Armed with a petition containing nearly 500 signatures, Joanne Fillius is ready for battle.
The activist has been rallying community support since the city announced that the Fumo Family Branch, 2437 S. Broad St., would become an "express library" open afternoons only during the week.
Fillius has used legwork, e-mail and the good old Postal Service to spread the word about the city’s budget-driven decision to restructure a library that she said is highly utilized.
"Our library is used more than any other in the neighborhood," said Fillius, a resident of 13th and Porter streets and a South Philadelphia Communities Civic Association board member. "Why they would choose ours and not one that’s used less is beyond me."
Last year, 24,164 children and adults attended programs at the Fumo Branch, according to library officials.
In January, Mayor John Street’s administration announced plans to eliminate morning hours at 20 branches citywide, leaving them open from just 1-5 p.m. weekdays. As a tradeoff, all 55 branches would implement Saturday hours.
The city also seeks to restructure staffing by replacing librarians who hold master of library science degrees with full-time nonprofessional supervisors, who will oversee part-time assistants.
Local facilities that already have adopted the part-time schedule are the Charles Santore (formerly Southwark) Library, 932 S. Seventh St., and the Queen Memorial Library, 1201 S. 23rd St.
The Fumo Branch is awaiting its shift to half-day service.
Community outcry over the cuts sparked City Council to schedule a public meeting for March 17.
Fillius will be there, but she is not waiting to voice her opinion. She has gathered signatures at 19 schools participating in the Fumo Branch’s programs. Members of Fillius’ townwatch group, Claws for Justice, and neighbors with whom she communicates via e-mail also added their names to her petition.
The mother of three said her biggest concerns about the impending changes at the Fumo Branch are the hiring of inexperienced staff members and the elimination of some summer programs.
Tony Greco, president of the SPCCA and a fellow supporter of the Fumo Library, echoed Fillius’ complaints.
"There’s a lot of programs involving children during the year and over the summer that might not continue without a professional staff," he said.
FUMO BRANCH ADVOCATESpoint out that the facility operates at a lower cost than other libraries because of a unique arrangement with the city.
The branch – which had faced financial difficulties as the Ritner Children’s Branch – reopened inside the Samuel S. Fels Community Center in 1999. The library space was later donated to the Crime Prevention Association as part of an agreement with the city.
The Free Library incurs only the cost of operating the branch and does not pay rent or maintenance fees at the new building, said Greco.
"I understand the city and the Free Library are having some economic problems," he said. "However, the Fumo Branch has saved them a great deal of money since it opened."
Greco, who also broached his concerns to the city’s managing director, Phil Goldsmith, said he plans to send Fillius’ signed petitions to Council before next week’s meeting.
Vern Anastasio, president of the Bella Vista United Civic Association, said his group sent 200 letters and 700 e-mails informing residents of the library cuts.
Discussions with Free Library administrators on ways to prevent the reduction in hours at the Santore Library were unsuccessful, he added.
"Here we have a neighborhood whose youth and senior population is growing and it’s the last place they should be cutting library services from," said Anastasio, who noted that a representative from his association would testify at next week’s meeting.
A Bella Vista resident and Santore Library supporter, Joan Sage has signed numerous petitions and attended a rally against service cuts last month at the Central Library, 1901 Vine St.
Sage said she is skeptical that library cuts are the most effective way to solve the city’s budget problems.
"I’m sure there are other ways to cut costs if they are interested," said Sage, of the 900 block of Kimball Street, who runs a reading program at local schools.
The library lover maintains that it is a lack of opportunity – not technology – that prevents children from developing an appreciation for the written word.
"Why kids don’t read has nothing to do with noisy distractions," said Sage, 72, the widow of children’s author Michael Sage. "They love to read but they just need to be given the opportunity. I think these kids would be very open to the allure of reading if they just had the outlet."
City Council reinstated Saturday hours at library branches by restoring funding into the fiscal 2005 budget, but was not able to keep morning hours intact, said Council President Anna Verna. The final reshuffling of funds is up to the mayor, she said.
"Whatever Council does or does not do, the mayor has the ultimate say over how the monies will be appropriated and how they will be used," Verna said.
Next week’s meeting will give citizens a forum at which to convey their frustrations to elected officials, the Council president added.
"I think it would give people a chance to express themselves and give Council members a chance to understand how their constituents feel," said Verna, who has received numerous complaints from library supporters, particularly in Southwest Philly.
Meanwhile, library proponents like Joann Mcafee, of the 1100 block of Durfor Street, continue fighting for the reinstatement of hours and staff at local branches.
The treasurer for the Southeast Youth Athletic Association, Mcafee collected a handful of signatures from parents who were tacked on to Fillius’ list.
"I think that it’s terrible to be cutting hours for something so important," she said.
