Philadelphians Fighting to Keep Libraries Open!
By irisheyes
@irisheyes (4370)
United States
December 30, 2008 3:46pm CST
Recently, Philadelphia mayor, Michael Nutter has called for a number of difficult budget cuts. One of them involves closing 11 libraries and this is the cut that has Philadelphians up in arms. Apparently, five of the libraries have found private sponsers and there are law suits pending to keep the other six open.
I live about 12 miles outside Philadelphia and we have any amazing library system that is going stronger than ever. I really feel for the people who may loose their local libraries because I can't imagine that happening here.
Isn't it amazing that only a few years ago people were predicting that libraries were obsolete and would fade away. Now, in a cash strapped city, the cut that bothers citizens the most and calls them to action is the closing of their libraries.
What's it like where you live? Is your library system a strong one or is it in trouble?
2 responses
@snowy22315 (208846)
• United States
31 Dec 08
As far as I know the libraries in the this area are safe. It really is awful that
libraries may be forced to close. Things are just really awful if things like that can happen. I guess kids will be forced to simply use their school libraries instead of those in the community.
1 person likes this
@irisheyes (4370)
• United States
31 Dec 08
That's part of the problem, Snowy. In some of these areas, the schools have already cut back to the bone and the libraries are the only safe places for latchkey kids to go after class.
At any rate, the protestors won an injunction this morning and the Philadelphia libraries cannot close until city council convenes and votes to support the mayor's proposal. (They were slated to close on Friday.) Hopefully, the remaining six libraries will be able to come up with sponsors if things do not change.
@unusualsuspect (2601)
• United States
30 Dec 08
I live in a small borough west of Philly, and I don't know what the financial situation is here. But I do know that there are many people who don't have cars and wouldn't be able to get to another library if one near them closed down. I'm one of them. I have a feeling that a lot of their budget could be paid for by some of the politicians taking a cut in their salaries. Those people are so overpaid, but if it comes to a crunch, they'll cut services and then vote themselves a pay raise.
1 person likes this
@irisheyes (4370)
• United States
31 Dec 08
I also live west of Philly and I think we are probably okay. So is Philadelphia for now. The judge just ordered the libraries to be kept open until city coincil votes in support of the mayor. At least they bought some time.
What is so amazing is that fire companies were actually closed with less protest than some of these libraries. These are really important institutions to a community. Kids spend hours here after school lets out and the computers are always in use. I've seen lawyers using the library's facilities to write briefs and salesmen writing up their orders. Lately, a quiet group of older gentlemen has been having card games at our library. These places are much more to a community than book repositories although that is certainly an important enough reson to want to keep them open.
