The Mayor’s office of Philadelphia announced today that it will be closing 11 branches of the Free Library of Philadelphia due to the city’s $100 million budget deficit.
The confirmed locations of branch closures include:
Durham, Eastwick, Fishtown, Fumo Family, Haddington, Holmesburg, Kingsessing, Logan, Ogontz, Queen Memorial, Wadsworth
Friends of the Free Library director Amy Dougherty expressed concerns that the budget cuts and closures
“appear to be permanent and not temporary.”
In a city where
“40% of the city’s schools don’t have libraries anymore”,
closing branches of the Free Library seems not only counter-intuitive, but dangerous for the education and social prospects of the city’s youth.
Furthermore, there is convincing historical and anecdotal evidence that public library use increases during difficult economic times. Public libraries offer not only educational resources, internet ports, and free movie borrowing, but also services like GED prep., adult literacy courses and job skill development.
To learn more about the budget crisis in Philadelphia, and how it will affect libraries, visit the WHYY It’s Our City blog.
For more information about public library use during economic downturns, listen to this NPR story and read this American Library Association report.
Is your library being affected by the current economy, whether by an increase in visitors or a decrease in budget or staffing? Post in the comments!
