‘Roots’ actor LeVar Burton latest celebrity to decry Mayor Adams’ NYC library cuts

Actor LeVar Burton decried the Adams administration’s budget cuts to the city’s public library systems Tuesday and urged New Yorkers to sign a petition calling for the spending reductions to be reversed.

In a letter shared with the Daily News, the “Roots” and “Star Trek” actor warned the consequences would be dire if the city adopts Mayor Adams’ preliminary 2025 fiscal year budget plan, which contains a combined $58.3 million cut to the three library systems.

“These proposed cuts could have devastating impacts for New Yorkers, who have already lost access to seven-day service due to a previous round of budget cuts,” Burton wrote in the letter emailed to members of the New York Public Library, the city’s largest system, which serves Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx. “The cuts proposed for next year would lead to even further service reductions, including the loss of yet another open day at most libraries.”

Burton’s missive was capped off with a link to a petition calling for a reversal of the library cuts.

Adams has previously argued it’s necessary to cut spending on libraries and other services to offset costs incurred from the local migrant crisis.

He said earlier this month he hopes to undo some cuts as part of negotiations with the City Council that will continue through June, when the city must finalize its 2025 fiscal year budget. Council Democrats argue the city sits on enough tax revenue to avoid additional library cuts and have made reversing library spending reductions Adams already enacted last year a priority in this spring’s budget talks.

In response to Burton’s letter, Adams spokeswoman Liz Garcia noted the mayor canceled a round of additional cuts to libraries set to take place this month. She wouldn’t say whether Adams is considering undoing previous cuts.

“We are still in the middle of budget discussions and will continue to prioritize how we can protect our libraries,” Garcia said.

Burton — who’s also known for hosting “Reading Rainbow,” a children’s show focused on encouraging kids to read — wrote in Tuesday’s letter that libraries played a large role in his upbringing.

“Growing up, some of my best childhood memories were in libraries,” he wrote. “From ‘Roots’ to ‘Star Trek’ to ‘Reading Rainbow,’ my love of reading and unimpeded pursuit of knowledge have been central to my life as well as my career.”

Burton is the latest celebrity to condemn Adams’ library cuts. Last month, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has otherwise been supportive of Adams politically, also called on him to back off the cuts.