Grace Riario is combing through the stack of items in a large steel box: there are children’s books, DVDs, and test prep books. The boxes, which can weigh up to 70 pounds, are on their way to one of Ramapo Catskill Library System’s five delivery routes in the region.
Based in Middletown, New York, Riario is the Executive Director of the Ramapo Catskill Library System (RCLS), one of New York’s 23 library systems across the state. RCLS connects 46 public libraries in Rockland, Orange, Sullivan, and southern Ulster counties through shared library services, technology, and the delivery of library items to and from one another.
“We had 3.2 million items go back and forth between the 46 libraries, so you tell me who uses libraries,” said Riario.
But she says New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s latest executive budget puts the future of libraries at risk.
In her latest budget, Hochul proposes more than $11 million in library funding cuts – approximately a $1.6 million decrease in library operating aid and a $10 million decrease in library construction aid, according to the New York Library Association (NYLA).
Max Prime, Director of Government Relations and Advocacy at NYLA, says the construction aid cuts from $44 million to $34 million are far from what libraries need to thrive.
“That’s just a drop in the bucket of the overall need,” said Prime. Many of the construction projects libraries need, he says, are infrastructure repairs necessary to keep buildings safe and accessible, like installing HVAC systems so libraries can handle hot or cold temperatures or ensuring libraries are ADA-compliant for people with disabilities.
More than half of the state’s library buildings are over 60 years old.
“Sometimes when we have conversations about infrastructure projects, we think about the sparkly new library with all-new everything, and really, we’re just trying to make sure that our libraries stay accessible to our patrons,” said Prime.
The organization, which represents several thousand members, is calling on Hochul to fully fund libraries at $181.3 million in library operating aid and $175 million in library construction aid.
Budget cuts following a rocky year for libraries
Governor Hochul’s executive budget comes just after the public libraries have had to navigate a volatile year.
In 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the agency charged with awarding federal grants to libraries. Some library grants were cancelled but later reinstated in December after a federal judge ruled in favor of a lawsuit brought by attorneys general from 21 states, including New York and New Jersey. Still, advocates say anxiety looms over the future of libraries.
“I know all of our systems and individual libraries are trying to plan for different possibilities,” said Prime. “That’s just one of the reasons why we really need New York to invest in its own libraries and infrastructure… so that we can weather whatever the federal government might throw at us.”
Riario says libraries have had to navigate a shifting landscape for some time. Librarians increasingly have to perform the job of social workers, often with fewer staff, she says, as state and federal budgets face cuts.
“The more social services are cut, the more people come to libraries. One thing libraries are not trained for is to be counselors,” said Riario.
The high costs to licence eBooks have also driven up costs. Libraries often have to re-license eBooks at a higher cost than the average consumer’s purchase price, making it difficult to maintain popular items over time. Part of advocates’ legislative push is a state bill (A3589 / S9339) to reform ebook licensing for libraries to make it more accessible and affordable. The bill is currently in committee.
As budget negotiations continue, Riario says libraries will remain a safe place to meet neighbors and share stories. “We, the libraries, were created for we, the people. Books are one thing that we do, but 80 percent of our business is people.”
New York’s state budget for the fiscal year 2027 is due on April 1.
Image: Exterior of the Ramapo Catskill Library System building in Middletown, N.Y. (Photo Credit: Kimberly Izar)