$120M Expansion, Renovation Planned for Library in Philadelphia

Officials at the Free Library of Philadelphia say fund-raising for the central library's planned $120 million expansion and renovation remains on track despite public dismay over proposed layoffs and neighborhood service cuts.

"From our perspective, there has been no slowdown in the fund-raising effort," said Elliot L. Shelkrot, library president and director.

"We continue to move ahead with efforts already under way. By and large, many people understand that a great city needs a great library."

The central branch expansion, designed by architect Moshe Safdie, would add about 160,000 square feet to the rear of the library's 1927 Beaux Arts building on Vine Street near Logan Circle.

The children's section would be vastly enlarged, hundreds of computers installed, the auditorium expanded, and a cafe added.

The original building would also be renovated. Library officials said they still intend to break ground on the project in the latter half of next year.

The city has agreed to provide $30 million for the project through borrowing by the quasi-public Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development.

But only a few weeks after City Council authorized the borrowing in December, an austere Street administration budget called for service cuts at 20 branch libraries and layoffs of 17 library staff members.

That plan met with loud objections from unions and Council members.

Councilman Frank DiCicco said that the amount of annual debt service on the library's $30 million borrowing - about $3.5 million - approximated the amount of savings produced by cutting branch services and staff members.

In his view, the library is "building the Taj Mahal at the expense of neighborhood libraries." He introduced a bill that would rescind authorization of the borrowing. The first public hearing on the measure is scheduled for Wednesday.

Sandy Horrocks, library vice president of communications and development, said nearly $50 million, including the city's $30 million, has been raised so far.

That includes $5 million from the Annenberg Foundation, $4 million from the William Penn Foundation, and $750,000 from the Independence Foundation. About $6.5 million has been raised from the library's board.

When about $90 million to $95 million has been raised, she said, construction can begin.

"I don't think there's any question that we'll be able to do it," she said. "There are about 20 other capital campaigns going on in the city, so it's a challenging time."

The budget squabble, she said, "has not had any effect" on fund-raising.

Shelkrot said the dispute has caused some distractions.

"There's no question that we've had to devote time to responding to City Council questions and to a lot of issues that neighborhoods are justifiably concerned about," he said.

"The best news is that never has there been so much discussion about the importance of the public library in this city."