{"id":153,"date":"2016-11-30T15:02:39","date_gmt":"2016-11-30T15:02:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/labs.council.nyc\/press\/?p=153"},"modified":"2016-12-08T15:05:04","modified_gmt":"2016-12-08T15:05:04","slug":"speaker-melissa-mark-viverito-majority-leader-jimmy-van-bramer-council-member-andy-king-the-department-of-correction-and-the-three-new-york-library-systems-announce-expansion-of-video-visitation-p","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/press\/2016\/11\/30\/153\/","title":{"rendered":"Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer, Council Member Andy King, The Department Of Correction, And The Three New York Library Systems Announce Expansion Of Video Visitation Program"},"content":{"rendered":"

$600,000 investment will connect families with incarcerated loved ones<\/em><\/p>\n

East Harlem, NY<\/strong> – Today, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Majority Leader and Chair of the Cultural Affairs and Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, Chair of the Subcommittee on Libraries Council Member Andy King, Tony Marx, President and CEO of New York Public Library, Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library, and Dennis Walcott, President and CEO of Queens Public Library, and Angela Tolosa, Assistant Commissioner of Program Operations at the New York City Department of Correction gathered to celebrate the $600,000 in Council funding to expand a video visitation program with the City\u2019s 3 library systems to provide free live video services for families who wish to visit with their NYC Department of Corrections (DOC) incarcerated loved ones. The program is offered at 22 public library branches across the five boroughs.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaintaining contact with an inmate\u2019s community is highly correlated with reducing recidivism,\u201d said Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito<\/strong>. \u201cBut in order to visit an incarcerated person at Rikers Island, friends and family members usually spend an entire day of travel for a 1-hour visit. This video visitation program will not only decrease the burden on families, but should also help reduce recidivism. I would like to thank my Council colleagues, the Administration and the 3 Library systems for their efforts in making sure that we find ways to connect families.\u201d<\/p>\n

As first proposed in her 2016 State of the City the Council and Administration funded $600,000 in FY\u2019 2017 to expand the video visitation program within the New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library and Queens Public Library systems. This initiative offers video visitation at 22 libraries citywide to friends and families of incarcerated individuals.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs an 11-year veteran of the Queens Library, I know firsthand the impact libraries can have in strengthening communities and supporting our city\u2019s vulnerable families,\u201d said Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer<\/strong>. \u201cThe video visitation program helps families stay connected with their incarcerated loved ones, and helps reduce recidivism by maintaining ties between inmates and their communities. I\u2019m proud of the $600,000 this Council allocated to expand this vitally important program.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I like most about this Video Visitation system is the fact that our libraries will be used to facilitate a relaxed and friendly atmosphere for the families and young children of the incarcerated.\u00a0 And, the inmates can choose from select children books to read to their youngsters,\u201d said NYC Council\u00a0 Member Andy King,\u00a0 Chair of the Subcommittee on Libraries<\/strong>.\u00a0 \u201cIn addition to the comfortable atmosphere, video visitation is easy and convenient.\u00a0 The system reduces lines and wait times for visitors during check-in as well as removes the possibility of illegal acts between visitor and inmate, such as contraband transfer, since each party is at a different location. This is a welcomed program in the New York Public Library systems.\u201d<\/p>\n

“Reading is a critically important bonding experience for children and their parents, and Brooklyn Public Library’s TeleStory program makes it possible for families separated by incarceration to read a book together as if they were in the same room,”\u00a0said\u00a0Brooklyn Public Library President and CEO Linda E. Johnson<\/strong>. \u201cWe are so grateful to Speaker Mark-Viverito for supporting our expansion of TeleStory to twelve branches earlier this year, and we are thrilled that thanks to her investment, similar video visitation services will now be available in libraries throughout the city.\u201d<\/p>\n

“The video visitation program perfectly aligns with the Library’s mission to provide opportunity to all and to strengthen communities by providing hope and support to some of our city’s most vulnerable families,” said New York Public Library President Tony Marx<\/strong>. “The NYPL has offered important services to the incarcerated and their loved ones for three decades, and we thank the Speaker and the City Council for supporting this expansion into six of our branches.”<\/p>\n

The Brooklyn Public Library in 2014 launched the TeleStory program that allows detainees to read to their children through videoconferencing in part with both public and private funding. The program has served more than 80 families and 86% of those families had at least one child under the age of 12, while the rest had older children or were parents\/grandparents visiting incarcerated adolescents. While most of BPL’s TeleStory participants live in Brooklyn, there is clearly demand for the service citywide, as 25% of participants reside outside the borough.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile our communities face a host of challenges beyond our doors, Queens Library welcomes and empowers everyone with information, resources and relationships to nourish their minds and uplift their hearts,\u201d said\u00a0Queens Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott<\/strong>. \u201cVideo visitation between families and friends and their incarcerated loved ones is a natural extension of our mission, and we are grateful to Speaker Mark-Viverito and the City Council for enabling us to provide such a vital service at four of our community libraries.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Library Video Visitation services are offered at the following library branches:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bronx<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Grand Concourse<\/p>\n

Hunts Point (Opens In January)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Brooklyn<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Bedford Library<\/p>\n

Brownsville Library<\/p>\n

Bushwick Library<\/p>\n

Canarsie Library<\/p>\n

Central Library<\/p>\n

Coney Island Library<\/p>\n

Crown Heights Library<\/p>\n

Flatbush Library<\/p>\n

Macon Library<\/p>\n

New Lots Library<\/p>\n

New Utrecht Library<\/p>\n

Red Hook Library<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Manhattan<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

125th Street Branch<\/p>\n

Hamilton Grange (Opens in January)<\/p>\n

Tompkins Square Library (Opens in January)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Queens<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Central Library<\/p>\n

Far Rockaway Swing Space<\/p>\n

Long Island City<\/p>\n

Ridgewood Library<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Staten Island<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Mariners Harbor<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

About Queens Public Library <\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Queens Library is an independent, nonprofit corporation that was founded in 1896. With 62 community libraries, a central library, a teen library and two family literacy centers, Queens Library serves a population of 2.3 million in the most ethnically diverse county in the United States. It\u2019s one of the highest circulating library systems in the nation and among the busiest in the world. Visit online at: http:\/\/www.queenslibrary.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

About Brooklyn Public Library <\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is an independent library system for the 2.5 million residents of Brooklyn. It is the fifth largest library system in the United States with 60 neighborhood libraries located throughout the borough. BPL offers free programs and services for all ages and stages of life, including a large selection of books in more than 30 languages, author talks, literacy programs and public computers. Online at www.bklynlibrary.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

About New York Public Library<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Founded in 1895, the New York Public Library is the nation\u2019s largest public library system, featuring a unique combination of 88 neighborhood branches and four scholarly research centers, bringing together an extraordinary richness of resources and opportunities available to all.<\/p>\n

Serving more than 17 million patrons a year, and millions more online, the Library holds more than 51 million items, from books, e-books, and DVDs to renowned research collections used by scholars from around the world. Visit online at: https:\/\/www.nypl.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

$600,000 investment will connect families with incarcerated loved ones<\/em><\/p>\n

East Harlem, NY<\/strong> – Today, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Majority Leader and Chair of the Cultural Affairs and Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, Chair of the Subcommittee on Libraries Council Member Andy King, Tony Marx, President and CEO of New York Public Library, Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library, and Dennis Walcott, President and CEO of Queens Public Library, and Angela Tolosa, Assistant Commissioner of Program Operations at the New York City Department of Correction gathered to celebrate the $600,000 in Council funding to expand a video visitation program with the City\u2019s 3 library systems to provide free live video services for families who wish to visit with their NYC Department of Corrections (DOC) incarcerated loved ones.<\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

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