library Scandal
Clean the stacks(NYDN Ed) Out with the old at the Queens Library
Queens Library Boss Expensed Mets Memorabilia, Maroon 5 Tickets: Audit
Queens Library Corruption
Reform on the books(NYDN Ed) Reining in the Queens Library rogues * The Daily News writes that once Gov. Andrew Cuomo approves a law empowering elected officials to oust members of the Queens Public Library governing board, the 10 trustees who helped keep Thomas Galante at the helm during an investigation must be dismissed:
Queens Library Closed Book, Tells Comptroller to Fuck Off . . .
Queens Library votes against opening books to Stringer(TimesLedger)
Juan Gonzalez: Queens Library's questionable construction bills spurs federal and city investigations(NYDN) Queens Library chief Thomas Galante insists library renovations that his organization supervises are done faster and cheaper than what the city's Department of Design and Construction can do. But city officials disagree. Meanwhile, the city’s Department of Investigation and the FBI are poring over the library’s contracting records.* Close the book on Galante(NYDN ED)Tom Galante, boss of the Queens Library, should have been forced to pack up his desk months ago.Instead, he’s hanging on to his $392,000 job while the feds and the city Department of Investigation probe his affairs — which include a lucrative, previously undisclosed gig at the Elmont school district on Long Island. * Stringer: 'Disgrace' for Queens Library to withhold records
Ask CM Jimmy Van Bramer Who is Also Hiding or Covering Up the Library Books
Open the library books(NYDN Ed) Queens Library must let controller audit. The Queens Library trustees have joined President Tom Galante in stonewalling scrutiny of the system’s financial records. The whole lot of them must be scared. Controller Scott Stringer has sought, so far without success, access to the library’s ledgers. In denying him, the trustees and Galante have once more asserted that, as a nonprofit organization, the library is beyond public accountability.
More About the Queens Library Cover-Up
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Shady library board plans to pull a fast one
More on the Queens Library ScandalCity freezes construction payments to Queens Library http://nydn.us/1hJmXRM
Queens Library Head 2 Role? NO
Mayor de Blasio and Queens Borough President Katz must appoint new
board members who will remove Queens Library head Thomas Galante
Friday Update: Bd Saved Galante Job
STAYING PUT: Queens Library Board votes not to suspend big-spending director Thomas Galante(NYDN)
Saturday Update
GONZALEZ: Chapter could be ending for embattled Queens library head(NYDN)
Slush Fund Book Him
Queens Public Library President Thomas Galante billed the Elmont School District an average of 26 hours per week for consulting work, documents show; but he also claims he worked 70 to 80 hours per week at the library, the Daily News’s Juan Gonzalez writes: Thomas Galate, who is the focus of an FBI probe into construction contracts, held a consulting gig with the Elmont School District that averaged 26 hours a week of his time, while during the same time period he claimed to have worked more 12 hours a day for Queens Public Library. He has denied that his moonlighting hampers his ability to run the $120 million-a-year Queens Library system. - In addition to his $392,000 salary, Galante received a $37,000 car allowance from the city that enabled him to drive between his library job and his home in Wilton, Conn., in a 2011 Nissan 370Z sports car. - The head a of construction firm that has been awarded 15 contracts to work on various Queens library renovations, Frank Marino of Advanced Consulting Corp., has ties to the same Elmont School District where Galante is a business consultant. Following those revelations, City Controller Scott Stringer announced an audit of the Queens Library and City Council convened emergency oversight hearings. Those hearings have been spearheaded by Council Majority Leader James Van Bramer, who was a top aide to Galante before being elected to the Council. “It seems Mr. Galante either does not sleep or eat — which is hard to believe,” Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley said.
Roger Stone
If they think Queens Library is corrupt wait until they audit Brooklyn !
Following reports of Queens Library
President Thomas Galante’s hefty outside income, state Sen. Tony Avella
plans to introduce a bill that would bar Queens Public Libraries
executives making more than $150,000 from having outside employment, the
Daily News writes: http://goo.gl/rfRAjEQueens Library scandal spurs state lawmakers to push for reforms: Lawmakers have introduced a bill to p... http://q.gs/6UPld
Queens Machine Payback Goes After Queens' Library
A preliminary New York City budget hearing turned tense when City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley pressed Queens Library President Thomas Galante on the details of a closed-door meeting for trustees last Thursday, the New York Times reports: * Presidents of the three major New York City library systems came to the preliminary budget hearing with some funding because de Blasio already baselined money to Fiscal Year 2014 levels in his preliminary budget, City & State reports: * Head of Queens Library Appeals for More Money Amid Federal Investigation(NY1)
Speaker Traders Revenge of the Crowley Machine Starts At the Queens Library
* Flashback: City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer explodes at colleagues(NYDN) Van Bramer's colleagues questioned whether Van Bramer's ties to the Queens Library would compromise his ability to hold a hearing on the library's finances
No Revamp to 42nd Street Library . . .
RT
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