Libraries are still being built

Citation

(2001), "Libraries are still being built", The Bottom Line, Vol. 14 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/bl.2001.17014dab.004

Libraries are still being built

Libraries are still being built

Keywords:: Libraries, Funding, Fund-raising

Dateline: New York, New York

On May 18, 2001, the New York Public Library announced its intention to build a new, $50 million branch library in the Bronx. A significant portion of the funds is already in hand: the city has committed $34 million, a trustee promised a $5 million gift, and the state will provide $1 million. The remaining $10 million is the library's responsibility. The Bronx Borough Center Library will be the library's largest branch in the Bronx, and it will replace the nearby Fordham Library Center, which was built in 1923. NYPL's new Latino and Puerto Rican Cultural Center and its expanded Spanish-language collections will be housed in the new branch. http://www.ala.org/alonline/news/2001/010528.html

Dateline: Boston, Massachusetts

On June 16, the Boston Public Library formally opened the first new branch it has built in over 20 years. It was also the first time since 1981 that the neighborhood of Allston has had a public library. The previous branch had been closed in a state tax-limiting initiative. Mayor Thomas M. Menino cut the ribbon, saying, "Libraries are the life of a community … I am proud to open this branch today, knowing the benefits it will bring to the Allston neighborhood for generations to come." The new library, BPL's 27th branch, is a 20,000-square-foot, one-storey building, which cost $6.85 million to build and furnish. It stands on a site donated by Harvard University. http://www.ala.org/alonline/news/2001/010625.html

Dateline: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

In a neighborhood in South Philadelphia, residents want a new library with a computer lab. However, the Free Library of Philadelphia administrators are less than enthused about opening a new branch. So at a sidewalk rally on May 12, residents made themselves heard. Their proposal is to restore a former post office building (currently vacant) and use it as a library. According to the May 17 Philadelphia Daily News, a developer has come forward to do the renovation, lease the facility to the city, and then hand it over for a dollar after 16 years. Residents plan to raise the money for furnishings themselves. To reach the Queens Memorial branch, which currently serves the neighborhood, children must cross an enormous, industrial highway. Because new branches typically cost over $500,000 a year to operate, according to Library Director Elliot Shelkrot, financing the building does not necessarily ensure the approval of the project. Staff are currently looking into the issue. http://www.ala.org/alonline/news/2001/010521.html

Dateline: San Diego, California

The City Council of San Diego is thinking about raising money for the city's branch libraries by selling the First National Bank Building, the city's first high-rise office building, which was built in 1909. The building had been vacated and subsequently donated to the city. The building was a gift from the Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation, and carried with it the stipulation that any moneys raised by the sale of the building were to go to the city's libraries. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that the sale could raise $1.2 million and, depending on the success of the development, up to $1.35 million more over 15 years. http://libraryjournal.reviewsnews.com/index