Specifically, the following will take effect after the close of business, October 2, 2009:
* All branch and regional library programs, including programs for children and teens, after school programs, computer classes, and programs for adults, will be cancelled * All Parkway Central Library programs, including children programs, programs to support small businesses and job seekers, computer classes and after school programs, will be cancelled. We are exploring the possibility of relocating the Philadelphia Author Series programs to other non-library facilities. * All library visits to schools, day care centers, senior centers and other community centers will cease. * All community meetings at our branch and regional libraries, and the Parkway Central Library, will be cancelled. * All GED, ABE and ESL programs held at Free Library branches will be discontinued, students should contact their teacher to see if other arrangements are being made.
In addition, all library materials will be due on October 1, 2009. This will result in a diminishing borrowing period for books and other library materials, beginning September 11, 2009. No library materials will be able to be borrowed after September 30, 2009.
Even as we remain hopeful that the State Legislature will act and pass the enabling funding legislation, we wanted to notify all of our customers of this very possible outcome. If you have any questions about impacts to Free Library services, call 215-686-5322, or visit the Free Library of Philadelphia website at www.freelibrary.org. If you have questions about changes to City services, or if you want to be kept informed about this situation, we encourage you to contact Philly 311 by calling 3-1-1 between the hours of 8am and 8 pm Monday-Friday, and 9am-5pm Saturdays, e-mail philly311@phila.gov, or visit the City of Philadelphia website at http://www.phila.gov.
We thank you for your understanding, patience, and continued support of the Free Library of Philadelphia during these difficult times.
Siobhan Reardon, President and Director, Free Library of Philadelphia
So?
The book burnings are scheduled to begin at sundown on October 3rd....
Yo, thats not cool, yous better not be keepin them libraries closed for long cause Yo, we likes to read.
Democrats are holding out for their pet pork & voter buying projects.
Where will the homeless get air conditioning that day?
If only it were true.
I think you have a bogus story here.
Correction:
Not really “bogus” but certainly scare mongering by the Philly library system.
Still a lot of big city libraries suck. I lived in Montgomery Alabama and Atlanta and I would put my Springfield Missouri library system up against them (or anybody in the countries) any day.
The budget problem in PA is starting to really hurt normal people. My parents are working on adopting a foster child and the budget for the paperwork is not there so they’re in limbo.
Glad I left that state years ago.
Can Acorn step in and take over all the computers for kids after school, of course when they aren’t being used by Acorn - ?
awww...you mean da little kiddies won’t be able to hang out on Facebook at taxpayer expense or check out a VHS copy of Farenheit 911?
We have these in my city. They're a joke. Job seekers are mailed a xerox of the want ads by a well dressed bureauocrat who has never found a job for anyone, except for the one he found for himself by virtue of the fact that he is related to a corrupt local politician.
The mission of local government is to protect the general public health, safety and morals from threat of substantial injury. Libraries is not a part of that mission. Should be privately funded or through a special assessment district and not out of the General fund.