Free Library branch relocates to temporary location

The Walnut Street West branch moved due to structural problems in its original home at 40th and Walnut streets. After nearly two years of waiting and uncertainty, patrons of the Walnut Street West Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia were finally able to put their library cards back to use Monday at the dedication of the branch's new temporary location at 3927 Walnut Street. A number of officials were on hand for the ceremony, including the five-person ribbon-cutting team composed of Penn Executive Vice President John Fry; Jack Shannon, the University's top economic development official; City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell; Judy Harvey, the area administrator with the West Philadelphia Libraries; and Jennifer Suder, head branch librarian. Community members have been without a library since the the original building, located at 40th and Walnut streets, closed its doors in October 1996 for installation of computer wiring. It was expected to open within six months. However, six months quickly turned into a year as electricians deemed the 90-year old building's foundation structurally unsound and were forced to close the work site. Although community groups lobbied for the building's restoration, Free Library official officials announced in May that the library would never reopen. The decision was made after several engineering firms put renovation costs at more than $6 million -- just to make the building safe. As a result, the University agreed in February to rent the Walnut Street location -- which used to house the Student Employment Office -- to the library for $1 a year. "You'll see the University of Pennsylvania logo on the sign outside because they gave us the building," Harvey said to applause at Monday's ceremony. "We expect to be here for two years while the University helps us in the selection of a permanent site for the full-service branch." Harvey added that the library is currently looking into a number of prospects with the University and has "actually gotten to the point of looking at sites." According to Friends of Walnut West President Beth Ann Johnson, the Free Library has looked at two possible locations -- the old Acme supermarket building at 43 and Locust streets as well as the chapel on the grounds of the former Divinity School at 42nd and Spruce streets. Johnson said the University-owned Spruce property was deemed inappropriate by library officials because of the University's recently-announced plan to build a new elementary school at the location. "One of the things you never want to have is a library next to a school, because kids from other schools will never be able to use it," Johnson said. "[The library] becomes owned by the kids and the school. It becomes a turf war." Johnson said the old library was optimal due to its "neutral" location. "The library was equidistant form all the schools, so it was perceived as completely neutral," she said. Although the temporary location is a significantly scaled-down version of the original library, it is equipped with Internet access, according to officials. Library policy prohibits the use of e-mail, but the temporary branch does house nine computers for educational use and research. Suder said library staff is still in the process of integrating materials from the previous location into the temporary site. "The laws of physics of course prohibit bringing the whole collection over," she explained. "But a lot of the materials at the old site have become outdated in the two years since it closed." The temporary branch has held shortened hours -- from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. -- during its first week of operation and will be open for full-service beginning Monday, with hours from noon to 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Suder said the community response has been positive since the branch's opening. "We've had quite a few people for only being open for four hours in the afternoon," she said. "The opening was much anticipated and we definitely expect an increased number next week."

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