Statement before the Glenn A. Walsh
Allegheny Regional
Asset District:
Lower North Side -- Telephone: 412-561-7876
Two
Years with No Electronic
Mail: < gaw@andrewcarnegie.cc
>
Public Library Service Internet Site: < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc
>
Despite Repaired Library 2008 March 31
Good afternoon. I am Glenn A. Walsh of
A week from today will mark exactly two years that the
Lower North Side has gone without public library service. The first year of no
library service may have been unavoidable, due to the tragic lightning strike
that temporarily closed the historic Allegheny Regional Branch of Carnegie
Library, However, this circumstance has been completely avoidable since repairs
to the Allegheny Regional Library were completed in May of last year!
Although Library management has stated that books have
been removed from the Allegheny Regional Library, anyone who looks in the
Library’s front doors today can see that not all of the books have been removed
from the building. All of the book stacks, visible from the front doors, are
full of books! It is likely that books were removed only from the sections of
the building that were damaged. At any rate, it is obvious that many of the
Allegheny Regional Library’s books remain, waiting for the public.
How long will the public have to wait to use these
books? There still has not even been a groundbreaking for the proposed new
North Side library! Why cannot Carnegie Library reopen the Allegheny Regional
Library, now, and then move the books later if they must have this fancy new
library?
The point is that RAD funds Carnegie Library to
perform a public mission. And, for two years, the portion of this mission that
serves the residents of the North Side has not been performed, even though
Carnegie Library still has received the money earmarked for this service.
I realize that you do not wish to micromanage the
assets you fund. But, where do you draw the line? When an asset is taking RAD
money, but not performing the earmarked service, is it not your responsibility
to formally address this matter?
I ask that you address this matter by directing
Carnegie Library management to reopen the Allegheny Regional Library within the
next two months, even if they actually build a new library, someday.
Thank you.
gaw