Free Library gets $15 million challenge grant

An anonymous donor with deep pockets and a soft spot for literacy yesterday moved the Free Library of Philadelphia one step closer to starting a $175 million renovation and expansion of the central branch.

"Every day the dream of a new central library for Philadelphia gets that much closer to fruition," said Linda E. Johnson, chief executive officer of the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation, during yesterday's announcement at the central branch. "We are pleased to announce an extraordinary leadership gift."

The gift is a $15 million challenge grant, and Johnson said the library will match it with other contributions dollar-for-dollar.

That, plus money already collected, would move the library more than half way to its goal.

William R. Sasso, chairman of the foundation's board of directors, former mayor Wilson Goode Sr. and the Philadelphia Phillies joined Johnson in making yesterday's announcement.

Phillies infielder Jimmy Rollins will be the spokesman for the campaign, and Johnson said the team has given game tickets to the library for the fundraising effort.

Award-winning Israeli architect Moshe Safdie will handle the expansion, which is to begin in late 2008 and is expected to be complete in 2010.

The new space will include a teen center, an expanded children's department, a large auditorium, a wealth of business materials, the Sunoco Internet Center and an outdoor reading park, Johnson said.

"We've also been working on a plan for the magnificent Beaux Arts building that has been home to the library for the past 80 years, " Johnson said.

She said the plans won't come cheap, but "I'm extremely optimistic [about fundraising efforts].

"It's really a great opportunity for people to make a donation that counts. . . to an institution that really serves the entire community," she said. "We have people coming here in the morning to literacy programs, and we have people coming at night to listen to world-renown authors." *