Foye is Always in Circulation

Maintainer William Foye doesn’t need the Dewey Decimal System to stay organized.

“We always start at Bloomingdale. That’s home base,” Foye said of the library on West 100th Street. “We gather our tools, then go on the computer, look at the [job assignments], and prioritize what needs to be done first.”

Since 2020, the native Upper West Sider has kept over three dozen Manhattan library branches running smoothly by handling everything from emergency repairs to fresh paint jobs.

Because the phrase “not my job” isn’t in his vocabulary, Foye stepped up when there was an issue at a branch he usually doesn’t service. A flood occurred at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, located at 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue, where the iconic lions, Patience and Fortitude, stand guard. “I didn’t know the building, but I managed to find the shut-off valve for the water and helped solve the problem.”

Before joining the NYPL organization, Foye was a highly skilled contractor who worked on major projects such as Trinity Church, Church of the Incarnation, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the Steinway Building.

“When I applied at the library, it was for a porter position,” explained Foye. But when management reviewed his resume, “They said: ‘No, you’re not a porter. We’re going to make you a maintainer.’ This allowed me to get back into my masonry and carpentry skills.”

A love of working with his hands came early in life. “I grew up in a single-parent household, so my mom always wanted me to fix stuff, and I realized, ‘I’m really good at this.’” His late mother agreed, encouraging her son to further his education in construction. A friend introduced him to a contractor, “and that’s how I started.”

It’s his current position, though, that brings him the most joy. “What I like most about my job is working in a community that I grew up in. This same library is where I used to come and study after school.”

Foye says the best day on the job was during his first week at work, when his supervisor needed a contractor; she knew his background, and asked him to take care of the issue. “I said, ‘No problem, I got you,’” said Foye. “When she saw the results, she was so happy. It just made me feel welcome here.”

Foye stressed that there’s no worst part of the job, yet couldn’t say enough about the best part: “Working with my team. I have great support...getting knowledge from them, me giving knowledge to them, is just what makes my day.”

But what inspires him most happens outside of his 9-to-5? “My kids,” said the father of two. “I have a 12-year-old daughter, Nicole, and a seven-year-old son, Kaysen,” who is into construction just like his dad. As a Yankees family, they spend weekends playing catch and running bases at home.

Of his three-hour per day commute, Foye insists, “It’s worth every bit of it. This is the community I grew up in; I’m serving the patrons and love it.”