41 Million Dollars for a Library - Worth it or Not?
Author Tasfia Uddin December 19, 2019
The Hunter’s Point Library is a very modern and extremely anticipated library. The Hunter’s Point Library is a five-floor building with an incredible view of the East River which started its construction in 2015 and has received different opinions about it.
The library has five different floors for various uses. The first floor is the main floor with a
check-in and a meeting room for certain programs the library offers. The second floor is mainly for adult books and DVDs. The third floor is partly for the children’s area and another part is for adults. The 4th floor contains the computer area and the staff lounge offices. Finally, the 5th floor is for teens.
The library has enormous windows with incredible views and overflowing light coming in. It also has a very modern-wood look. Still, different people continue to have conflicting views about the library.
Mia, a freshman at TYWLS of Astoria, expressed, “I just feel like there’s no point to this because I feel like a building has to have a point rather than to have a necessity or to be practical, but I feel like this building has no point. Like, it’s a-symmetrical and it has like random shapes for no reason. I don’t know if it’s supposed to give the building meaning inside.”
On the other hand, a New York Times article states, “On dark days and evenings, its enormous, eccentric windows will act like inviting beacons of light, attracting eyes and feet. They carve whimsical jigsaw puzzle pieces out of a cool, silvered-concrete facade. That facade is a load-bearing structure, allowing the library’s liberated interior to spiral some 60 feet upward and outward from a shallow canyon-like lobby, unfolding in elevation as a sequence of tiered desks, book stacks and social spaces. The inside is mostly warm bamboo, with spectacular views.” The library’s unique design is praised and appreciated for its simplicity. The architecture is also admired for its aesthetic appearance.
Additionally, Uzhma, a freshman at TYWLS of Astoria, expressed, “I really like the overall view of the building, it’s really urban and it’s just a nice vibe overall.”
Regarding the $41M it cost for the library to be developed, people had varying views on it. Some people thought it was worth it, while others thought it was a waste.
Yasmeen, a freshman at TYWLS of Astoria, exclaims, “If it took that much time and money, it really should’ve been more. But then again books cost a lot of money so it could go both ways.” She felt that an amount of money that large could have made the library much more impressive.
The library has five different floors for various uses. The first floor is the main floor with a
check-in and a meeting room for certain programs the library offers. The second floor is mainly for adult books and DVDs. The third floor is partly for the children’s area and another part is for adults. The 4th floor contains the computer area and the staff lounge offices. Finally, the 5th floor is for teens.
The library has enormous windows with incredible views and overflowing light coming in. It also has a very modern-wood look. Still, different people continue to have conflicting views about the library.
Mia, a freshman at TYWLS of Astoria, expressed, “I just feel like there’s no point to this because I feel like a building has to have a point rather than to have a necessity or to be practical, but I feel like this building has no point. Like, it’s a-symmetrical and it has like random shapes for no reason. I don’t know if it’s supposed to give the building meaning inside.”
On the other hand, a New York Times article states, “On dark days and evenings, its enormous, eccentric windows will act like inviting beacons of light, attracting eyes and feet. They carve whimsical jigsaw puzzle pieces out of a cool, silvered-concrete facade. That facade is a load-bearing structure, allowing the library’s liberated interior to spiral some 60 feet upward and outward from a shallow canyon-like lobby, unfolding in elevation as a sequence of tiered desks, book stacks and social spaces. The inside is mostly warm bamboo, with spectacular views.” The library’s unique design is praised and appreciated for its simplicity. The architecture is also admired for its aesthetic appearance.
Additionally, Uzhma, a freshman at TYWLS of Astoria, expressed, “I really like the overall view of the building, it’s really urban and it’s just a nice vibe overall.”
Regarding the $41M it cost for the library to be developed, people had varying views on it. Some people thought it was worth it, while others thought it was a waste.
Yasmeen, a freshman at TYWLS of Astoria, exclaims, “If it took that much time and money, it really should’ve been more. But then again books cost a lot of money so it could go both ways.” She felt that an amount of money that large could have made the library much more impressive.
“I think it’s nice that they’re spending this money on something everyone can use and something that’s educational but it’s also way too much to be spent.” -Uzhma (a 9th grader at TYWLSA)
As mentioned above, on the third floor is the kids’ section. In the kids’ section, there is an enormous variety of books. There are also some chairs and tables for the children to sit in.
“It’s always important to start reading young and to have that exposure to books and colors. If the library itself is very bland and doesn’t have colors or have the look of a children’s environment, I think they spent the money in a wrong way.” -Yasmine (a 9th grader at TYWLSA)
In the actual library, there is one staircase and one elevator to get through the floors. Here’s what people have to say about the ways to get through the library:
“If you’re going to have a library with over five floors you can’t just have one staircase and one elevator, the library itself won’t be able to function.”- Afsana (a 9th grader at TYWLSA)
“But several of the terraces at the Hunters Point Library are inaccessible to people who cannot climb to them. A staircase and bleacher seating in the children’s section, judged too risky for small children, has been closed off. And the five-story, vertically designed building only has one elevator, creating bottlenecks at times. The accessibility issues, some of which have been angrily called out in social media posts and elsewhere online since the library’s Sept. 24 opening.” -The New York Times
Based on all of these accounts, it’s noticeable that people have different opinions as to whether or not they would personally go to the library.
“Personally, I would go to the library. The architecture and everything is really nice. But the main reason why I go to a library are for the books, and since this library has a wide variety of books I would go.” -Afsana (a 9th grader of TYWLSA) And along with this, Mia (a 9th grader at TYWLSA) said “I don’t see the point of this library, I personally would not go to the library.”
One of the librarians was asked to respond to certain questions regarding the library, but she was not able to comment upon it. But overall, the library has been viewed in different ways by different people.
As mentioned above, on the third floor is the kids’ section. In the kids’ section, there is an enormous variety of books. There are also some chairs and tables for the children to sit in.
“It’s always important to start reading young and to have that exposure to books and colors. If the library itself is very bland and doesn’t have colors or have the look of a children’s environment, I think they spent the money in a wrong way.” -Yasmine (a 9th grader at TYWLSA)
In the actual library, there is one staircase and one elevator to get through the floors. Here’s what people have to say about the ways to get through the library:
“If you’re going to have a library with over five floors you can’t just have one staircase and one elevator, the library itself won’t be able to function.”- Afsana (a 9th grader at TYWLSA)
“But several of the terraces at the Hunters Point Library are inaccessible to people who cannot climb to them. A staircase and bleacher seating in the children’s section, judged too risky for small children, has been closed off. And the five-story, vertically designed building only has one elevator, creating bottlenecks at times. The accessibility issues, some of which have been angrily called out in social media posts and elsewhere online since the library’s Sept. 24 opening.” -The New York Times
Based on all of these accounts, it’s noticeable that people have different opinions as to whether or not they would personally go to the library.
“Personally, I would go to the library. The architecture and everything is really nice. But the main reason why I go to a library are for the books, and since this library has a wide variety of books I would go.” -Afsana (a 9th grader of TYWLSA) And along with this, Mia (a 9th grader at TYWLSA) said “I don’t see the point of this library, I personally would not go to the library.”
One of the librarians was asked to respond to certain questions regarding the library, but she was not able to comment upon it. But overall, the library has been viewed in different ways by different people.