April 12, 2005

This is an example of why we need more transparency in government
by Liza Sabater

New York Daily News - Breaking News - NY public library selling art masterpieces to buy books

I find this story to be unbelievable. It is a sad day when, what should be considered as city patrimony and essentially public property, is being sold off for the purpose of what basically is a shopping spree. I cannot believe the New York Public Library cannot find more --hint, hint, net / software / digitally based--, cost efficient ways to up their circulation library.

But what is worse is the lack of public process in the matter. Who made the decision to basically sell public property to buy books in a city that could be considered the mecca of the publishing world? How was that decision made? How long did it take to make that decision? And more importantly, who, beside the library, is making money out of this auction? Yes, they are only 19 paintings out of hundreds owned by NYPL --but that is not the point.

This shows how decisions on the preservation of our culture are being made by a few all across this country. In every public library and every public museum decisions about what is worth saving for future generations are being made with no open participation, no open deliberation and no common decision making. Everything is blamed on the bottom line : cuts in public funding, cuts in staffing, cuts in donations. But are those the cause or the sypmtom of something deeper?

What should we think of when in New York, in the largest public library, and in the most culturally diverse city in the country, there is no money to pay for a curator of paintings and cultures? Is there really no money to pay for a curator or is there just no will to do so; no sense of importance or urgency?

Remember how my translation of the fatwa against Osama Bin Laden? When I first did the translation, it was more of an academic exercise. What dawned on me afterwards was the lack of importance the Spanish language has for big media companies like AP, Reuters, The New York Times, The Washington Post. It's the only way to explain their lapse; given that the document censured the man that not only was supposedly responsible for the September 11th attack, but was also the reason the US invaded Iraq --what with his alledged ties to Saddam Hussein and his alleged aiding and abetting of the former dictator in his alleged stock-piling of alleged weapons of mass destruction.

Which makes me ask : how anesthetized can a country be?

When we abdicate responsibility on how we will remember our present; we are most certainly giving up on how we will be writing our future history.

NY public library selling art masterpieces to buy books

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The city's public library system will sell 19 artworks from its collection, including two portraits of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart, in order to compete better in acquisitions of books and collections.

"We don't have a staff devoted to paintings and cultures," Paul LeClerc, the library's president said. "If we don't grow, we cannot maintain the claim that we are one of the greatest libraries in the world."

Sotheby's was retained by the library and officials there estimate that the works will sell for $50 million to $75 million.

Library officials said that any New York institution wishing to purchase a work will be given preferential payment terms, in hopes that many of the works can remain on public display in the city.

LeClerc said the rising cost of books and research, as well as city and state financial cuts and a lowering of the library's endowment left officials with few options outside of selling the artworks to continue its expansion. Currently the library owns 43.3 million research materials, including 15.5 million books.

The story was first reported by The New York Times on Monday.

Originally published on April 11, 2005

Posted by Liza Sabater in Accountability, Art, Books, Culture, Democracy, Economics, Finance, Government, New York City, Transparency
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