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OFF theSHELFV
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A MAGAZINE FROM thE FREE LIbRARy OF PhILAdELPhIA
LIz HeIdemaN Children’s librarian
PhiladelPhia City institute
maRIoN PaRkINSoN
Cluster leader
north PhiladelPhia neighborhood libraries
HaRoLyN HoLtoN aCting head of seCurity Parkway Central library
BoB RuBeNSteIN library assistant 2 Parkway Central library
VeRoNIca BRItto branCh head
david Cohen ogontz library
Also inside
THe FAces oF THe Free librAry
Renovation updateNews from around the systemThe Final Word with Helen Oyeyemi
Amartya SenAn Uncertain Glory: India
and its Contradictions
aPR 24 • 7:30 Pm
tIcket ReQuIRed
Roz ChastCan’t We Talk about
Something More Pleasant
may 12 • 7:30 Pm
FRee
a SeLectIoN oF uPcomING autHoR eVeNtS
FOR MORE INFO: 215-567-4341 • FREELIbRARy.ORG/AUthOREVENtS
thE EIGhth ANNUAL PhILAdELPhIA bOOk FEStIVAL RUNS APRIL 13 thROUGh APRIL 19. dEtAILS ON PAGE 5 ANd At FREELIbRARy.ORG
Ralph NaderUnstoppable:
The Emerging Right-Left Alliance to Dismantle the Corporate State
aPR 29 • 7:30 Pm
FRee
Elise JuskaThe Blessings
with
Akhil SharmaFamily Life
and
Sebastian BarryThe Temporary Gentleman
may 6 • 7:30 Pm
FRee
Francine ProseLovers at the Chameleon
Club, Paris 1932
with
Mona SimpsonCasebook
may 1 • 7:30 Pm
tIcket ReQuIRed
Marlo ThomasIt Ain’t Over . . . Till It’s Over:
Reinventing Your Life-- and Realizing Your Dreams--
Any Time, at Any Age
aPR 22 • 7:30 Pm
FRee
Sandra Tsing LohThe Madwoman
in the Volvo
FRee
may 13 • 7:30 Pm
Michael Cunningham
The Snow Queen
FRee
may 22 • 7:30 Pm
Philippe PetitCreativity: The Perfect Crime
tIcket ReQuIRed
may 29 • 7:30 Pm
S e c u R e t H e F R e e L I B R a R y ’ S F u t u R e t o d ay
Making a gift through your will—a bequest—to the Free library of Philadelphia Foundation
will help to ensure that the Free library will continue to transform lives for generations
to come, all while providing your heirs with potential estate tax advantages. A bequest can
benefit a wide variety of programs and services at the Free library or be restricted to
support your favorite neighborhood library. regardless of how you choose to designate
your gift today, your support secures the future of the Free library of Philadelphia for
tomorrow’s customers. if you have already made arrangements to provide for the Free
Library Foundation through your estate, please let us know so that we may thank you!
NOw OFFERING ChARItAbLE GIFt ANNUItIES! tO LEARN MORE AbOUt OUR CGA RAtES OR
MAkING A PLANNEd GIFt thROUGh A bEqUESt OR GIFt OF INSURANCE, PLEASE CONtACt
AMANdA GOLdStEIN At 215-567-7710, Ext. 538 OR [email protected].
Not intended as legal, tax, or investment advice
Welcome to the spring 2014 edition of Off the Shelf. you’ll no doubt spot a common theme running
throughout this issue: Whether we’re celebrating
the year of the bard, kicking off the Philadelphia
book Festival, or revolutionizing the way we serve
our customers, it is our librarians and staff who truly
bring our programs and services to life.
When we underwent our strategic planning process several years ago,
providing great, focused customer service was at the core of every
decision we made. And at the heart of great customer service is our
richest resource: our dedicated librarians and staff.
You will read about just a few of them in this issue’s feature article,
“The Faces of the Free Library.” Each day, members of our team tirelessly
work to advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity in
Philadelphians of all ages and backgrounds. Working at a library is no
easy task, yet these individuals make it seem effortless as they lead
storytimes, host lively programs, and ensure that the library is a
welcoming and safe place for all.
In order to truly let our librarians and staff shine, we recently
underwent an organizational restructuring, creating strategic groups, or
“clusters,” of libraries that are able to share staff, ideas, and resources to
create a more streamlined customer experience. Be sure to turn to From
the Neighborhoods to learn more about this groundbreaking initiative.
In these pages you’ll also get a peek at a Hidden Gem from The
Rosenbach of the Free Library of Philadelphia, catch up on all the latest
news and notes from around the system, and read what author Helen
Oyeyemi has to say about life and libraries. Enjoy!
Warmly,
Siobhan A. Reardon
PRESIdENt ANd dIRECtOR
FREE LIbRARy OF PhILAdELPhIA PRESIdENt ANd dIRECtOR
Siobhan A. Reardon
ASSOCIAtE dIRECtOR
Dr. Joseph McPeak
VICE PRESIdENt OF dEVELOPMENt
Melissa B. Greenberg
VICE PRESIdENt OF ExtERNAL AFFAIRS
Sandra Horrocks
dIRECtOR OF COMMUNICAtIONS ANd bRANd MARkEtING
Alix Gerz
SENIOR wRItER ANd EdItOR
Michelle Saraceni Sheffer
COMMUNICAtIONS ANd PROdUCtION COORdINAtOR
Eileen Owens FREE LIbRARy OF PhILAdELPhIA FOUNdAtION
1901 Vine Street, Suite 111 Philadelphia, PA 19103 215-567-7710 freelibrary.org/support OFF thE ShELF
[email protected] freelibrary.org/publications
Off the Shelf is published twice annually for supporters of the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation and showcases the Library’s educational, economic, and cultural contributions to the region.
FROM thE PRESIdENt ANd dIRECtOR
WHat’S INSIde8 tHe FaceS oF tHe FRee LIBRaRy: PRoFILeS IN exceLLeNce
4 NewsaNdNotes
6 HIddeNGeMs:sHakespeare’sLIfeINpaper
7 focusoN:stuNNINGspaces
12 puttINGtHe‘NeIGHborHood’INNeIGHborHood
LIbrarIes:aNewModeLforLIbraryservIce
14 tHefINaLword:HeLeNoyeyeMI
15 boardLIsts
oN tHe coVeR: fIveofoursteLLar
LIbrarIaNsaNdstaffwHowork
tIreLessLytoadvaNceLIteracy,GuIde
LearNING,aNdINspIrecurIosIty
BeLoW: LIbrarIaNsLIzHeIdeMaN
aNdveroNIcabrIttocHeckout
aLIteracyappforcHILdreN.
pHotocredIt:ryaNbraNdeNberG
All THe World WAs A sTAge AT THe PArkWAy cenTrAl librAry on deceMber 7 As guesTs gATHered
For thE bALL FOR thE bARd To celebrATe 450 yeArs oF THe incoMPArAble WilliAM sHAkesPeAre,
FroM THe THeATre sTAlls oF elizAbeTHAn englAnd To THe vibrAnT sTreeTs oF 21sT-cenTury
PHilAdelPHiA. THe bAll For THe bArd oFFered guesTs A sPecTAculAr evening oF PoeTry And
PerForMAnce, dinner And dAncing—All in Honor oF THe bArd And in suPPorT oF THe Free librAry!
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Ph
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
Left to right: the Bard himseLf with LiBrary President and director sioBhan a. reardon, arthur sPector, miriam sPector, Jim reardon, and shakesPeare’s first foLio
Left to right: emiLy riLey, eLeanor davis, and BaLL co-chairs stacey sPector and ira Brind
Left to right: Board of directors memBer susan smith with LesLie stiLes, mike stiLes, marJorie rendeLL, and Lyn montgomery
BaLL co-chairs cookie and raLPh smith
BaLL co-chairs John and Janet haas
The Library recently completed one of the largest library card drives in its history! Ninety-eight thousand students in the School District of Philadelphia—from Kindergarteners to high school seniors—received cards so that now every student has a Free Library card.
PAt LEPERA cAn’T reMeMber A TiMe WHen sHe WAsn’T A cArd-cArrying Free librAry cusToMer: “THe librAry is THe only club i’ve been A MeMber oF My WHole liFe.”
She got her first library card at the age of five, and since
then, her neighborhood libraries have tracked her path
around the city: from Holmesburg to Katharine Drexel,
Chestnut Hill, Bushrod, and now Walnut Street West.
Her parents, avid library lovers, instilled in her a deep
appreciation of reading and a love of libraries at an early age.
Their neighborhood library was Tacony, and her father visited
religiously. He returned and checked out new books every
third Friday of the month; in fact, it was one of the last things
he did before he died. In honor of what would have been her
father’s 75th birthday, Pat generously donated funding for
benches in Tacony’s reading garden. The benches, which bear
her father’s name, create a serene setting for customers to
enjoy the Tacony Library as much as he did.
Now President at SteegeThomson Communications and a part
of the Free Library Foundation’s George S. Pepper Society, Pat
believes in the extraordinary power people gain when they
have access to a library. “Books changes lives, they broaden our
world,” she says. “It’s a path to lifelong learning.”
The love of libraries passed down from Pat’s parents still
hasn’t left her. “I’ve never gotten over my wonder that all of
these books were available to me, for free. The library is an
open door to the world.”
{ 4 } { 5 }
Join us for a celebration of literacy and the arts! This beloved celebration
continues with events at neighborhood libraries throughout the city, along
with headlining author events in the Parkway Central Library’s Montgomery
Auditorium, during National Library week from April 13-19, 2014. The Book
Festival now stretches into every Philadelphia community, ensuring that
book worms and literacy lovers from across the city can get in on the
fun. Headlining authors that will appear throughout the week at Parkway
Central include Debbie Macomber, Barbara Ehrenreich, and Food Network
stars Pat and Gina Neely.
dEtAILS At FREELIbRARy.ORG/FEStIVAL.
cu
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Photo Credit: Joel niChols
Photo Credit: Curt hudson
2
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Children at dURhAM LIbRARy
exPeriMent with e-textiles,
Making Plush Monsters with
light-uP eyes.
aftersChool PrograM leader
blake boeneCke Created
finger PuPPets for Children
at INdEPENdENCE LIbRARy to
Cut, Color, and aCt out their
own Nutcracker.
NORthEASt REGIONAL LIbRARy Celebrates its
50th anniversary with ribbon danCing.
OAk LANE LIbRARy Celebrates Martin luther king, Jr. day
with an oratoriCal Contest.
4
AroundTHesysTeM
{ 7 }
To get a glimpse of
England in Shakespeare’s
time, one need to go only
as far as Philadelphia’s
Delancey Place.
Nestled in The Rosenbach of the Free
Library of Philadelphia’s cozy, wood-
paneled East Library sits a series of
11 one-of-a-kind paper models paying
tribute to places of importance in
William Shakespeare’s life. Designed
around 1830, the models range from
his birthplace and Anne Hathaway’s
cottage to the Globe Theatre and
a manor house in Stratford where
unfounded legend has it that the
Bard poached some local deer. The
models are incredibly intricate;
thatched roofs, peacock tail feathers,
and even the little gloves hanging in
the window of Shakespeare’s father’s
shop are made of paper.
According to Rosenbach Librarian
Elizabeth Fuller, the little
masterpieces were made by an
Englishman named Frederick George
Fisher who crafted them for his
daughter Clara, who was a child
actress and collector of all things
Shakespeare. Fisher originally
created 20 models, of which the
Rosenbach has 11; the location—
indeed the existence—of the
remaining nine models
is unknown.
Fisher’s little replicas caused such
a stir that he said he became a
prisoner in his own home, constantly
welcoming visitors to see the models.
TOP: The Rosenbach’s papeR model of shakespeaRe’s Globe TheaTRe, ciRca 1830. 1954.2087.001
BOTTOM: a bRoadside adveRTisinG The models. el3.aiju
Shakespeare’s Life in Paper HIddeN GemS
He eventually published a catalogue
of the renowned pieces and even sent
them to be exhibited at a Shakespeare
Jubilee in Stratford in 1830. While
Fuller says that little is known about
how the models came into the
possession of A.S.W. Rosenbach (and
eventually the museum), a researcher
once posited that they crossed the
Atlantic in 1837 when American
actor Edwin Forrest returned to
Philadelphia from London with his
new British wife, an actress with
possible ties to Clara Fisher.
Fuller says that aside from being
imaginative, beautiful, and truly rare,
the real importance of the models
lies in the fact that their existence
highlights the great interest in
Shakespeare during the late 18th and
early 19th centuries. “This was really
the period where Shakespeare became
the greatest English playwright,”
Fuller says. “He had truly transformed
from one extraordinary writer in
an extraordinary age to the singular
genius we know him as today.”
A peek At the models is
feAtured on house tours
of the rosenbAch of the
free librAry of philAdelphiA
foundAtion. hours And ticket
prices At rosenbAch.org.
And to leArn more of the
“singulAr genius” of WilliAm
shAkespeAre, celebrAte
the yeAr of the bArd:
shAkespeAre At 450 With
the free librAry. detAils At
freelibrAry.org/bArd.
• • • by ALIx GERZ
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#15P
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stunning spaces
On January 29 the Rare Book Department revealed the new
William B. Dietrich Gallery, a 1,000-square-foot exhibition space
for special changing exhibitions. The inaugural exhibition in
the striking new gallery is Shakespeare for All Time—held in
conjunction with the Free Library’s Year of the Bard celebrations—
which runs through May 31 and features the Library’s copy
of Shakespeare’s renowned First Folio. Additional Rare Book
Department renovations include updated museum-quality
conservation areas and an upgraded space for the Theatre
Collection, which resides in the Department.
Even more dramatic is the work that was undertaken on the
Fourth Floor and is nearing completion. An outdated kitchen,
moderately-sized event space, and several smaller rooms and
offices were replaced with new adjoining conference rooms that
can be merged into one larger space, a demonstration kitchen
for culinary literacy programming, and an enlarged Skyline
Room event space—to be used for everything from Free Library
soirées and meetings to roof-top weddings—with a state-of-the-art
catering kitchen.
Each of these major renovation efforts were undertaken as part of the “Building Inspiration” plans to renovate and restore Parkway Central in strategic phases. Stay tuned to Off the Shelf and freelibrary.org for updates on future renovations at Parkway Central!
• • • by ALIx GERZ
FOCUS ON
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thE FREE LIbRARy CONtINUEd ItS wORk OF “bUILdING INSPIRAtION” At thE PARkwAy CENtRAL LIbRARy wIth thE RECENt UNVEILING OF A SERIES OF COMPLEtEd RENOVAtIONS MEANt tO ENhANCE thE PUbLIC SPACE IN thE hIStORIC bEAUx-ARtS bEAUty.
LEFT: The William B. DieTrich Gallery openeD on January 29 WiTh The ShakeSpeare for all Time exhiBiTion. in The foreGrounD, rare Book DeparTmenT heaD Janine pollock GreeTs visiTors. RIGHT: a neW kiTchen Will Be The home for a neW series of culinary liTeracy proGrams as Well as The caTerers for special evenTs.
LEFT: Celebrating the grand opening of the new william b. dietriCh gallery were: robert heim, Chair of the free library of philadelphia board of trustees; siobhan a. reardon, president and direCtor of the free library; tobey diCther, Chair of the free library of philadelphia foundation board of direCtors; and John soroko, member of the free library board of trustees and the william b. dietriCh foundation. RIGHT: the renovated and expanded skyline room will be home to meetings, soirÉes, and other speCial events.
{ 6 }
Photo Credit: kelly & Massa PhotograPhy
Photo Credit: kelly & Massa PhotograPhy Photo Credit: eileen owens
Photo Credit: eileen owens
The Faces of the Free library: Profiles in excellenceHelping Philadelphians find everything from a new favorite book to
a new job, the talented staff of the Free Library of Philadelphia truly
brings this great institution to life. Below, read more about how five
staff members, through their unique talents, help advance literacy,
guide learning, and inspire curiosity every day.
• • • by MIChELLE SARACENI ShEFFER
all Photos by ryan brandenberg
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veronica brittobranCh head, david Cohen ogontz library
Inquisitive, friendly, and always willing to lend a hand, librarian Veronica Britto
loves to connect library visitors of all ages with everything from her favorite
page-turners to the crucial information they need to improve their lives. There’s
never a dull day for her as the Branch Head at David Cohen Ogontz Library: One
minute, she may be helping an ex-offender create a résumé and get back on his or
her feet, and then next, she’s energetically singing ABCs with a group of toddlers
while they wiggle in their seats.
“The longer I work as a librarian in the public library, the more I grow to
appreciate how much the community needs libraries—and, of course, librarians
to guide them along the way,” she says. “The Free Library is a free and public way
to educate oneself on matters to improve one’s home, workplace, and society.
I consider it a great blessing to be a part of an organization whose goal is to
improve society through lifelong education.”
Veronica remembers fondly two young sisters who regularly visited her when she worked at Logan Library and
devoured every book they could get their hands on. The sisters eventually moved away to South Philadelphia, but one
day rode the subway the whole way back up to Logan just to see how Veronica was doing and to give her personal
thank you letters that they had written.
“After we had spoken and they left before it got dark outside, I excused myself to the staff workroom to wipe away
my tears of gratitude,” she says. “Whenever I have a challenging day, I think of my little sisters, and can hear them say,
‘Miss Veronica, give me something good to read.’”
liz Heideman Children’s librarian, PhiladelPhia City institute
She may not carry a fancy wand or don a flowing wizard’s cape—most days—but children’s librarian Liz Heideman certainly makes magic happen every day at the Philadelphia City Institute on Rittenhouse Square. From leading lively storytimes for the library’s littlest visitors to connecting eager school students with books on any topic under the sun, Liz works tirelessly to spark the imagination and nurture the curiosity of all the children who come to the library.
“This job is a calling for me,” she says. “I can’t imagine doing anything else and having it be a fraction as fulfilling.”Liz knew she wanted to be a librarian from a young age, thanks to the powers of her school librarian. “She could always find books I would like, even when I wouldn’t tell her what I was looking for. I was convinced that she was magic, and I still think a good librarian is part magician.”
Liz puts her own powers to great use by not only sharing great books and stories, but by designing interactive and engaging programs that foster a love of reading and learning. One summertime stories-and-experiments series was so popular that a parent asked Liz for her plans for the next few weeks, as the family was going on vacation and her son was devastated to be missing his “library science program.” And Liz is always working to put more and more children and families under her spell and bring them to the library, enchanting them with the power of books and ideas.
“There isn’t a small child who comes into the library who doesn’t think that it’s a magical place, and all of the library staff are part of creating that world,” she says. “Keep up the sorcery, everyone!”
all Photos by ryan brandenberg
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Harolyn HoltonaCting head of seCurity, Parkway Central library
The oldest of seven siblings,
Harolyn Holton knows a thing or
two about fair-minded and flexible
leadership. And as a single mother
who raised her two daughters
into the successful women they
are today, Harolyn also knows
all about the importance of a
strong work ethic. As a result, she
ensures that the Parkway Central
Library is a warm, welcoming,
and safe place for all.
Harolyn worked her way up at
the Free Library over the past
20 years, from a part-time guard
position to full time on the rotating
overnight shift and now her current role as Acting Head of Security at Parkway
Central. She loves to read, loves to laugh, and takes care to treat everyone with
the respect they deserve, from homeless customers to the Library’s top donors.
“It all boils down to how you carry yourself and treat others,” she says. “I want
to create a positive environment—comfortable, pleasant, and safe.”
Her fair manner hasn’t gone unnoticed. While waiting for a bus alone late in the
evening after her shift, a homeless man who often used the library made sure
she got on safely and thanked her for the way she always treated him
with dignity.
“I just believe that what goes around comes around,” she says.
“If you put good actions and words out into the
world, good things will come
back to you.”
Harolyn has fetched missing
flowers and calmed frayed
emotions during weddings
held at the library; she’s also
helped connect homeless
visitors with the social
services they need to get
fresh clothes or a warm meal.
Underscoring it all is her deep
commitment to serving others.
With Harolyn, Parkway Central
Library is in good hands.
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our librAriAns And sTAFF...
Speak more than 30 languages
Answer 3 million reference questions
Host 25,000 programs
Circulate more than 6.5 million books
and other materials
bob rubensteinlibrary assistant 2, Parkway Central library
The Free Library strives to provide equal access to information,
helping people find what they need to improve their lives. No one
makes information quite as fun, however, as Library Assistant 2
Bob Rubenstein, the Free Library’s resident trivia guru and host of
the beloved Trivia with Bob quiz game.
Bob has worked at the Library for 25 years, the past six in the General
Information Department at Parkway Central. You’ve seen his friendly
face at the lobby desk, answering thousands of questions from the
routine to the truly bizarre. Bob is so knowledgeable, in fact, that he
served as the phone-a-friend for a pal who appeared on an episode of
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, helping him win a $50,000 prize. (The
clinching answer? Blue Oyster Cult—the band spoofed in Saturday Night
Live’s famous “more cowbell” sketch.)
When he’s not answering the questions, Bob’s busy asking them. Trivia with Bob debuted in January 2012 at Parkway
Central to an audience of 85 eager players. Working without a budget, he was able to secure donations from area
businesses, and since then, the program has become a much-anticipated Free Library staple. He has even brought Trivia
with Bob on the road to other neighborhood libraries for special events and occasions.
“I think people like coming here because you don’t have to buy anything to play,” he says. “And we’re able to offer really
nice prizes, like restaurant gift certificates and signed books from Author Events.”
Bob’s favorite nugget of trivia? It seems like an easy one: What’s the third largest city in Pennsylvania? “Everyone guesses
Harrisburg,” he says, “but Harrisburg is tiny. It’s actually Allentown.”Whether he’s answering questions or asking them,
Bob’s talent for trivia brings information to life.
Marion ParkinsonCluster leader, north PhiladelPhia neighborhood libraries
Avid reader Marion Parkinson always loved the library as a child, but never had the idea that she could become a librarian. But
through the years of hard work, a dash of serendipity, and a spirited sense of “why not?”, this dedicated Administrative Librarian
now leads one of the most innovative and important Free Library initiatives to have been developed under its strategic plan: the
North Philadelphia Neighborhood Libraries pilot cluster. Through this new model, libraries within the same community will work
together to share staff and resources and to create new programs in response to their community’s needs. (Read more about the
cluster model on page 12.)
As cluster leader, Marion says that a “typical” day can include any or all of the following: Talking to staff about the cluster. Talking
to other agencies about the cluster. Writing about the cluster. Thinking about the cluster. Dreaming about the cluster…
…you get the idea. But she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“The energy around the cluster is infectious,” she says. Staff members are excited to work together to make great things happen,
including planning and organizing the “Book It!” Fun Run, which will take place on June 7 and which Marion hopes will raise
funds to help implement some of their additional plans and ideas.
“Like a proud mother, I’m seeing success in the small things. Every example of collaboration is a win,” she says. Her staff
members are also particularly driven to make the cluster a beacon in the community and a safe haven, as five of the six libraries
sit in some of the most dangerous police districts in the city. With a capable and encouraging leader like Marion, the future of the
cluster looks nothing but bright.
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The neighborhood libraries have always been a staple of their Philadelphia communities. And since Philadelphia is a city of neighborhoods, our 54-library system supports an incredibly diverse audience.To continue to serve customers better,
the Free Library is piloting a new cluster
model within the neighborhood libraries.
Through this model, libraries within
the same community will be grouped
together to share staff and resources and
to focus on specific neighborhood needs
through new programming initiatives.
The libraries will act independently on
many decisions, working on a local level
to create programming, schedules, and
community partnerships. And since the
cluster will share staff members, each of
the libraries can be open and fully staffed
during its scheduled hours.
Although moving to this new model
will require some flexibility during the
transition period, Library President and Director Siobhan A. Reardon
is excited about the benefits of clustering. “By removing the silos that
sometimes deter collaboration among neighborhood libraries, we
allow librarians and staff to come together to choose what works best
for their specific community.”
The cluster model was developed to better address specific
neighborhood needs and to provide reliable, consistent service to
customers. With the clusters in place, the neighborhood libraries take
on a more collaborative and critical role in their communities. Staff
from each of the clusters works together to tackle the most important
issues facing their customers, whether that’s healthcare needs, early
literacy development, or support for new Americans. Stepping out
from behind their desks, area librarians can offer guidance and
resources not only within the library itself, but at schools, community
centers, or wherever the residents need them most.
“By moving over to the cluster model, we are pooling many resources
and adapting them to meet the needs of our area of the city,” says
Marion Parkinson, leader of the initial cluster. “It allows for every
cluster to have a different area of focus depending on the part of
the city. The talents of the staff can be better utilized. We encourage
everyone, not just librarians, to use their skills and talents in ways they
might not have been able to before.”
The pilot cluster is made up of six North
Philadelphia libraries: Cecil B. Moore,
Kensington, Lillian Marrero, McPherson
Square, Ramonita G. de Rodriguez, and
Widener. As a group, the North Philadelphia
Neighborhood Libraries—as their cluster is
known—is committed to providing excellent
service that is informed by their customers.
“The cluster model is generating more ideas
and allowing more collaboration between
libraries,” Christina Patton, Librarian at
Widener remarks. “We are communicating
more and thinking about programming for
the cluster, not just for our individual branch.”
The North Philadelphia cluster created a
mission statement, promising to deliver
consistent service, to develop informative,
dynamic programming, and to actively work with community
partners to enrich the library. They see their libraries as community
havens. Some of the areas they hope to focus on in their cluster are
early and family literacy, health and wellness information, job seeking,
and specific services to new Americans, seniors, and teens.
“With all the ideas coming to fruition amongst the staff members in
the cluster,” says Patton, “the communities of North Philadelphia will
receive diverse programming and more community involvement.”
As the cluster program evolves and expands, the Free Library is
looking forward to bringing this community-focused service across
Philadelphia.
• • • by EILEEN OwENS
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Putting the ‘Neighborhood’ in Neighborhood Libraries:
A New Model for Library Service
from the
NeIGHBoRHoodS
The Free Library’s Thomas F. Donatucci, Sr. Library (formerly known as the Passyunk Library) in South Philadelphia’s Girard Estate community is
celebrating 100 years of service! The Library was constructed in 1913 and opened to the public in April 1914.
The Donatucci Library sits on land that was once part of Stephen Girard’s former country estate, Gentilhommiere, which was willed to the City of
Philadelphia to create Girard College. In order to continue to fund the school, the Board of City Trusts developed the Gentlihommiere estate in the
1900s and created a planned residential community, including a school and a library. Andrew Carnegie, who at the time was donating millions of
dollars to build libraries across the world, provided the seed funding for the Passyunk Library construction in 1913. The library is one of 25 Carnegie
libraries built in Philadelphia.
As the building and land are the products of the generosity of two of the wealthiest men in America, the essence of the library is an ever-evolving
gift of the customers and volunteers, working with the dedicated staff, who have brought the library to life over the last 100 years. This evolution is a
thread that binds Donatucci’s history with our neighbors. The community includes generations of families who have watched the library grow and
change. One current and active customer remembers coming to the
library as a child some 80 years ago. He came with his father, who had
just immigrated to the United States. While he read children’s books, the
librarian worked with his father, who was learning English.
Another dedicated customer and supporter is Ron Donatucci, who
provided critical assistance in obtaining funding for the library. “The
library is important and very special to me and my family. In middle
school, I used to sneak away and study there because it was a quiet,
peaceful place. It still acts as a gathering place for students and is a focal
point of the community. As a citizen, neighbor, and elected city official,
I’ll always do anything I can to help the library,” says Ron Donatucci.
In 1997, the library underwent extensive renovations including the
creation of a new preschool area and the installation of computers,
providing customers with free access to the internet for the first time.
More recent developments include the installation of several murals
inside the library by local artist Cavin Jones and Wi-Fi access throughout
the building. Perhaps most special has been the creation of a public
garden on the library’s extensive grounds for the enjoyment of library
customers and community residents, bringing to life the truth that
Cicero spoke more than two millennia ago—that if you have a garden
and a library, you have everything you need.
thE dONAtUCCI LIbRARy wILL bE CELEbRAtING ItS
100th ANNIVERSARy ON SAtURdAy, JUNE 7 IN thE
LIbRARy ANd ItS GARdEN. PROGRAMMING FOR ALL
AGES wILL bE PRESENtEd thROUGhOUt thE dAy
INCLUdING AN APPEARANCE by MUMMERS, bOOk
tALkS by LOCAL AUthORS, A MAGIC ShOw, ANd A
VENEtIAN CARNIVAL IN thE PUbLIC GARdEN.
• • • by dAVId MARISCOttI, bRANCh MANAGER
100 years of doNatuccI LIBRaRy
“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” -CICERO
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Bottom: doNatuccILIbrarytoday.
Putting the ‘Neighborhood’ in Neighborhood Libraries:
A New Model for Library Service
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Before her 19th birthday, Helen Oyeyemi had already written the highly acclaimed novel The Icarus Girl, a story about folklore and childhood portrayed “not through the distancing lens of time, but as scary and magical as it really was” (San Francisco Chronicle). Her 2009 novel White is for Witching, winner of a Somerset Maugham Award and a Shirley Jackson Award finalist, spins the “unconventional, intoxicating, and deeply disquieting” (Publishers Weekly) gothic tale of an old house and a teenaged girl who share equally bizarre and increasingly ravenous appetites. Her newest novel, Boy, Snow, Bird—named one of 2014’s most anticipated books by CNN, The Huffington Post, and more—revisits the classic story of Snow White through the prism of a young mother’s experiences with race and family in wintry 1950s Massachusetts.
OtS whAt ROLE hAVE LIbRARIES PLAyEd IN yOUR LIFE?
hO libraries have been very good to me all my life—they’re
like infinitely expanding schools where you get to set your own
curriculum and there aren’t any tests (unless you want them). My
favourite part of writing a novel is usually the bit where i get to
be surrounded by books and the people who’ve come to silently
consult them: i wrote bits of Mr. Fox at the wellcome library, a
medical history library in london, and i remember slowing down
at one point, noticing that i was sitting in a section full of books
classified as being to do with “female disorders,” and then i
thought, yes, i’m in the right place...
OtS whAt ROLE dO yOU thINk LIbRARIES PLAy IN OUR 21St
CENtURy SOCIEty? hO i think libraries fit right in with the internet age in terms of
their being that interesting combination of social and anti-social:
libraries and the internet tend to supplement each other as spaces
we go to both for information and mental stimulation. though,
library flirtation is much more fun than internet flirtation, since it
has to be that bit much more mannered and subtle.
OtS MANy OF yOUR NOVELS tAkE INSPIRAtION FROM FOLkLORE ANd
FAIRy tALES, FROM GREEk ANd CUbAN MythOLOGy tO SNOw whItE
IN yOUR NEw bOOk, Boy, Snow, Bird. whAt IS It AbOUt thESE
“CLASSIC” StORIES thAt SPARkS yOUR IMAGINAtION?
hO don’t forget Bluebeard! i like the attitude that many folk tales
and fairy tales have toward transformation—what changes over
time, what holds fast, which outcomes can be prevented and which
can only be lived through—these things are good to know.
OtS yOU wROtE yOUR FIRSt NOVEL, The icaruS Girl, bEFORE
FINIShING yOUR A LEVELS IN thE U.k. (thE EqUIVALENCy OF
GRAdUAtING hIGh SChOOL hERE IN thE U.S.), ANd yOU wERE
RECENtLy INCLUdEd IN thE GRANtA bESt OF yOUNG bRItISh
NOVELIStS LISt. hAS EARLy LItERARy SUCCESS FREEd yOUR
CREAtIVIty ANd CAREER OR INStEAd CONStRICtEd It IN SOME
wAyS? hOw SO?
hO all of the fun and challenges and constraints have been to
do with pitting my imagination against the things i want to write
and developing the approach i need along the way. My favorite
books and films allow me to be all sorts of ages, so chronology is a
muddle for me anyway.
OtS tO yOU, thE FREE LIbRARy OF PhILAdELPhIA IS ALSO thE
FREE LIbRARy OF ________. why?
hO it’s the free library of brotherly love! (does everybody say
that?) it’s a place to discover, sustain, or renew a love of words and
their meanings.
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tO LIStEN tO thE FREE, dOwNLOAdAbLE
POdCASt FEAtURING hELEN OyEyEMI, VISIt
FREELIbRARy.ORG/AUthOREVENtS.
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ChAIR Robert C. Heim
MEMbERS Donna Allie Steven M. Altschuler Christopher Arlene Jacqueline Barnett Darwin Beauvais Peter A. Benoliel Patricia A. Coulter Pamela Dembe Tobey Gordon Dichter W. Wilson Goode, Sr. Melissa Grimm Nancy D. Kolb H.W. Jerome Maddox Noel Mayo Sonia Sanchez Suzanne Simons John J. Soroko Sherry A. Swirsky Nicholas D. Torres Ignatius C. Wang Shelly Yanoff
EMERItUS Joseph F. Burke Gloria Twine Chisum Armand Della Porta Herman Mattleman Teresa Sarmina
Ex-OFFICIO Michael DiBerardinis Deputy Mayor for the Environment
and Community Resources
Laura McColgan Friends of the Free Library
ChAIR Tobey Gordon Dichter
MEMbERS Robert Adelson Cynthia Affleck James H. Averill Phyllis W. Beck Peter A. Benoliel Sheldon Bonovitz George Day Andrea Ehrlich Daniel K. Fitzpatrick W. Wilson Goode, Sr. Daniel Gordon Richard A. Greenawalt Melissa Grimm Robert C. Heim John Imbesi Philip Jaurigue Geoffrey Kent Alexander Kerr Leslie Miller Thomas B. Morris, Jr. Stephanie W. Naidoff Bernard Newman Patrick M. Oates Derek N. Pew William R. Sasso Susan G. Smith Miriam Spector Stacey Leigh Spector Lenore Steiner Barbara Sutherland Monica Vachher Jay Weinstein Larry Weiss
EMERItUS Marie Field Elizabeth H. Gemmill A. Morris Williams, Jr.
FREE LIbRARy OF PhILAdELPhIA bOARd OF tRUStEES
FREE LIbRARy OF PhILAdELPhIA FOUNdAtION bOARd OF dIRECtORS
Walmart was again proud to continue their support as lead sponsor of One Book, One Philadelphia in 2014.
This year’s One Book featured selection, The Yellow Birds,
tells the vivid story of one young soldier’s experience in
Iraq and his struggles upon returning home from war. In
honor of our brave and talented service men and women,
Walmart has made a commitment to hire any honorably
discharged veteran within his or her first 12 months off
active duty. The company intends to hire 100,000 veterans
over the next five years.
FOR $25,000
Printed pamphlets and online commenting; telegrams and text messages; 19th-century Instagram. The Rosenbach of the Free Library of Philadelphia’s newest exhibition, Networking Before the Net asks the fascinating question—has the internet really changed the ways we communicate?
Through June 16, 2014
RoSeNBacH.oRG | @RoSeNBacHmuSeum | #NetWoRkINGexHIBItIoN
to LeaRN moRe aBout tHe VeteRaNS WeLcome Home commItmeNt aNd WaLmaRt IN ouR
commuNIty VISIt WWW.WaLmaRtPHILadeLPHIa.com.
make a dIFFeReNce
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NetWoRkING
BeFoRe tHe Net:
SHaRING
INFoRmatIoN
IN tHe
PRe-dIGItaL aGe
SUPPORTTHEFREELIBRARY! To make a gift to the Foundation, please visit freelibrary.org/support or call 215-567-7710.
eVeNtS
Love, Wit, and Madness: A Shakespearean Creative Writing Workshop wednesday, aPril 30, 7:00 P.M. • Parkway Central library, rooM 108
Shakespeare Puppet Theater saturday, May 17, 2:00 P.M. • lillian Marrero library
Summer of Shakespeare at the Philadelphia Museum of Art: Shakespeare and Rap Music, Presented by The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre wednesday, June 18, 6:00 P.M. • the PhiladelPhia MuseuM of art, Main stairCase,
2600 benJaMin franklin Parkway
Commonwealth Classic Theatre Presents Twelfth Night thursday, July 10, 7:00 P.M. • Parkway Central library, shakesPeare Park
exHIBItIoNS
Shakespeare for All Time rare book dePartMent through May 31
In his dedication to the First Folio Ben Jonson writes of his fellow playwright, “He was not of
an age, but for all time.” Shakespeare embodied the Elizabethan age in his plays yet reached
back to classical themes and stories. He employed the English language like no other, and
his comedies, histories, and tragedies continue to be read, performed, and celebrated today.
This exhibition features Shakespeare’s First Folio—one of the rarest books in existence—as
well as the second, third, and fourth. It also includes editions of his plays, many beautifully
illustrated, over the course of four centuries.
The Year of the Bard continues with events throughout 2014! Visit freelibrary.org/bard for a full calendar.
