City of Philadelphia - File #: 050030

• File #: 050030
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 1/25/2005
• In control: Committee of the Whole
• Title: Authorizing the Committee of the Whole to hold hearings on the proposed changes to the hours of operation at the City's branch libraries and the impact of these service cuts to the Free Library System; and further authorizing the Committee to examine contract cost savings that may be utilized to restore services to the Free Library System and other critical operating departments.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Nutter, Councilmember DiCicco, Councilmember Miller, Councilmember Tasco, Councilmember Rizzo, Councilmember Kelly, Councilmember Clarke, Councilmember O'Neill, Councilmember Ramos, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember Mariano, Councilmember Cohen, Councilmember Blackwell
• Indexes: LIBRARIES

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
3/17/2005	0	Committee of the Whole	HEARING NOTICES SENT
3/17/2005	0	Committee of the Whole	HEARING HELD
3/17/2005	0	Committee of the Whole	RECESSED
1/25/2005	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced	Pass
1/25/2005	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED & REFERRED
1/25/2005	0	CITY COUNCIL	READ

Title
Authorizing the Committee of the Whole to hold hearings on the proposed changes to the hours of operation at the City's branch libraries and the impact of these service cuts to the Free Library System; and further authorizing the Committee to examine contract cost savings that may be utilized to restore services to the Free Library System and other critical operating departments.
Body
WHEREAS, The mission of the Free Library of Philadelphia is "to provide city residents a comprehensive collection of recorded knowledge, ideas, artistic expression, and information; to assure ease of access to these materials; and, to provide programs to stimulate awareness and use of these resources"; and

WHEREAS, The Free Library System consists of 50 neighborhood branch libraries, three regional libraries, and the Central Library; and

WHEREAS, Beginning in Fiscal Year 1995, a multi-year capital improvement plan was initiated to renovate all library facilities and install new technology in each branch for public use. This capital program called the "Big Change" which was funded by the William Penn Foundation, private funds and City capital dollars; and

WHEREAS, For the first time in many years, all branch libraries were open on Saturdays in the fall of 1996; and

WHEREAS, As a result of the Big Change initiative which modernized the facilities and installed technological advancements, combined with after-school programming, and expanded Saturday hours, library visits and circulation increased; and

WHEREAS, For decades, the highest circulation ever recorded dated from 1964 when it reached 6,716,174; however, the improvements and expanded hours to the branch libraries helped propel circulation to over 7,000,000 in Fiscal Year 2002; and

WHEREAS, On December 16, 2004, City Council approved the borrowing of up to $30 million to assist with the planned ex...