At Free Library of Philadelphia, 20 Branches to Operate Without Librarians

LJ reports that 17 staffers were laid off at the Philadelphia Free Library and that 20 branches will be run without librarians on staff. The administration claims this was the only way to avoid closing branches.

January 25, 2005 by Uncategorized 4

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4 Responses

  1. Eli says:
    January 25, 2005 at 10:15 pm

    Free library of Philadelphia
    This last step is part of an ongoing probelm with the Free Library. Due to severe budget cuts they stopped purchasing new materials well before the end of the fiscal year. The Free Library is currently involved in rennovating and expanding the main library downtown. They engaged a high priced architect and the project will cost over $100 million dollars. On top of that Mayor John Street committed over $30 million of city funds for the project. I wrote a letter to the Philadelphia Inquirer asking how the Free Library can spend so much on a project, the Mayor committing so much money while cutting services and resources. The President of the Free library wrote a response in a letter to the editor of the Inquirer giving excuses for his decisions. Chief executives such as he do not concern themselves, care, or even understand library services and the job the branch librarians perform. Once again we see that our professional organzations do not always respond but rather dabble in international politics and various causes.We should be giving awards to those who can maintain library services while under sever budget constraints instead of those who fight the FBI.

    Reply
  2. mdoneil says:
    January 26, 2005 at 1:27 am

    Re:Free library of Philadelphia
    Wait six months or so and the ALA will be up in arms about this (or are they opposed to arms).

    In today’s mail came a 3rd reminder of how important my membership is to the ALA. (They will be sending another membership form under separate cover they noted).

    I can usually find some redeeming qualities in anyone or any organization, but I have come to the realization that the ALA is full of shit and a waste of time and money.

    If they cared about libraries, and if they cared about the profession they would have spearheaded the effort to adequately staff the Philadelphia libraries and opposed spending funds on capital improvements that cannot be justified in these times of budgetary dietetics. An information campaign from a motivated ALA could have stopped that project in its tracks. As usual the ALA will do too little too late. It is sad that all of its members don’t realize how ineffective it has become with all the many agenda being pursued.

    Well at least I’m not out $75 for dues.

    Reply
  3. GregS* says:
    January 26, 2005 at 7:51 pm

    Re:Free library of Philadelphia
    “All it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing” – Edmund Burke

    Reply
  4. Curmudgeony says:
    January 27, 2005 at 6:57 am

    Re:Free library of Philadelphia
    Seriously, where is the ALA response to this story?
    While we are at it. The problems in upstate New York still have not been addressed, at least in this news forum.

    ALA where are you?

    Reply

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