Message Board
Phillies Raffle Big Success
This month, the Friends of the South Philadelphia branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia raised over $350 through a Phillies raffle promotion. The winner received a basket which included two tickets to the July 24th game, a Phillies shirt, hat and ball. The game tickets were generously donated by a South Philly Friends board member. The newly raised funds will be used to purchase early childhood literacy materials for the branch’s youngest patrons.
For those interested in getting involved, the next meeting of the South Philadelphia Friends is scheduled for Wednesday, September 22 at 6:15 p.m. at the South Philadelphia branch, at the corner of Broad and Morris streets.
Pictured, left to right, are Susan Posternock (Board Member of the South Philly Friends), JoAnn Woods (Children’s Librarian at the branch), Jennifer Brank (Board Member of the South Philly Friends), Amy Dougherty (Executive Director of the Friends of the Free Library) and Katie McDonald (Board Member of the South Philly Friends).
South Philly Phillies Raffle
Stop into the South Philadelphia Library and get your chance to win a Phillies Gift Basket. Raffle tickets are on sale for just $1 and all proceeds will go to buy young literacy materials for the branch.
basket includes:
- Two tickets to Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies, Section 112, Row 22
Saturday, July 24th, 4:10 p.m.
Fan Photo Day: Get pictures on the field with the team!! - Phillies t-shirt
- Phillies hat
- Softee Phillies baseball
The drawing will be held at the next Friends Meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 20, 2010. You do not have to be present to win.
The meeting will be held at the library:
South Philadelphia Library
1700 South Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19145
215.685.1866
Haddington Garden Planting
Friends of Haddington met Saturday, June 12 to break ground on the Library’s garden. Councilman Curtis Jones officiated the groundbreaking at 9:30 a.m. Following that, the Friends and other volunteers cleared ground, laid compost & mulch, and planted beds of roses. This garden is made possible by generous donations and support from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Fairmount Park, and Councilman Curtis Jones.
PCCY and Friends Call for Meeting to Discuss Budget Cuts
June 11, 2010 - Shelly Yanoff, Executive Director of Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) and Amy Dougherty, Executive Director of the Friends of the Free Library of Philadelphia visit City Council members to request that council and the administration schedule a meeting to discuss the impact of another 7.5% cut to the library budget which was already on life-support by the 20% reduction in 2008. At a time of deep financial concern, the need for open and staffed libraries increases. We urge our City’s leaders to come together and focus on this issue.
Whitman BBB Sale
Friends of Whitman Library held their Books, Baked goods, and Bric-à-brac sale (BBB) in front of the library on Saturday, May 22, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Friends, patrons, and vendors all enjoyed the day. Now you can enjoy these pictures.
Rally to Save the Libraries
From Sherrie Cohen
Friends of the David Cohen Ogontz Library
Coalition to Save the Libraries
This Thursday, June 3, 9:15 AM, outside Room 400, City Council Chambers, 4th Floor, City Hall; then we’ll Rally in front of the Mayor’s Office on the 2nd Floor; Organized by the Coalition to Save the Libraries.
Last year, we all saved the libraries!!!, but the Mayor still cut $8 million - 20% of the library budget, reduced library hours from 6 to 5 days a week, and eliminated over 100 positions.
In the last year and a half, through 2009 and much of 2010, rolling closures remained the rule, due to a shortage of security guards and other staff and Library Director Reardon’s “rule of 4,” requiring that 4 people, including a guard, be present in every library, or else the library would be closed.
From October 2009 through April 2010, an average of 4.2 of the system’s 54 branches have been closed EVERY day, due to staffing or building issues.
Due to the rolling closures, in a 9-month period of fiscal year 2010, the number of visits by patrons to branch libraries was down 16% over a comparable period in fiscal 2009.
On March 1, the Mayor pledged to representatives of many of our Friends groups citywide that there would be NO further cuts to our libraries in next year’s budget.
On May 20, the Mayor announced $20 million in cuts to next year’s budget, including $2.5 million in cuts to libraries, in order to cut over 50 library workers and reduce library hours from 5 to 4 days a week. If the Mayor succeeds in his plan, we will have lost 2 out of 6 library days in neighborhood branches during the last 2 years!!!
This plan will be effective July 1, UNLESS WE STOP THESE CUTS TO OUR LIBRARIES!
On Thursday, June 3, we will begin at 9:15 AM with a press conference/rally outside of City Council chambers, Room 400 on the 4th Floor of City Hall, and then march to the Mayor’s Office on the 2nd Floor. The Rally will focus on cuts to libraries, youth violence prevention programs, and fire companies.
Whether or not you can participate in the Rally, please call the Mayor’s office on Thursday at 215-686-2181. DEMAND NO MORE CUTS TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BRANCHES!!!
Click here to read a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article detailing the cuts.
Thank you for all you do for our libraries.
Whitman-Sharswood Art Show
April 2010
The following pictures are from a mixed-media art show at the Whitman Library. The art was created by students at the Sharswood Elementary School after an idea from the Whitman Friends Group. This is the start of a new partnership between the school and the Friends.
