The city hopes to transfer management of 11 library branches scheduled to be closed in less than three days to private foundations, wealthy individuals, companies and community development corporations, Mayor Nutter said in a press conference today.
The specific services offered at each former library would vary from site to site depending on the sponsor, and Nutter said the city only has tentative agreements in place for five of the 11 branches.
It was not immediately clear which of the 11 branches are on track to be saved, and the mayor did not identify the organizations, companies and individuals who have stepped up to support.
But his hope is that, in time, each of the 11 libraries will be converted into community “knowledge centers” that offer similar or perhaps even superior services to those now available at the branches: retaining book collections, computers, and perhaps even trained (though not city employed) librarians.
“Libraries are much more than repositories for books. We know this,” Nutter said. “They are the absolute complete nexus of community life.”
No city librarians or other municipal employees would work at the “knowledge centers,” so the city would retain the annual $8 million in savings it will achieve through closing the branches.
But Nutter was emphatic that the library properties would not be sold as part of any arrangements, suggesting that long-term leases would be used instead.
The mayor made his announcement at a press conference crowded with dozens of vocal protesters angry with his decision to close the 11 branches as a part of a larger plan to eliminate the city’s $1 billion-plus five-year budget gap.
At times, the protesters drowned the mayor out as he delivered what appeared to be relatively good news. In addition to the still-developing private partnerships, Nutter announced that federally-funded after school “LEAP” programs now offered at the closing libraries will be moved to other nearby locations in the affected neighborhoods.
During the press conference, Common Pleas Court Judge Idee Fox heard testimony from library closure opponents who filed a class action lawsuit seeking to prevent Nutter from shuttering the branches. Three City Council members also filed an emergency petition to try and stop the mayor from closing the libraries without first getting council's permission. Those proceedings have been combined, and will continue tomorrow.
The specific services offered at each former library would vary from site to site depending on the sponsor, and Nutter said the city only has tentative agreements in place for five of the 11 branches.
It was not immediately clear which of the 11 branches are on track to be saved, and the mayor did not identify the organizations, companies and individuals who have stepped up to support.
But his hope is that, in time, each of the 11 libraries will be converted into community “knowledge centers” that offer similar or perhaps even superior services to those now available at the branches: retaining book collections, computers, and perhaps even trained (though not city employed) librarians.
“Libraries are much more than repositories for books. We know this,” Nutter said. “They are the absolute complete nexus of community life.”
No city librarians or other municipal employees would work at the “knowledge centers,” so the city would retain the annual $8 million in savings it will achieve through closing the branches.
But Nutter was emphatic that the library properties would not be sold as part of any arrangements, suggesting that long-term leases would be used instead.
The mayor made his announcement at a press conference crowded with dozens of vocal protesters angry with his decision to close the 11 branches as a part of a larger plan to eliminate the city’s $1 billion-plus five-year budget gap.
At times, the protesters drowned the mayor out as he delivered what appeared to be relatively good news. In addition to the still-developing private partnerships, Nutter announced that federally-funded after school “LEAP” programs now offered at the closing libraries will be moved to other nearby locations in the affected neighborhoods.
During the press conference, Common Pleas Court Judge Idee Fox heard testimony from library closure opponents who filed a class action lawsuit seeking to prevent Nutter from shuttering the branches. Three City Council members also filed an emergency petition to try and stop the mayor from closing the libraries without first getting council's permission. Those proceedings have been combined, and will continue tomorrow.
Posted by Patrick Kerkstra @ 3:26 PM
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44 comments
This should have been part of the mayor's announcement from the first, a plan to transfer control and support to private nonprofits. Sloppily done, Mr. Mayor.
Hmm, so the city will have a dual set of libraries and, err, community knowledge centers (CKC)? If the goal was to privatize libraries, the city would have been better off doing so in wealthy neighborhoods who would clearly have the resources to run a CKC. Shame that Fumo is on trial, one can imagine one grand CKC somewhere in South Philly (with many leather bound books). So, when do you think that Mr. Nutter will turn the city's largest municipal cost driver, the old PPD over to community control?
Why not simply collect the $522 million in overdue property taxes owed the city? Send out collection notices, and most owners will start to pay their debt down. This should have been the first order of business of the new administration, instead Nutter avoided taking leadership. How can we allow whole zip codes to carry one in five, one in four, even one in three of all owners NOT paying property taxes while we shutter the brightest spot in every neighborhood, the library? It's ungodly, and it's corrupt to target libraries first before collecting this money at sheriff sale. We must demand that the city do a better job collecting overdue property taxes at foreclosure, promoting reverse mortgages where the reverse mortgage holder lets the owner live there and the payor takes care of property taxes, and other sensible measures to create a fully paying property tax base that supports good schools and a full complement of libraries. Here's the city's own data that shows that the city is unfairly targeting collections in some zip codes, but letting collections slide in other zip codes like 19146, or SWCC, that can afford to pay.
http://www.hallwatch.org/proptax/about/redelinq/stats/delinqbyzip/index_html?skey=pcent&rkey=pcent
Privatizing government run institutions is a good start. How will liberals complain about it is another thing.
An excellent decision by the Mayor. Corporate sponsorship of libraries is great public relation, an investment in today's youth, and responsible citizenship.
Philadelphia has more libraries per capita than any other city in the country. They are extremely expensive to run. In hard times, we need to shut some down.
if it works, it's acceptable.
The money was taken away from the corrupt Safe & Sound not-for-profit, but instead of placing $ in after-school programs and camps in partnership with the libraries and recreation centers (as Nutter promised during his campaign) the $ was given to yet another not-for-profit. By the way, the new not-for-profit, Philadelphia Health Management Corporation, simply takes their $ cut and then sub-contracts to smaller not-for-profits!
how many of you criticizing Nutter have voluntarily stepped into a library in your entire life?? Hey Fletcher, what do liberals have to do with closing libraries? Sounds to me like Nutter is doing his best to balance the city budget - something your republican stains NEVER do.
how many of you criticizing Nutter have voluntarily stepped into a library in your entire life?? Hey Fletcher, what do liberals have to do with closing libraries? Sounds to me like Nutter is doing his best to balance the city budget - something your republican stains NEVER do.
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"Corporate sponsorship of libraries is great public relation, an investment in today's youth, and responsible citizenship."....Until Merck's (or any other company, just using them as an example) sponsorship of the library includes their right to oversee what books and research materials ultimately make it to the library shelves. If you people are naive enough to think that corporate dollars won't come with restrictions or dictate what ultimately is displayed at these "corporate libraries", well you haven't been paying attention to the actions of this country's corporate "benefactors" over the past decade. Go to the library, grab a dictionary, and look up the words "naive" and "sucker".
I'm criticizing Nutter for announcing library closures as a first order of business, and have spent a good part of my life in libraries. That's why I know they are more important than city-run rec centers, which could be subject to the same privatization. Nutter has not done enough to collect the money owed the city, the largest debt represented by overdue property taxes. If I didn't know how to do research, I'd never have known that, because it's an issue the papers are afraid to cover. You only see anything about it on Fox29, same with the Latrice Bryant scandal. Honest analysis of city government is critical, and Nutter is not doing enough where it matters the most. Half a BILLION in uncollected property taxes while closing libraries is a DISGRACE. Transferring ownership and management is smarter, but Nutter only put that in place after two lawsuits were filed. Here's the city's own data on where the money is that the city needs now: http://www.hallwatch.org/proptax/about/redelinq/stats/summary
If you build it, they will come. Yes, it is acceptable and the rich people donating their money will have a huge tax write-off. Mayor Nutter is doing the best he can in the present economy. Fast Eddie would have been facing the same problems were he still the mayor. I don't know whether he would have closed the libraries, but he sure would have kept the bars open.
"Philadelphia has more libraries per capita than any other city in the country." You say that like it's a bad thing and not something we as a community should take great pride in.
Nutter is required by law to balance the city budget, not because his party advocates it. In fact, they've been calling for overturning the balanced budget requirement, even though the city has been in crisis because of poor collections and massive borrowing without paying down the bond debt. WildBill has to include that small point of law.
I support Nutter's move to shrink the city pension obligation by shrinking the city payroll. But he's avoided going after the obvious bloat and targeted library employees first, who are not the source of the largest drain on pensions and health care obligations. The highest salaried employees are, and those junketed, overpaid positions are union protected or plums given out by the party for "volunteer" labor. This is not change. Not "new day, new way," not yet.
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My children use the Holmesburg library. Between that, sax lessons and the String Band division of the New Years parade, my boys (13 and 11)are off the streets and learning & having FUN. Our wonderful mayor seems to be trying to get rid of BOTH! Election time, my friend, comes quicker than you think! I just hope its not too late at that point. Sad part is, he doesnt know, nor seem to care, who he destroys in this process.
Print is dead.
"Corporate sponsorship" of public libraries. This is a monumental disgrace. LJL put it best. Sweep out the city librarians and bring in Barnes and Noble with a "long-term lease"? Yep, they will add an unbiased, noncommercial view of the world to our citizens and children won't they? Or how about the Miller Lite Northeast Regional Library? Yes, those wonderful private corporations always have your best interest at heart. Privatizing the turnpike, loading up our cities with casinos. Looks like Democrats as well as Republicans are in favor of corporate socialism. Great job, Nutter. Keep selling out Philadelphia. Rendell is proud of you.
Great decision and plan, poor PR execution. Nutter will learn from this.
Well said Cleanup. There is plenty of fat to trim if he wants to. He picked the area with least political power and for the most media splash. Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? The rec centers are probably next.
Privatize the libraries and give the contract to Notlim Enterprises - they did a great job at the airport.
So now we know what this is all about. It's an effort to bust the city unions. I know it's fashionable for people to bash city workers, but the Free Library already has difficulty filling all it's librarian vacancies and encouraging the good ones to stay in Philly. I don't see many quality librarians jumping at the chance to work for less money and benefits and no union representation in these new corporate-run libraries. It's an idiotic idea. Yeah, good libraries and librarians are expensive. But if you want to run libraries on the cheap, you're going to get what you pay for.
What!? Come on people. He still isn't telling us anything. He can't even give us names and figures....? HE WORKS FOR US. Obama's not his boss. Rendell's not his boss. WE ARE. And we aren't protesting his dismissive treatment of us, his "its top secret" positioning, or his complete failure of representing OUR health, safety, and welfare before all other's interests--including corporations, administrators, and party leaders. Please, my peers, show him that you understand the basis of his authority AND his responsibility, AND that its not that complicated a job to perform---even when you combine and incorporate all the stakeholders' interests and positions.
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How did the fatcats of this city pledge millions of dollars to save one painting from being moved to Arkansas last year, and yet we're going to watch the city get out of the library business, one of the few services that it performed fairly well?
Does anyone see the big picture here? After decades of chasing working class tax payers out of the city with punishing taxe rates and poor city services, there is nothing left to do but start selling things off piece by piece. Good thing the Liberty Bell is not owned by the city.
I do not know if this is a good idea. Look what is happening with schools managed by for profit companies not to mention the waste and corruption in charter schools (have you read about them recently?). I agree...collect all the back taxes owed the city especially from the likes of Neil Stein and the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (sorry but I have a hard time getting excited about a team that owes the city 8.5 million dollars). The mayor is doing his best. Most who are critical have not come up with alternatives to save money. Here are some of mine:
1. Collect back taxes
2. Cut the budgets of every city council member by 50%.
3. Cut ALL city vehicles. Want to serve the public get yourself around.
4. Cut the redundant bureaucracy in City government. We could probably do without 20% of the agencies that are currently on the books.
5. Increase hotel occupancy taxes by 1%
6. Make all parades and special events pay for themselves through corporate sponsorships....the Phillies should have paid every cent for their parade, the mummers for their's and so on. Hopefully we will have an Eagles parade...don't let them have it until they pay their back taxes.
7. Increase entertainment tax by 5%
Be careful about closing libraries or privatizing them. I agree with those who say there are always strings attached. And watch how you compare Philadelphia with other cities. In many of those cities, each school has a library. That is not the case in Philadelphia so students use these libraries as their main source of research/study.
Capital idea.
Nutter has a chance to be the best Philadelphia Mayor in 30 years.
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LJL = "If you people are naive enough to think that corporate dollars won't come with restrictions or dictate what ultimately is displayed at these "corporate libraries"...". What makes you so naive that you don't think that GOVERNMENT dollars don't come with restrictions or dictate what ultimately is displayed at these "GOVERNMENT libraries"...
AllenM - you mean the friggen librarians in Philly have to be in a union? Now you know why the unionocracy that runs the city has it in shambles. If someone is a librarian or some other "professional", they could stand on their own merits and not have to hide behind a union.
Fire Latrice Bryant!!!!!!!!!!
This development is a win-win. The budget is bloated so you get up to 11 branches off the books. Then you can have a test run for different entities to run a place like a library better than the govt. You could argue it was a "sloppy" handling of this, but you could also argue he was pragmatic in not promising a transfer until he had something developing tangibly. Or my conspiracy theory -- you get people all riled up about libraries to put a fire under non-govt entities to change the daed weight of mediocre library branches.
"Cleanupphilly",I agree, except some of the biggest delinquents are politicians themselves as well as close family members and thier large political contributors. They then allow the property to be seized and tipped off when it goes to auction to buy it back at a fraction of the original tax bill owed and then start the cycle fresh over again. This scam has been going on for years and some big named people are involved.
I also think they should make the greek picnic be held by private donations or cancel it as well as any non-essential MLK and black history month festivities and inaguration parade that people are whispering about. You want to do it tom the mummers, then do it to ALL the other groups.
Oh I almost forgot, FIRE LATRICE BRYANT AND MAKE HER PAY BACK ALL THE MONEY SHE STOLE WHILE PUTTING IN FOR TIME SHE NEVER WORKED !!! Why havent the feds siezed fox undercover's tapes as evidence and indicted her yet ?????
Save some money by having trash picked up like the old days. Instead of having trash pick-up the day after a holiday, hold it until the next regular trash pick-up day. This will stop the Saturday and Sunday pick-ups which are time and a half and double time wages.
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Fafafooey your point is well taken. But take it to its logical conclusion. If private coporations are so good at running public functions and you can't trust public government, let's privatize everything. Let's have Nutter work for a private coporation and save his salary too. Let's privatize the police and hand it over to Blackwater. How about that? The Philadelphia library has long and outstanding tradition. Does anyone here know that Benjamin Franklin created the first public library here - The Library Company of Philadelphia? It's one of the core legacies of our city. This guy wants to sell it off - yes sell it off, not the euphemism of a long term lease. It's a monstrous disgrace.
Good idea. Hopefully it will work. At least he's smart enough not to try and raise more taxes. As for WildBill, you make the comment about the Mayor trying to balance the city budget...something Republicans never do. Hate to break it to you, but Philly's budget and ever other disaster in the city sits at the feet of the Democrats. If you haven't looked around recently, it's a one-party town, kinda like, Detroit, Buffalo, Camden, Chester....I'm sure I could go on.....Happy New Year!
So if they are going to run the libraries err "knowledge centers" with private foundations 12/28 is a little late to announce it if they are planning to take out the books and computers on 12/31. Not sloppy, rudely cynical - just a blatantly insinsincere attempt to undercut the "closing city-owned facilities" letter of the law. Not a real sincere "Plan B"
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