Solutions not by the book

Local library supporters recently enlisted the big guns in their battle against service and staffing cuts.

During last Friday’s town meeting at the Santore Library, 932 S. Seventh St., state Sen. Vince Fumo and First District City Councilman Frank DiCicco addressed concerns about the changes that went into effect earlier this year.

"We wanted to give residents and library users the opportunity to speak with representatives to let them know how and why libraries are so important to them," Amy Dougherty, executive director for the Friends of the Free Library, told the audience of nearly 50 people.

Under Mayor Street’s original plan to ease the city’s budget bind, 20 branches were to adopt "express service," opening only from 1-5 p.m. weekdays. As a tradeoff, all 55 branches would implement Saturday hours.

Ten branches, including the Santore Library and the Queen Memorial Library, 1201 S. 23rd St., already have adopted the part-time schedule.

The city also restructured staffing. Librarians holding a master’s degree in library science were replaced with full-time non-professional supervisors to oversee part-time assistants.

However, a court order last month required the Street administration to halt future cuts at libraries until the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

This extension has given library proponents time to beef up their tactics with elected officials, who have been contemplating solutions themselves.

At last Friday’s meeting, Fumo pledged to work closely with Elliot Shelkrot, director of the Free Library, to devise a way to return the Santore Library to a fully operating, fully staffed branch.

"This is a city issue and it’s a state issue," said Shelkrot, who also attended the forum.

As Democratic chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Fumo noted he can "get his hands on some money" to help restore the Santore Library and the Fishtown Community Library, 1217 E. Montgomery Ave., to full capacity. Both branches are in his senatorial district.

Securing state funds to help aid the city’s library system overall is a more daunting challenge, the senator said.

"Pennsylvania is not much different from Philadelphia in the sense that we too are running out of resources," noted Fumo, whose senatorial district also includes the Fumo Family Library, 2437 S. Broad St., which is among the branches still targeted for reductions.

Elected officials should continue looking at the bigger picture and not simply on restoring certain branches to full service, said Theresa Timlin, 47, of the 1000 block of Carpenter Street.

"We need funds to help all branches," she said.

FUMO, WHO WAS joined by fellow state legislator Rep. Babette Josephs at the meeting, pitched some ideas to stave off future cuts, including the creation of charter libraries and an adopt-a-library program through which corporations would sponsor branches. Community fundraisers also were suggested.

The senator blamed the library crisis partly on the city’s Home Rule Charter, adopted in 1951, which defines mayoral authority.

"Philadelphia has the strongest mayor in America," said Fumo, who supports a change in the charter. "Maybe we give too much power to the mayor of this city."

DiCicco agreed Street is somewhat responsible for citywide closures and service cuts, but disagreed with Fumo’s position against trimming city taxes to boost the budget.

"The proposal to realign – which, in my opinion, is closing – fire stations and reducing hours of libraries has a lot to do with the mayor’s position against the Tax Reform Commission’s proposal about reducing taxes in the city of Philadelphia," said DiCicco.

The councilman also mentioned his bill to rescind a $30 million bond that would be used to expand the Central Library, 1901 Vine St.

"The Central Library is an important investment in the city of Philadelphia," said DiCicco. "It’s not the expansion. It’s at what cost and at what price are we paying to do that expansion?"

The $30 million loan will cost the city $2.6 million annually for the next 20 years, which is only about $1 million short of what is needed to keep the libraries open, the councilman noted.

City Council also freed $1 million for branch funding this year, but Street has not given word on why it hasn’t been spent, said DiCicco.

The councilman said he is also looking into a new fee structure for billboards as a means of increased revenue.

John Palomano, a local resident and superintendent of the Bordentown Regional School District in New Jersey, urged elected officials to "look hard" to restore library funding to the 2003 level of $9.5 million. Pennsylvania has allocated $7.2 million in funding this fiscal year.

"Without a full effort, we will continue to expect those who can least afford to suffer such losses to pay the most for our decisions," said Palomano, of the 800 block of South Second Street.

After residents and former library workers testified to the importance of the Santore library, Fumo advised advocates to keep voicing their concerns to state and local officials.

"You have to yell as loud as corporations yelling for tax breaks," he said. "It’s the squeaky wheel that gets the oil."

The Santore Library recently formed the Friends of the Santore Branch Library. For more information, call Amy Dougherty at 215-567-4562.