Grants

THE central branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia is an impressive building—its neoclassical facade looming over most of a block. But inside, though chandeliers still hang from the ceilings and the floors are of polished marble, there is a feeling of neglect. A musty taste hangs in the air; many of the books are rather battered. “The building opened in 1927 and we’ve really not touched it since then,” says Siobhan Reardon, the library’s president and director. “And you can tell.”

This morning, Steve messaged me to tell me to look out the window, because "There's some weird rolling book thing down there." When I went down to investigate, I met Laura Moulton, who handed me a business card reading "Street Librarian," and explained that she recently received a RACC grant to fund a project called Street Books, a mobile library that provides books for the homeless.