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PHILADELPHIA – In an effort to serve the community living at the Richard Allen and Cambridge housing developments in North Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Housing Authority today opened a new community library inside the PHA community center at 11th and Poplar Streets.
“When we built the community center in 2004 we included a library in the design, but until now the room has been used only as a quiet study area. Now, thanks to the generosity of our employees and others who donated the books, we can provide a fully stocked library to serve the families in the immediate neighborhood,” said PHA executive director Carl Greene.
The library, which will be open from 12-8 Monday-Friday, also features 12 personal computers so that students can do their homework or other research. Adult computer classes will also be taught at the library one day per week from 1:00 to 2:30. The computer training is part of PHA’s Neighborhood Network computer labs, now at 12 PHA sites around the city.
The library will be open to adults and their children from 12-3. From 3-8 the facility will be open to children participating in the Boys and Girls Clubs program at the center.
“The Boys and Girls Club enjoys the relationship with PHA that allows us to provide meaningful programming for kids both here in North Philadelphia and at the Wilson Park community center in South Philadelphia. PHA’s effort to create this library enhances what we expect to be a long-term relationship,” said Boys and Girls Clubs of Philadelphia COO Jack Law.
Donations of books to the library were so generous that PHA will have to store more than 3,000 books for later use. The Free Library of Philadelphia contributed hundreds of books, and a private citizen, Mary Ann McNamee of South Philadelphia, donated more than 2,500 books.
“The request for book donations clearly struck a chord with people. The library can only hold 4,000 to 5,000 books and we’ve collected many more than that. If PHA can play even a small role in this community in augmenting what the Free Library system has to offer we are gratified to do so,” Director Greene said.
Because PHA owns the community center and the books were donated, very little public investment was involved in establishing the library. A PHA intern will serve as “librarian” part of each day, and staff from the Boys and Girls Club will oversee the library from 3:00 to 8:00.
This is PHA’s first library. The agency has not announced plans to duplicate this model at other sites.
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