Photos from June 3rd Vigil

After a slightly delayed start due to a truly torrential downpour, Monday’s vigil at the NYPL’s Spring fundraising gala went well! The rain stopped shortly after 6 PM, the skies started to clear, and we sent a powerful message to the New York Public Library administration.

Reverend Billy and his choir injected a wonderful jolt of energy into the proceedings, and concluded with a newly composed song (with the refrain, taken from Ada  Louise Huxtable’s scathing review of the Central Library Plan, “You don’t update a masterpiece”).  As the music ended, Rev. Billy led the crowd up the library steps, where several people spoke passionately about the need to save the 42nd Street Library and not sell off branch libraries.

Meanwhile, others were leafletting the donors as they arrived.  The NYPL’s Ken Weine (Vice President of Communications & Marketing) and an assistant came out to the plaza to escort donors into the building and to attempt to explain what was happening.  Many donors accepted leaflets, and our concerns were well conveyed!