Statement before the Glenn A. Walsh
Allegheny Regional
Asset
District Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230-1041 U.S.A.
Public
Hearing: Telephone: 412-561-7876
Proposed Closure Electronic Mail: < gaw@andrewcarnegie.cc >
Of Carnegie
Libraries Internet
Site: < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc
>
2009
October 21
Good afternoon, I am Glenn A. Walsh of
For more than a year, I have been warning you about Carnegie Library’s
plans to close branch libraries. Now, they finally have issued firm plans to
close several branches, and perhaps relocate a few of them.
On September 15, I was the guest speaker at the reopening of a Carnegie Library in suburban
If they can reopen their library after 22 years, then certainly we
could reopen library branches once the economy improves.
Today, I ask that you demand that Carnegie Library consider all library
closures as temporary and provide you a written plan to reopen closed libraries
once the economic conditions improve. Such a plan should include a requirement
that, at their annual budget hearing, Carnegie Library make written
justification why each branch must remain closed.
To do anything less, would be to allow Carnegie Library to continue
receiving the same amount of RAD funds, while providing considerably less
service to the public. Otherwise, some of Carnegie Library’s funding should be
diverted to suburban libraries on the fringe of the city, which will have to,
now, provide service to additional city residents who lost their neighborhood
library.
Do not allow Carnegie Library to proceed with these library
closings as permanent.
Thank you.
gaw
(News article on reverse side:
Reopening of