SP R IN G 2 01 4
VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 2
OFF the SHELF
Har olyn Holton
Actin g Head of Secu rity
Parkway Cent ral Libra
ry
Bob Rub enst ein
Libra ry Assistant 2
Parkway Cent ral Libra
ry
A MAGAZINE FROM the Free Library of Philadelphia
Liz H ei d ema n
Children’s Librarian
Philadelphia City Institute
Veronica Bri t to
Branch Head
David Cohen Ogontz Library
Also inside
Mari on Par kins on
Cluster Lead er
arie s
a Neig hbo rho od Libr
Nor th Phil ade lphi
THE
Faces
of the
Free
Library
Renovation update
News from around the system
The Final Word with Helen Oy
eyemi
S e c u r e t h e F r e e L ibr 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
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING AUTHOR EVENTS
FOR MORE Info: 215-567-4341 • freelibrary.org/authorevents
APR 22 • 7:30 PM
APR 24 • 7:30 PM
APR 29 • 7:30 PM
MAY 1 • 7:30 PM
MAY 6 • 7:30 PM
FREE
TICKET REQUIRED
FREE
TICKET REQUIRED
FREE
Marlo Thomas
It Ain’t Over . . . Till It’s Over:
Reinventing Your Life-and Realizing Your Dreams-Any Time, at Any Age
Amartya Sen
An Uncertain Glory: India
and its Contradictions
Ralph Nader
Unstoppable:
The Emerging Right-Left
Alliance to Dismantle
the Corporate State
Francine Prose
Lovers at the Chameleon
Club, Paris 1932
with
Mona Simpson
Casebook
Elise Juska
The Blessings
with
Akhil Sharma
MAY 12 • 7:30 PM
MAY 13 • 7:30 PM
MAY 22 • 7:30 PM
MAY 29 • 7:30 PM
FREE
FREE
FREE
TICKET REQUIRED
and
Roz Chast
Sandra Tsing Loh
Can’t We Talk about
Something More Pleasant
The Madwoman
in the Volvo
Michael
Cunningham
Philippe Petit
The Temporary Gentleman
The Snow Queen
Family Life
Sebastian Barry
Creativity: The Perfect Crime
The eighth annual Philadelphia Book Festival runs April 13 through April 19. Details on page 5 and at freelibrary.org
From the President and Director
Free Library of Philadelphia
President and Director
Siobhan A. Reardon
Associate Director
Dr. Joseph McPeak
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.
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.
ON THE COVER: FIVE of our stellar
librarians and staff who work
tirelessly to advance literacy, guide
learning, and inspire curiosity
Below: Librarians Liz Heideman and Veronica Britto check out
a literacy app for children.
Photo credit: Ryan Brandenberg
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
WHAT’S INSIDE
8The Faces of the Free Library:
Profiles in Excellence
4
6
7
12
14
15
News and Notes
HIDDEN GEMS: Shakespeare’s Life in Paper
focus on: STUNNING SPACES
Putting the ‘Neighborhood’ in Neighborhood Libraries: A New Model for Library Service
The Final Word: Helen Oyeyemi
BOARD LISTS
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.
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!
Photo credit: Kelly & Massa Photography
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
{4}
PHOTO CREDIT: JOEL
NICHOLS
CUSTOMER
CORNER
1
AROUND
THE
SYSTEM
2
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.
3
4
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.
dson
it: Curt Hu
Photo cred
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.”
1
Children at Durham Library
experiment with e-Textiles,
making plush monsters with
light-up eyes.
2
Afterschool program leader
Blake Boenecke created
finger puppets for children
at Independence Library to
cut, color, and act out their
own Nutcracker.
3
Northeast Regional Library celebrates its
50th anniversary with ribbon dancing.
4
Oak Lane Library celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
with an oratorical contest.
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.
{5}
HIDDEN GEMS
Shakespeare’s Life in Paper
15
#
Photo credit: EILEEN OWENS
To get a glimpse of
England in Shakespeare’s
time, one need to go only
as far as Philadelphia’s
Delancey Place.
Photo credit: courtesy of the Rosenbach
Nestled in The Rosenbach of the Free
Library of Philadelphia’s cozy, woodpaneled 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
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.
BOTTOM: A broadside advertising the models. EL3.AIju
• • • BY ALIX GERZ
{6}
FOCUS
ON
Stunning Spaces
PHOTO CREDIT: Kelly & Massa photography
PHOTO CREDIT: EILEEN OWENS
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.
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.
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
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.
PHOTO CREDIT: Kelly & Massa photography
PHOTO CREDIT: eileen owens
{7}
• • • By Michelle Saraceni Sheffer
The Faces of
the Free Library:
Profiles in Excellence
erg
Brandenb
All photos by Ryan
Helping 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.
{8}
Veronica Britto
Branch 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
Child ren’s Libra rian , Phila delp
hia City Insti tute
She may not carry a fancy wand or don a flowi
ng wizard’s cape—most days—but children’s
librarian Liz Heideman certainly
makes magic happen every day at the Phila
delphia City Institute on Rittenhouse Squar
e.
From
leading lively storytimes for the
library’s littlest visitors to connecting eager
school students with books on any topic unde
r
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 schoo
l 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-expe
rimen
ts series was so popular that a parent
asked Liz for her plans for the next few week
s, as the family was going on vacation and
her
son
was devastated to be missing his
“library science program.” And Liz is alway
s working to put more and more children and
famil
ies
under her spell and bring them to
the library, enchanting them with the powe
r 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!”
{9}
Harolyn
Holton
Acting 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.
F...
STAF
OUR LIBRARIANS AND
ges
Speak more than 30 langua
e questions
Answer 3 million referenc
Host 25,000 programs
illion books
Circulate more than 6.5 m
and other materials
{ 10 }
Marion Parkinson
Neigh borho od Libra ries
Clust er Leade r, North Phila delph ia
e a librarian. But
as a child, but never had the idea that she could becom
Avid reader Marion Parkinson always loved the library
istrative Librarian
Admin
ted
dedica
and a spirited sense of “why not?”, this
through the years of hard work, a dash of serendipity,
strategic plan: the
its
under
ped
Free Library initiatives to have been develo
now leads one of the most innovative and important
unity will work
comm
same
the
r. Through this new model, libraries within
North Philadelphia Neighborhood Libraries pilot cluste
about the
more
(Read
needs.
new programs in response to their community’s
together to share staff and resources and to create
cluster model on page 12.)
about the cluster. Talking
include any or all of the following: Talking to staff
As cluster leader, Marion says that a “typical” day can
the cluster…
cluster. Thinking about the cluster. Dreaming about
to other agencies about the cluster. Writing about the
…you get the idea. But she wouldn’t have it any other
way.
great things happen,
Staff members are excited to work together to make
“The energy around the cluster is infectious,” she says.
hopes will raise
Run, which will take place on June 7 and which Marion
including planning and organizing the “Book It!” Fun
and ideas.
funds to help implement some of their additional plans
says. Her staff
things. Every example of collaboration is a win,” she
“Like a proud mother, I’m seeing success in the small
of the six libraries
five
as
,
haven
r a beacon in the community and a safe
members are also particularly driven to make the cluste
, the future of the
Marion
like
leader
the city. With a capable and encouraging
sit in some of the most dangerous police districts in
cluster looks nothing but bright.
Bob Rubenstein
Library 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.
{ 11 }
e
h
t
m
o
fr
OOD S
R
O
B
H
NEIG
H
Putting the ‘Neighborhood’ in
Neighborhood Libraries:
A New Model for Library Service
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.
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.”
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.
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.”
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
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.
{ 12 }
• • • BY EILEEN OWENS
100 Years OF
Donatucci Library
“If you have a garden and a library,
you have everything you need.” -Cicero
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.
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
TOP: Donatucci (then Passyunk) Library in 1919, just a few years after its grand opening.
bottom: Donatucci Library today.
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PHOTO CREDIT: GLENN HOLSTEN
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.
To listen to the free, downloadable
podcast featuring Helen Oyeyemi, visit
freelibrary.org/authorevents.
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.
{ 14 }
FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Chair
Make a Difference
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
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.
Ex-Officio
Michael DiBerardinis
Deputy Mayor for the Environment
and Community Resources
Laura McColgan
Friends of the Free Library
To learn more about the Veterans
Welcome Home Commitment and Walmart in our
community visit www.WalmartPhiladelphia.com.
FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA
FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FOR $25,000
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
k ing
N e t wo r e N e t :
th
B e f o r e ring
Sha
at i o n
I nf o r m E
in T H
a l Ag e
t
Digi
e
Pr
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
EMERITUS
Marie Field
Elizabeth H. Gemmill
A. Morris Williams, Jr.
rosenbach.org | @RosenbachMuseum | #networkingexhibition
{ 15 }
The Year of the Bard
continues with events
throughout 2014! Visit
freelibrary.org/bard
for a full calendar.
SUPPORT
THE
FREE
LIBRARY!
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.