Agenda 1 THE QUEENS BOROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2015 Central Library 89-11 Merrick Boulevard Jamaica, New York 11432 PUBLIC SESSION 7:00 P.M. BOARD OF TRUSTEES Hon. Robert T. Groh Conference Room I. ROLL CALL II. MINUTES 1. Minutes of the Board of Trustees Meeting – November 24, 2015 III. REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD IV. COMMITTEE REPORTS A. BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS COMMITTEE –December 22, 2015 Recommendation(s) on 1. Contract Authorization – Flushing Library Furniture and Shelving 2. Ten Year Plan Report Item(s) 1. Maintenance, Repair and Renovation B. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE – December 10, 2015 Recommendation(s) on 1. Whistleblower Policy Update 2. Contract Authorization – Program Evaluation Services Report Item(s) 1. Personnel Report – 10/16/15 – 11/15/15
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Agenda
1
THE QUEENS BOROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2015
Central Library
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
Jamaica, New York 11432
PUBLIC SESSION
7:00 P.M. BOARD OF TRUSTEES Hon. Robert T. Groh Conference Room
I. ROLL CALL
II. MINUTES
1. Minutes of the Board of Trustees Meeting – November 24, 2015
III. REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
IV. COMMITTEE REPORTS
A. BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS COMMITTEE –December 22, 2015
Recommendation(s) on
1. Contract Authorization – Flushing Library Furniture and Shelving
2. Ten Year Plan
Report Item(s)
1. Maintenance, Repair and Renovation
B. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE – December 10, 2015
Recommendation(s) on
1. Whistleblower Policy Update
2. Contract Authorization – Program Evaluation Services
Report Item(s)
1. Personnel Report – 10/16/15 – 11/15/15
Agenda
2
C. FINANCE & INVESTMENTS COMMITTEE – December 22, 2015
Recommendation(s) on
1. FY’16 City Fund Budget Modifications
2. FY’16 State General Fund Budget Modification
3. Approval of Bills for the Month of November 2015
4. Acceptance of Financial Reports for the Periods Ending
November 30, 2015.
Report Item(s)
1. Payrolls for the Month of November 2015
D. NOMINATING COMMITTEE – December 17, 2015
Recommendation(s) on
1. Slate of Officers 2016
V. INTERIM PRESIDENT’S REPORT
A. Report Item(s)
1. President’s Report
2. Advocacy Plan FY’17
3. External Meetings and Outreach Activities –
November 17 – December 15, 2015
4. Key Performance Indicators – November 2015
5. Testimony of Bridget Quinn-Carey, Interim President
and CEO Queens Library – Oversight Hearing on Six
Day Service at Public Libraries - November 30, 2015
6. Testimony of Bridget Quinn-Carey, Interim President
and CEO Queens Library – Oversight: IDNYC and the
Cultural Institutions Group – December 15, 2015
VI. OTHER BUSINESS
A. Action Item(s)
1. New York Rising Community Centers – Public Services
Grant
2. Executive Session
a. Legal Matters
VII. ADJOURNMENT
Motion:
Second:
Time:
Roll Call
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I. ROLL CALL
Adrienne Adams
Hon. Augustus Agate
Martha Baker
Judy E. Bergtraum, Esq., Vice Chair of the Board
Maria Concolino
Lenore R. Gall, Ed.D
Matthew M. Gorton - excused
Julissa Gutierrez
James Haddad, Esq.
Jukay Hsu - excused
Carl Koerner, Esq., Chairman of the Board
Haeda Mihaltses - excused
John Ottulich
Michael E. Rodriguez, Esq., Treasurer
Edward Sadowsky, Esq. - excused
Robert Santos, Esq., Secretary
Eli Shapiro, Ed.D, LCSW - excused
Earl G. Simons, Ed.D, Assistant Treasurer
Gabriel Taussig, Esq.
Mayor, Hon. Bill de Blasio, Ex-officio
Represented by: Lydon Sleeper-O’Connell
Public Advocate, Hon. Letitia James, Ex-officio
Represented by: Larry Schimmel, Esq.
Comptroller, Hon. Scott M. Stringer, Ex-officio
Represented by: Brittania Stewart
Speaker, Hon. Melissa Mark-Viverito, Ex-officio
Represented by: Eve Cho Guillergan, Esq.
Borough President, Hon. Melinda Katz, Ex-officio
Represented by: Elisa Velazquez, Esq.
Bridget Quinn-Carey
Interim President and Chief Executive Officer
Report of the Chairman of the Board – December 22, 2015
II. Minutes
1. The minutes of the Board of Trustees meeting of November 22, 2015, submitted
for approval:
Motion to approve:
Seconded by:
III. Report of the Chairman of the Board
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Buildings and Grounds Committee Packet of December 22, 2015
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THE QUEENS BOROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MEETING OF THE BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS COMMITTEE
December 22, 2015
A meeting of the Buildings and Grounds Committee of the Board of Trustees will
be held on Tuesday, December 22, 2015 at 6:15 p.m. in the Hon. Robert T. Groh
Board Room, Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica, New York.
PRESIDING: Judy E. Bergtraum, Esq.
Chair of Committee
ATTENDING: Adrienne Adams
Julissa Gutierrez
James Haddad, Esq. (via teleconference)
Robert Santos, Esq.
Earl G. Simons, Ed.D.
Gabriel Taussig, Esq.
Carl Koerner, Esq.
Chairman of the Board, ex-officio
Bridget Quinn-Carey
Interim President and Chief Executive Officer
Dennis Verriello
Director, Facilities and Environmental Services
and Interim Director, Capital Projects
EXCUSED: Edward Sadowsky, Esq.
Buildings and Grounds Committee Packet of December 22, 2015
Interim President’s Report – Key Performance Indicators – November 2015
51
Agency Circulation % Change from last
year
In person visits
% Change from last
year
Program Attendance
% Change from last
year Reference
% Change from last
year Notes
Virtual Library Total
384,511 4.03 % 5
Langston Hughes Black Heritage
2,777 -23.44 %
Queens Village Mail-A-Book
22,853 -7.19 % 2,354 141.44%
Miscellaneous Other
1,862 -64.45 %
Miscellaneous Total
235,320 -6.25 %
System Total 5,523,359 -11.47 % 4,729,423 -3.47% 428,274 12.70% 1,120,331 12.33%
Website Visits 3,302,039 9.13%
Wireless Use 201,844 13.51%
Computer Sessions 1,279,960 -3.31%
Notes: 1 -- Library closed for renovation during a portion of the current fiscal year. 2 -- Library closed for renovation during a portion of last fiscal year. 3 -- Central Library partially closed during renovation in current fiscal year. 4 -- Closed/Partially closed due to damage from Hurricane Sandy. 5 -- Formerly called All E-Content; Streaming e-content metrics started 2/2014 6 -- CEL ALC moved from Annex to CEL branch starting Jan 2015 - no accurate gate count possible 7 -- Flushing Library partially closed for renovation in current fiscal year. 8 -- ALC programs listed under separate ALC location starting in FY16
Interim President’s Report – Testimony – November 30, 2015
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Statement by Bridget Quinn-Carey, Interim President and CEO, Queens Library
New York City Council Committee on Cultural Affairs,
Libraries and International Intergroup Relations, Jointly with the Subcommittee
on Libraries
November 30, 2015
Good morning. My name is Bridget Quinn-Carey, Interim President and CEO of the Queens
Library. Thank you, Chair Van Bramer and Subcommittee Chair King for inviting me to
testify today. Chair Van Bramer, you have been at the forefront of this fight for a very long
time; you are a champion for libraries and we are grateful. Council Member King, we look
forward to working with you in your new capacity as Chair of the Subcommittee on
Libraries. Additionally, thank you Speaker Mark-Viverito, Finance Committee Chair
Ferreras-Copeland, Queens Delegation Chair Koslowitz and the entire City Council, as well as
Mayor de Blasio, for the significant investment you collectively made in New York City’s
libraries this fiscal year, and for your ongoing and steadfast support of the mission and
programs of Queens Library. Your dedication is greatly appreciated.
Today is a day I have been looking forward to for quite some time. Thanks to the Council’s
and Mayor’s investment in libraries, I am happy to report that during the week of
November 15th, the Queens Library increased its operating hours and began
providing six-day service at every community library in the borough. The impact
this will have on the 2.3 million residents of Queens is tremendous. Families, teens, older
adults and those who work during the week will finally have weekend access to vital
programs and services that were previously available at only 19 of our community libraries.
For the first time in seven years (7), the Queens Library is in a position to dramatically
increase the number of employees we have as part of our team. With Queens Library’s
share of the additional operating funds received at budget adoption ($12M), 75% has been
dedicated to hiring the 129 new employees, including librarians, custodians, maintenance,
clerical and other positions needed to implement six-day service. One hundred and fifteen
(115) of those positions are union jobs. The new hires we welcome to the Queens Library
family are provided with an extensive two-week onboarding program designed to ensure
they are ready to provide quality customer service in our uniquely diverse environment. It
includes standard orientation and an overview of all the library’s departments to get an
idea of how we work as an organization. After orientation day, the next three days are
Interim President’s Report – Testimony – November 30, 2015
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scheduled at Central Library – one day to train on the library’s integrated software and
program database; then two days shadowing staff and observing how the Central Library
functions. During the second week, they work in two or three libraries in different
communities. They are paired with a specialist in their own field to learn best practices
while they learn about the different communities in Queens. On the third week, they report
to their assigned work locations with a deeper understanding of Queens Library.
All of our libraries will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, with the exception of
our Kew Gardens Hills community library, which will offer a sixth day of service on
Sunday, to meet the specific needs of that community. For our Court Square community
library, we will provide Saturday service from the mobile library at Gantry Plaza State
Park. The Central Library and the Flushing community library are currently providing
seven-day service and we have expanded weekday hours at both locations. On average, our
libraries will be open 45.6 hours per week, up from 41 hours last fiscal year.
Many years of budget cuts decimated library materials funding. This has impacted our
circulation, along with our ability to provide our customers with a robust, up-to-date
selection of materials they have been demanding. Twenty two percent (22%) of the
additional operating funds, or $2.6M, has been dedicated to purchasing new books, journals
and digital materials. These collections include homework help materials, ESOL study
materials, children’s books, reference work as well as best sellers and leisure reading in all
formats. We are investing in more e-books, which are in high demand by our customers.
The increase in programs and visitors means we need more materials to lend. Additionally,
we need quality collections to support our other programs and services.
Queens Library is among the highest circulating libraries in the world, yet it is the
Library’s free services, including computer access, English language classes, job
information, health programs and more, which bring people to visit its 65 library locations,
11.2 million times each year, and make it one of the most important and productive
destinations in New York City for people of all ages and walks of life.
Maintaining our aging infrastructure is also a short-and long-term challenge for the
Library. The average community library is 61 years old, with a quarter of the branches
built over a century ago. They are heavily used, and most were not built to accommodate
the traffic that we see due to the growth in demand for our services. With the restoration of
six-day service this year, our facilities will see even greater use.
Mayor de Blasio made the unprecedented decision to include the three library systems in
the City’s Ten-Year Capital Plan in FY16. We are very appreciative and thank him and his
administration for this historic act. The City’s commitment to fund the three systems at
$300M over ten years will provide us with the ability to confidently plan short-and long-
term capital projects more effectively and efficiently. For Queens Library, $100M over ten
years will help tremendously; however, we have identified capital needs of $400 million
Interim President’s Report – Testimony – November 30, 2015
54
over the next 10 years to modernize all of our facilities and bring them into a state of good
repair.
Queens Library has more than 900,000 square feet of library space, and the vast majority of
libraries are poorly configured to meet the demands of the digital age—with too few
electrical outlets, too little space for classes, group work, or space for individuals working
on laptop computers. Therefore, we are faced with the challenge of modernizing our
facilities, maintaining our critical infrastructure, and expanding our public spaces in order
to thrive in the 21st century.
Highly acclaimed for our innovation and ingenuity, Queens Library takes great pride in the
quality of the programs and services we offer. We are a welcoming, trusted source for
information where more than 50,000 people, many from underserved communities, use our
resources every day. Last year, our libraries hosted 38,000 free programs with an
attendance of more than 700,000. Our early childhood education programs, Young Adult
Literacy Program, Adult Education Program, New Americans Program and Job and
Business Academy are just several of the critical services that we provide to our
communities.
The demand for access to these programs is rapidly increasing, so it is vital that we expand
them, and attempt to provide a seat for anyone who needs one. Program attendance increased
nearly 10% in FY15, without an increase in our service schedule. For FY16, we can easily
project, now that we are accessible on weekends in every community, that demand will
continue to skyrocket.
Queens Library is also at the forefront of bridging the digital divide in our communities -- we
are the borough’s technology hub. We are aligned with the Administration’s and the Council’s
goal to increase broadband access to underserved communities. For too many Queens
residents, the digital divide presents barriers to education, job opportunities and tasks of daily
living. Approximately 27% of the borough does not have broadband or a computer at home. In
certain communities, and in many New York City Housing Authority developments, that
number is much higher. You can well imagine how a child’s education will suffer without
learning critical technology skills, or how an adult can become disconnected without access to
information and services available only online.
Queens Library hosts more than three (3) million public access computer sessions a year.
Thanks to our partnership with Governor Cuomo and Google, Queens Library lends Google
tablets free of charge to library card holders. For those who don’t have Internet access at
home, the Library lends mobile hotspots, free to anyone with a library card. Mobile hotspots
provide wireless internet access at home or while on the go. Customers can borrow one to use
with a Google tablet, and harness the power of the internet in their living room or wherever
they need it. We are committed to bridging the digital divide and stand ready to partner with
the Administration and Council on initiatives to achieve our shared goals.
Interim President’s Report – Testimony – November 30, 2015
55
Even with this fiscal year’s generous investment in libraries, we still have a great deal of
unmet needs. For example, with the additional operating funds, we have been able to expand
ESOL and Pre-High School Equivalency (HSE) classes to 38 community libraries and schedule
more sessions on the weekends. This is in addition to the seven (7) Adult Learning Centers
that we currently operate where this type of instruction is provided. The New American
Communities Survey that was released a few weeks ago reports that there are 600,000 people
in Queens county who self-identify as speaking English ”less than well.” We all know that for
a New American, learning English is absolutely critical to insuring a solid economic future.
We must continue to increase our capacity in the one place we know the community knows
and trusts, the local libraries.
We have recently implemented the Stacks program, a new curriculum-based afterschool
program for school-aged children in 18 community libraries. There is a long waiting list at
each of these programs. We could easily serve twice as many children as we do now in the
libraries in which Stacks is implemented, and we must expand it to the other 44 community
libraries. In addition to offering traditional homework assistance and educational enrichment,
Stacks is closely aligned to common core and we will be building evaluations into the
curriculum so we can measure and assess the impact and outcomes.
And we do know that Queens Library’s programs have measurable impact. Last fiscal year, we
launched a pilot of our Kick-off to Kindergarten (K2K) program at eight (8) library locations.
Sixty-five percent (65%) of the children who participated did not speak English at home. After
only eight (8) sessions, which included parent training, more than 85% of the children made
measurable educational gains. We have expanded the program, but there are long waiting
lists for every session.
Last year, in South Jamaica, the Pinkerton Foundation funded an intense literacy program
that included Saturday library service, a grant-funded children’s librarian and grant-funded
wraparound programs. At the end of the school year, 3rd to 5th grade reading scores at PS 40
increased from 8% to 14% of children reading at grade level. At PS 48, the percent of children
reading at grade level increased from 25% to 33%. For the educational health of our City and
our children, we need to keep expanding quality, outcome-based programs as it is an
investment in the future of our communities, and is what libraries do best.
We are very appreciative of the additional operating funds, but the Council’s work is not done.
We cannot rest when we still are being forced to turn away more than a thousand ESOL
students because we simply do not have another chair to put them in. We cannot rest because
the Stacks programs in our community libraries have waiting lists so long, children may never
have an opportunity to enroll if we cannot expand further. We cannot rest when funding is
needed to continue to provide mobile hotspots to bridge the digital divide as a core service
mission for our customers.
Interim President’s Report – Testimony – November 30, 2015
56
Six-day service is something we have all fought long and hard to achieve. With greater hours,
comes greater responsibility. We are tasked with not only maintaining the excellence and
quality of our programs; we must provide more of it to the people who have been starved of
weekend programs in their neighborhoods for almost a decade. When we are asked to do more
with less, we deliver. When the City needed a reliable partner to advance key Mayoral
initiatives such as IDNYC, UPK or the New Americans Corner, libraries are there with open
arms ready to help. Though we did not receive the full $65M restoration we needed, we found
a way to deliver six-day service and increase our programming nevertheless. In order to lock
in the gains we have all worked so hard to achieve, I urge the City Council to work
with the Mayor to baseline the operating funds of New York City’s three library
systems at Fiscal Year 2016’s funding level. Additionally, I urge the City Council and the
Mayor to work together to provide the three library systems the additional $22M needed to
deliver the programming, materials, hours and services necessary for essential library service
across the City.
Investing in libraries is an investment in the people of this great City. Together, we do great
work, but it can be even greater. We need the City to continue to invest in New Yorkers by
investing in libraries.
Again, thank you Chairpersons Van Bramer and King for the opportunity to testify today.
Interim President’s Report – Testimony – December 15, 2015
57
Statement by Bridget Quinn-Carey, Interim President and CEO, Queens Library
New York City Council Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International
Intergroup Relations, Jointly with the Committee on Immigration
December 15, 2015
Good morning. My name is Bridget Quinn-Carey, Interim President and CEO of the Queens
Library. Thank you Chair Van Bramer and Chair Menchaca for holding this important hearing and
allowing me to testify today on New York City’s municipal identification card (IDNYC) program
and the Library’s role in its administration.
Local Law 35 of 2014, the landmark legislation that created the New York City identification card,
has had a positive and significant impact on many people. For those people living in New York City
who lacked proper identification, life was akin to living in the shadows of our society. For example,
accessing financial institutions or government buildings was either impossible at worst or very
difficult at best. Since the introduction of the New York City identification card, people became
empowered and our society became more inclusive. People can now open bank accounts, enter City
buildings such as schools, and interact with law enforcement without fear of being arrested for not
having proper identification.
Queens Library shares the Mayor’s and Council’s goals of inclusion and equality for all New
Yorkers. Indeed, Libraries are the “Great Equalizers” in our democratic society. Our mission is to
provide every person who comes through our doors or contacts us, especially our most vulnerable
populations, with quality services, resources, and lifelong learning opportunities that meet their
diverse needs. Libraries are trusted entities that people turn to when in need. So when the City
looked for partners to help administer this important program aimed at documenting the
undocumented, libraries made perfect partners.
Queens Library houses two IDNYC enrollment centers at our busiest libraries - Central Library in
Jamaica and the Flushing Library. Flushing, the busiest library in New York State, is located in one
of the most ethnically diverse zip codes in the United States. We have experienced a great deal of
success in helping the City administer this program. Working with our community partners, the
Administration and elected officials to promote IDNYC, we have seen huge numbers of people
come through our doors to sign-up. As of November 15, we have enrolled 35,166 people at the
Central Library, and 42,715 people at the Flushing Community Library, for an enrollment total of
77,881. But wait, there is more.
Because of the program’s popularity, we are seeing increased demand for IDNYC cards across
Queens County. To meet this demand, we are working with the Administration and creating “pop-
up” IDNYC sites at our community libraries. We launched our first pop-up site at the Jackson
Heights Community Library in September, where we enrolled 1,728 people over a very successful
three-week period.
Interim President’s Report – Testimony – December 15, 2015
58
We launched a second site at our Far Rockaway Community Library in November and enrollment
will continue there for one more week; with the latest data showing in the very first week we
enrolled 322 people. All combined, the Queens Library is responsible for enrolling 79,931 New
Yorkers in the IDNYC program. We launched a third site at our Lefferts Community Library at
the beginning of this month, and as of today, we plan on launching sites by the end of this month
through February at our Maspeth, Briarwood, Bayside and Ridgewood Community Libraries.
I mentioned some of the benefits of owning a NYC identification card earlier in my testimony. In
addition, there are many other benefits that come with owning this card. Many people are aware
that it provides a free one-year membership to museums, performing arts centers and other cultural
organizations in all five boroughs. But many are not aware that one of the cool things that people
can also do with their IDNYC card is to link it to their library card. What that means is, instead of
carrying both your IDNYC card and Queens Library card, you can take your IDNYC card to any of
our community libraries, have it integrated into our system, and use your IDNYC card as your
library card! The latest data shows that 3,353 people have integrated their Queens Library
card with their IDNYC card.
There are additional benefits for New Yorkers who apply for their IDNYC cards at Queens Library.
IDNYC enrollment attracts new users to the library, and that is always great news. While applicants
are in the library, we make a special effort to keep literature and book displays in their line of sight
that introduce other useful library services: English classes for Speakers of Other Languages,
afterschool enrichment for children, our Job and Career Academy, health and wellness services.
There is so much that we offer to all New Yorkers, and we take every opportunity to call attention
to them. Queens Library’s goals are closely aligned with the initiatives of the Council and the
Administration. It is a great synergy.
We have had great success in our first year working with the Administration and the Council in
facilitating the implementation of the IDNYC program. As Speaker Mark-Viverito has said, New
York has always been a leader in helping our most vulnerable New Yorkers, especially the
undocumented, and the newcomers. New York City’s libraries play a critical role in providing that
help. As we approach year two, we look forward to continuing to help the City enroll New Yorkers
from all walks of life, so that no one is left behind or marginalized in our society simply because
they don’t have proper identification.
Thank you again Chairs Van Bramer and Menchaca for the opportunity to testify. I look forward to
continuing our work together, and to answering any questions you may have.
Other Business – December 22, 2015
59
Agenda Item: NEW YORK RISING COMMUNITY CENTERS-
PUBLIC SERVICES GRANT
Background: The Library has received a $500,000 grant from the
Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery (GOSR) under the New
York Rising Community Centers - Public Services Program
funded through the State of New York’s Community
Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR)
Program. The CDBG-DR Program is funded by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and
administered by GOSR. The grant will fund disaster recovery
and resiliency activities for the Rockaway West and
Rockaway East communities served by Peninsula Community
Library and Far Rockaway Community Library. Specific
activities include case management services, educational and
counseling services, response and recovery workshops to
address gaps in services, and housing counseling services. As
part of the terms of the grant, the Library will subcontract
with Neighborhood Housing Services of Jamaica to
implement response and recovery workshops and with
Margert Community Corporation to implement housing
counseling services.
Current Status: As a recipient of CDBG-DR funding to implement the NY
Rising Community Centers – Public Services project, the
Library is required, pursuant to applicable federal laws and
regulations, to adopt certain plans, policies and procedures
that will apply to the expenditures of the CDBG-DR funds.
Specifically, the applicable CDBG-DR regulations require all
recipients to adopt and implement: (i) an affirmative action
plan; (ii) procurement procedures; and (iii) grievance
procedures to address complaints of discrimination on the
Other Business – December 22, 2015
60
basis of disability. The three Resolutions that are required
pursuant to the applicable federal laws and regulations
pertaining to receipt of the grant from GOSR are attached.
Proposed Motion:
I move that the Board of Trustees approve the adoption of the three
Resolutions that are required pursuant to the applicable federal laws
and regulations pertaining to the expenditure of the CDBG-DR funds in
the amount of $500,000 for the delivery of disaster recovery and
resiliency services in the Rockaway West and Rockaway East
communities.
Other Business – December 22, 2015
61
RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN AS REQUIRED UNDER THE NEW YORK STATE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT-DISASTER RECOVERY (CDBG-DR) PROGRAM. WHEREAS, the Queens Borough Public Library is a subrecipient receiving New York State
Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds, as administered by the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery (GOSR) of the New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation (HTFC) to assist in addressing unmet needs from either Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee, or Superstorm Sandy; and,
WHEREAS, participation in the New York State CDBG-DR Program requires the adoption and implementation of an Affirmative Action Plan to meet the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) requirements of Executive Order 11246 and other program policies; and,
WHEREAS, the purpose of this plan is to prohibit workplace employment discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, marital status, veteran status, disabled veteran status, or status as a member of any other protected group or activity.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Trustees of Queens Borough Public Library that the attached Affirmative Action Plan be hereby officially adopted for implementation in the NY Rising Community Centers-Public Services Program New York State CDBG-DR Program.
Other Business – December 22, 2015
62
QUEENS BOROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN
The Queens Borough Public Library has adopted the following Affirmative Action Plan to meet the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) requirements of Executive Order 11246 and the program policies of the New York State Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Program. Executive Order 11246 prohibits federal contractors and subcontractors from engaging in workplace employment discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, marital status, veteran status, disabled veteran status, or status as a member of any other protected group or activity. 1) The Queens Borough Public Library is committed to equal employment opportunity and as
part of its Affirmative Action Plan shall:
a) Recruit, hire, upgrade, train, and promote in all job classifications, without regard to age, race, color, religion, gender, creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, marital status, veteran status, disabled veteran status, or status as a member of any other protected group or activity.
b) Base employment decisions on the principles of equal employment opportunity, and with
the intent to further the Queens Borough Public Library commitment to affirmative action;
c) Ensure that all terms and conditions of employment such as compensation, benefits,
layoff, return from layoff, training, educational tuition assistance, and social and recreation programs, shall be administered without regard to age, race, color, religion, gender, creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, marital status, veteran status, disabled veteran status, or status as a member of any other protected group or activity.
d) Ensure that promotion decisions will be made in accordance with the principles of affirmative action by imposing only valid requirements for promotional opportunities;
e) Take action to prevent harassment or intimidation of all employees, particularly those
encompassed by the Queens Borough Public Library affirmative action efforts.
2) The Queens Borough Public Library will post the federal EEO Poster in a conspicuous location.
3) In all solicitations or advertisements for employment the Queens Borough Public Library shall state that all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, gender, creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, marital status, veteran status, disabled veteran status, or status as a member of any other protected group or activity.
Other Business – December 22, 2015
63
4) The Queens Borough Public Library will maintain written employment records to demonstrate compliance with Executive Order 11246.
5) The Queens Borough Public Library will pursue opportunities to recruit and develop qualified job candidates to avoid employment barriers and to ensure equal opportunity for candidates.
6) The Queens Borough Public Library Affirmative Action Plan will be posted on the Human Resources Office web page at www.queenslibrary.org
7) The Interim Human Resources Director has been assigned responsibility for the implementation and administration of this Affirmative Action Plan.
RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE FOLLOWING SECTION 504 POLICIES AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES FOR THE QUEENS BOROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY WHEREAS, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination on the
basis of disability in programs and activities conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or by grantees that receive financial assistance from HUD, and
WHEREAS, Part 8 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations (24 CFR) requires
adoption of grievance procedures to address complaints of those who feel they may have been discriminated against on the basis of disability and also requires the provision of notice of said grievance procedures, and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the Queens Borough Public Library not to discriminate against
any individual, person, or group on the basis of disability and the intent to address any complaints that may arise pursuant to Section 504,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Queens Borough Public Library does
hereby adopt by resolution internal grievance procedures (the “Procedure”) providing for the prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any action prohibited by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regulations implementing the Act, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Queens Borough Public Library does hereby designate
the Interim Human Resources Director as the Grievance Coordinator who shall be responsible for receiving and addressing complaints pursuant to the Procedure adopted hereby and attached hereto, and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Queens Borough Public Library will place its
employees, the public, and potential beneficiaries of certain federal public programs on notice by undertaking certain actions that will include, but may not be limited to (1) providing a copy of the grievance procedure to its employees, (2) putting the public on notice by placing a notice in its official newspaper, posting of notices in its main offices and facilities, placing notices in its publications, and/or distribution of memoranda or other written communications subsequent to adoption of this Procedure, (3) placing copies of the Procedure in the Human Resources Office for review and dissemination, and (4) adding language to federal program brochures to insure all potential program beneficiaries are aware of Queens Borough Public Library having adopted grievance procedures.
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BACKGROUND: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (the “Act”) as amended
prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs and activities conducted by HUD or that receive financial assistance from HUD. This includes the New York State Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Program funded by HUD, administered by the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery (GOSR), and under which the Queens Borough Public Library has received financial assistance. The Act specifically provides that no qualified individual shall, solely by reason of his or her handicap, be excluded from program participation, including employment, be denied program benefits, or be subjected to discrimination. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) established provisions for assuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and self-sufficiency of disabled persons relative to employment, benefits and services, accommodations, commercial facilities, and multi-family housing.
SECTION 504 POLICY/COMPLIANCE: Part 8 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations
(24 CFR) requires the adoption and notice/publication of ADA grievance procedures for recipients with 15 or more employees, Sections 8.53 and 8.54, respectively. Therefore, be it known that it is the policy of the Queens Borough Public Library not to discriminate on the basis of disability. Towards that end, Queens Borough Public Library has adopted by resolution an internal grievance procedure providing for prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any action prohibited by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regulations implementing the Act. The subject law and implementing regulations may be examined in the Human Resources Office. The Interim Human Services Director for the Queens Borough Public Library has been designated to coordinate the efforts of the Queens Borough Public Library with respect to Section 504 compliance. This information can also be accessed on the Internet at the following address:
A complaint must be in writing, containing the name and address of the person filing it. The complaint must state the problem or action alleged to be discriminatory and the remedy or relief sought.
The Section 504 Coordinator (or her/his designee) shall conduct an investigation of the
complaint. This investigation may be informal, but it must be thorough, affording all interested persons an opportunity to submit evidence relevant to the complaint. The Section 504 Coordinator will maintain the files and records of the Queens Borough Public Library relating to such grievances.
The Section 504 Coordinator will issue a written decision on the grievance no later than 30
days after its filing.
The person filing the grievance may appeal the decision of the Section 504 Coordinator by
writing to the General Counsel within 15 days of receiving the Section 504 Coordinator’s decision. The General Counsel shall issue a written decision in response to the appeal no later than 30 days after its filing.
The availability and use of this grievance procedure does not prevent a person from filing a
complaint of discrimination on the basis of disability with the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights.
The Queens Borough Public Library will make appropriate arrangements to ensure that
disabled persons are provided accommodations, if needed, to participate in this grievance process. Such arrangements may include, but are not limited to, providing interpreters for the deaf, providing taped cassettes of material for the blind, or assuring a barrier-free location for the proceedings. The Section 504 Coordinator will be responsible for such arrangements.
It is against the law for the Queens Borough Public Library to retaliate against anyone who
files a grievance or cooperates in the investigation of a grievance.
ADOPTED:
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RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES AND POLICIES FOR THE
QUEENS BOROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF GOODS AND
SERVICES NECESSARY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE
GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF STORM RECOVERY OF THE NEW YORK STATE HOUSING
TRUST FUND CORPORATION
WHEREAS, in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, the United States Congress, through Public Law passed the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (Public Law 113-2, approved January 29, 2013), as amended (the “Act”), appropriating $16 billion, later reduced to $15.18 billion, to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (“CDBG-DR”) funds for necessary expenses related to disaster relief, long-term recovery, restoration of infrastructure, and housing and economic revitalization in the most impacted and distressed areas resulting from a major disaster declared due to Superstorm Sandy and other eligible events, including Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, in calendar years 2011, 2012, and 2013 (the “Storms”), subject to the Federal statutes and regulations governing CDBG grants, as modified by exceptions and waivers previously granted and which may hereafter be granted by HUD; and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to the CDBG-DR Grant Program and Federal Register Notice (78 Fed.
Reg. 14,329), published March 5, 2013, titled, “Allocations, Common Applications, and Alternative Requirements for Grantees Receiving Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Recovery Funds in Response to Hurricane Sandy (as amended),” the State has received an allocation of CDBG-DR funds from HUD in the amount of $1,713,960,000; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the CDBG-DR Grant Program and Federal Register Notice (78 Fed.
Reg. 69,104), entitled Second Allocation, Waivers, and Alternative Requirements for Grantees Receiving Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Recovery Funds in Response to Hurricane Sandy (as amended),” the State has received a second allocation of CDBG-DR funds from HUD in the amount of $2,097,000,000; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the CDBG-DR Grant Program and Federal Register Notice (79 Fed.
Reg. 62,183), entitled Third Allocation, Waivers, and Alternative Requirements for Grantees Receiving Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Recovery Funds in Response to Hurricane Sandy (as amended),” the State has received a third allocation of CDBG-DR funds from HUD in the amount of $605,922,000 (of which $185,000,000 has been allocated towards the proposals developed through the Rebuild by Design competition); and
WHEREAS, the Queens Borough Public Library has entered into a subrecipient agreement with the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery of the New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation.
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Trustees of the Queens Borough Public Library that, it shall follow these policies and procedures in the procurement of goods and services necessary for the implementation of projects funded by the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery of the New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation:
PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES The Queens Borough Public Library will comply with the procurement standards required under 24 CFR 85.36 for all procurement activities utilizing CDBG-DR funds granted by the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery of the New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation. AVOIDING PROCUREMENT OF UNNECESSARY OR DUPLICATIVE ITEMS OR SERVICES The director or supervisor of each department or agency of the Queens Borough Public Library is responsible for procurement of services, supplies, equipment, or construction obtained with Federal, State or Local funds shall review all proposed procurement actions to avoid the purchase of unnecessary or duplicative items. Such reviews shall consider consolidation or breaking out to obtain a more economical purchase. When determined appropriate by the director or supervisor, an analysis should be made of lease versus purchase alternatives and any other analysis to determine the most economical approach. CODE OF CONDUCT No employee, officer or agent of the Queens Borough Public Library shall participate directly or indirectly in the selection or in the award or administration of any contract if a conflict, real or apparent, would be involved. Such conflict would arise when a financial or other interest in a firm selected for award is held by:
1. An employee, officer or agent involved in making the award;
2. His/her relative including father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, first cousin,
4. An organization which employs, is negotiating to employ, or has an arrangement concerning
prospective employment of any of the above.
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PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACT PROTEST PROCEDURES
Any actual or prospective contractor may protest the solicitation or award of a contract for serious violations of the principles of this Statement. Any protest against solicitations must be received before the due date for receipt of bids or proposals, and any protest against the award of a contract must be received within ten calendar days after contract award, or the protest will not be considered. All bid protests shall be in writing, submitted to Purchasing Agent or the General Counsel. The Purchasing Agent or General Counsel may, at his/her discretion, suspend the procurement pending resolution of the protest, if warranted by the facts presented.