NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release: 2007 August 26
For more information -- Glenn A. Walsh:
Daytime: E-Mail < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc >
Evening: Telephone 412-561-7876
Internet Web Site: < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
CARNEGIE LIBRARY TO CONSIDER CLOSING LIBRARIES IN "RIGHTSIZING" PLAN
Addendum to Carnegie Library "Rightsizing" Plan News Release
2008 November 18
Pittsburgh, Aug. 26 – The Carnegie Library of
Pittsburgh plans to initiate a "Commission on
Libraries" in 2008, to consider closing neighborhood
library branches as part of a system-wide
"rightsizing" plan. This plan was revealed in the
Library's 2008 grant application to the Allegheny
Regional Asset District (RAD).
Carnegie Library Director Barbara Mistick is scheduled
to appear before the RAD Board, for the LIbrary's
annual budget hearing THIS-COMING MONDAY, AUGUST 27,
2007 AT 5:00 p.m. IN A LOWER-LEVEL CONFERENCE ROOM OF
THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES BUILDING [FORMER
UNITED WAY BUILDING] AT ONE SMITHFIELD STREET [CORNER
OF SMITHFIELD STREET AND FIRST AVENUE, AT THE FOOT OF
THE SMITHFIELD STREET BRIDGE] IN DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH.
The following is an excerpt from The Carnegie
Library's 2008 grant application to the RAD Board,
regarding this rightsizing plan:
Service Points/Facilities
Initiative 2.1
Conduct rightsizing plan to evaluate number and
location of library, administrative, shipping and
storage facilities.
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will launch a
Commission on Libraries in 2008 that will explore the
factors that influence the success of libraries in
urban regions which will be critical to understanding
various future scenarios for CLP in the Pittsburgh
region. The outcomes from the Commission will assist
the Library in evaluating dedicated funding strategies
and best practices for libraries and how they might
impact the future structure of our Library system.
Initiative 2.2
Complete neighborhood revitalization program to
renovate/relocate all eligible CLP facilities, based
on rightsizing plan.
Neighborhood Libraries Revitalization
The next renovation project of CLP's capital
improvement program is the Hill District Library.
Carnegie Library consolidated the two locations in the
Hill District (MLK and Dinwiddie Street) and will
build its first new Library since the early 1980s at
the corner of Centre and Kirkpatrick Street. The
official groundbreaking occurred on April 19, 2007 and
is likely to reopen late Spring 2008. Another new
library on Pittsburgh's North Side will begin
construction in early 2008 to replace the Allegheny
Regional branch which was permanently closed due to a
lightning strike in 2006. Renovations also will begin
in late 2008 to CLP's East Liberty branch. As was done
with all recent library renovations, a community
process is part of the planning. Several public
meetings are held to help determine the elements and
configuration of each library. The process in the Hill
District is complete. The process for both the North
Side and East Liberty is underway.
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Addendum to Carnegie Library "Rightsizing" Plan News Release
2008 November 18
gaw
Glenn A. Walsh
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
< http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
< http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
< http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
< http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
< http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
< http://incline.pghfree.net >
* Public Transit:
< http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >
Addendum to Carnegie Library "Rightsizing" Plan News Release
2008 November 18
Excerpts from Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's 2009 grant application submitted to the Allegheny Regional Asset District in July of 2008:
Service Points/Facilities
Initiative 2.1
Conduct rightsizing plan to evaluate number and location of library, administrative, shipping and storage facilities.
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh developed a Request for Proposals for a Comprehensive Public Service Strategy to address the issue of the number and location of library facilities. Nine(9) qualified consultants were identified, and Carnegie Mellon University's Center for Economic Development was chosen to conduct the study. Recommendations are due in the fourth quarter and an implementation strategy will be developed in 2009.
Initiative 2.2
Complete neighborhood library revitalization program to renovate/relocate all eligible CLP facilities, based on rightsizing plan.
Neighborhood Libraries Revitalization
The groundbreaking for the new library on Federal Street to replace the Allegheny Regional facility was held in May 2008. Construction began in July and is expected to take 12 months to complete reopening in summer 2009. The new facility in the Hill District will open in early fall 2008 with grand opening festivities to be held on October 24-25. In East Liberty, the construction document phase of planning will be complete by the end of 2008 with construction to begin in spring of 2009. As was done in all recent capital improvement projects, a community process is part of the planning. Several public meetings were held in the Hill District and on the North Side to help determine the elements and configuration of each library and to ensure community ownership of the final product. The process in East Liberty is underway. Next, we will begin the community process for the South Side library, which is anticipated to be the next site to be renovated.
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