Statement before the Glenn A. Walsh
Council of
the
City of
Funding for Telephone:
412-561-7876
Carnegie Library Electronic
Mail: < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc
>
of
2006
December 12
Good morning. I am Glenn A. Walsh of
Yesterday, Carnegie Library came before you to make
requests for additional City financial support of the Library system. Let me
first say that I find their request of $250,000 for City support of day-to-day
operations is not unreasonable. This
is particularly true since the Library Director seemed to make a commitment to
use that money to increase hours of operation and services specifically in the
neighborhood branches.
It is certainly true that non-city residents use the
Library system; this is why RAD will provide the Library $16,764,000 in operating subsidy next year. However,
all Carnegie Library branches are within the City limits. Hence, an additional City subsidy of $210,000 for
library services in the neighborhoods is a quite reasonable request.
However, their half-million dollar request
for capital funds should not be considered until Carnegie Library agrees to
stop abandoning original Library buildings, including the Allegheny Regional
Branch next to Buhl Planetarium. And, until they provide a plan to reoccupy the
original Hazelwood library building on
Thank you, Mr. President, for bringing-up
the deplorable state of the Carnegie Library-abandoned historic building in
Hazelwood. However, your comments should have been addressed, not to the City
Administration, but to the Library Administration.
They are responsible for foisting a
building on the City, which cannot be used for anything but as a library. This
is why no one else has shown any interest in using the building. And, while
empty, the Hazelwood neighborhood has no access to the Library’s 250-seat auditorium.
As the Hazelwood Library building has been
empty for nearly three years, likewise the Allegheny Regional Branch library
will remain empty for many years if the Library truly abandons it. And, without
funds to match the Governor’s grant, who knows when a new North Side library
would actually be built?
This Council should insist that the
Library continue to use the original Allegheny Regional Branch library. And,
you should also insist that Carnegie Library begin, now, to plan to reoccupy
the original Hazelwood Library, when the lease on the current site expires in
two years.
Thank you.
gaw
