Fishtown residents rally to save library

Like friends rallying around a neighbor in trouble, Fishtown residents stood outside their imperiled library last night and yelled their support.

"Don't close our library," about 200 people shouted as they held candles in a semi-circle outside the two-story brick building on East Montgomery Avenue. The Fishtown Community Branch is one of 11 branches of the Free Library of Philadelphia that the Nutter administration plans to close to save $8 million.

"We're not going to let that happen," Amy Dougherty, director of the Friends of the Free Library of Philadelphia, told the crowd. "We're not going to save our city on the backs of the poor and elderly who use libraries."

Dougherty announced that the rally was the first of at least 11 that will take place outside each of the libraries set to be closed. Last night was Fishtown's turn.

"Fishtown is getting the short end of the stick," said A.J. Thomson, a lawyer and president of the Fishtown Neighbors Association. In addition to the library, Fishtown is scheduled to lose a Fire Department engine company and a swimming pool.

Thomson then read to the crowd from a document he was holding: " 'I've always had great passion for libraries,' " adding, "Who do you think said that? Michael Nutter in 2005."

As a city councilman, Nutter made the cover of Library Journal with fellow Councilman Frank DiCicco as "Politicians of the Year" for their support of libraries. They helped restore $3.5 million to the Free Library's budget and forestall cuts to library staff and hours of operation.

But 2008 is a different story.

"My grandson uses this library," said Phil Bowdren, 46, a Fishtown resident and retired police officer. "They're hammering this neighborhood real hard."