Statement before the                Glenn A. Walsh

      Council of the                           P.O. Box 1041

  City of Pittsburgh:                  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230-1041 U.S.A.

  “Rightsizing” Plan        Telephone: 412-561-7876

       Could Close              Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc >

 Carnegie Libraries        Internet Web Site: < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >

                                                                        2007 September 7

 

Good morning. I am Glenn A. Walsh of 633 Royce Avenue, Mt. Lebanon. Today, I am speaking as a private citizen, representing no formal organization.

 

Within their Fiscal Year 2008 annual funding request to the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD), The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh informed RAD that next year they will form a “Commission on Libraries” to consider a system-wide “rightsizing” plan, which could include closing neighborhood library branches.

 

The grant application actually says, and I quote: “Initiative 2.1 - Conduct rightsizing plan to evaluate number and location of library, administrative, shipping and storage facilities” end-quote.

 

It further says, and I quote: “Initiative 2.2 – Complete neighborhood revitalization program to renovate/relocate all eligible Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh facilities, based on rightsizing plan” end-quote. Attached to this statement, on the reverse side, is an excerpt from Carnegie Library’s grant application to RAD, regarding this rightsizing plan.

 

There you have it. Next year, Carnegie Library’s “Commission on Libraries” will decide which neighborhood branch libraries to close. And, of course, unless there is a library renovation, there was no mention in the grant application of any public input into this “Commission on Libraries” process!

 

When Herb Elish was Library Director, he promised that every neighborhood with a branch library would continue to have a branch library. Now, the new Library Director is reneging on this promise.

 

The City of Pittsburgh owns all existing Carnegie Library buildings. Will you, the representatives of the people of the City of Pittsburgh, allow city neighborhoods to lose Carnegie Libraries?

 

Thank you.

 

gaw