JOINT COMMITTEES ON LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT & PARKS, May 1, 2026

COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA JOINT COMMITTEES ON LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT AND PARKS AND RECREATION Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Friday, May 1, 2026 11:06 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCILMAN ANTHONY PHILLIPS, CHAIR COUNCILWOMAN RUE LANDAU, VICE-CHAIR COUNCILWOMAN KENDRA BROOKS COUNCILMAN JIM HARRITY COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA COUNCILMAN JEFFREY YOUNG, JR. RESOLUTION: 251083 - - -

Good morning, everyone. Thank you so much for your patience and welcome to Philadelphia City Council's Committees on Legislative Oversight and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. I note that the hour has come. Ms. Easley, will you please call the roll.

Councilmember Jones. (No response.)

Councilmember Lozada. (No response.)

Councilmember Squilla.

Present.

Councilmember Young.

Present.

Vice-Chair Bass. (No response.)

Chair Phillips.

Present.

Vice-Chair Landau.

Present.

Chair Thomas. (No response.)

Councilmember Harrity.

Present.

Councilmember Brooks.

Present.

Thank you, Ms. Easley. I note for the record that a quorum of this committee is present and this hearing is called to order. This is a public hearing of the Committees of Legislative Oversight in Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, considering testimony on Resolution No. 251083. I have a few opening remarks and then I will pass it along to the colleagues today. Before I get started, I have to say that the stenographer needs to leave at 1 o'clock so we're going to try the best we can to stay on schedule even though I know that we started a little bit late. Today is an opportunity for all of us to take a closer look at one of the most important resources our city offers Philadelphians. Our public libraries are among our most democratic institutions, places where knowledge is free, where opportunity is shared and where every individual, no matter their zip code, should be able to walk through the doors and access resources that enrich their lives and level the playing field. But as anyone who has recently visited their local library knows, many of our libraries face serious challenges, things like aging infrastructure, staffing shortages, outdated technology, inequitable access by geography, inconsistent hours and so much more. Today we will hear right from the source, directly from librarians, staff, visitors, and advocates. We need to know what barriers they are facing, what support do library workers need, what should the library of the future look like in Philadelphia, how can we ensure that every branch is equipped to serve as a modern, inclusive, and accessible community space. These questions don't just come from us. They come from the workers who are keeping these systems afloat every day. We know that it takes a lot of work and community involvement to keep a library running efficiently. How can we improve processes and protocols for the people who have dedicated themselves to this public service. Today I hope to hear from the public about their needs surrounding digital literacy, workforce development, internet implementation and social services. These are hubs for people to learn new skills, connect with others and access critical resources. We need to make sure that those who need it most are able to find, explore and use this critical infrastructure. I look forward to today's conversation and to having some of these questions answered and some ideas for the future of libraries in Philadelphia. Thank you. Do any other committee members have opening remarks, including the sponsor of the resolution?

Thank you. So I just want to say thank you all for being here today. I believe Kelly Richards has been doing his best to be transformative with the City of Philadelphia libraries, as our Mayor would say, doing the best with what he has and often times has to encounter. And so, we're looking forward to hearing a great vision on how we could be supportive of Kelly and the foundation to make the libraries better. And I also want to thank our 47 union, who's been echoing this for many, many years, long before me. And so, hopefully this Council body can work together. And I do want to thank the sponsor of the bill, Jeff Young, who's been sounding off on the importance of libraries as much as possible, but we definitely need to invest in our libraries and our parks and recs as much as possible. Thank you, Chairperson Landau, for your support too because the city doesn't do as much investment in our parks and recs and libraries in a way that other cities do and we need to find ways to create that investment as much as possible. And I sincerely, sincerely believe in reallocations to make sure that that happens. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Phillips, who I also want to say is the Chair of the Parks & Rec Committee. And now, I recognize Councilmember Jay Young, who is the sponsor of the resolution.

Thank you, Madam Chair and Councilmember Phillips, Chair of Parks & Rec Committee. Thank you so much for allowing me to have this hearing today. So I want to say good morning to members of the public. Thank you all for being here for this critical hearing, your taking the time out and we really appreciate it. All the advocates, the librarians, the educators, the neighbors who showed up not just to observe but to speak, right, to speak to your city government, to tell us what your issues and what your concerns are. Your presence underscores something that's very important, that libraries are not abstract institutions. They are lived spaces, they're community anchors and they deeply matter to the people that we serve. I introduced Resolution 10 251083 to authorize this investigatory hearing because we owe the City of Philadelphia. We owe the people in the City of Philadelphia clear answers about the current conditions of our libraries and the future of our library system. And at a moment when much is being asked of our libraries, we have a responsibility to take a hard, honest look at whether we are equipping them to meet that demand. This is about accountability, but it's also about vision. What should a 21st century library look like in a city like ours and what will it take to get us there. I want to acknowledge panelists who've joined us today. Many have dedicated their careers to expanding literacy access opportunity, not just in the 5th District, but across the City of Philadelphia. You're on the front lines of this work every day and your expertise will help ground this conversation into reality, not rhetoric. I also want to recognize the constituents from my district who are here and prepared to testify. Your voices are essential to this process and I thank you for your advocacy. We are having this hearing at a critical time when Philadelphia is facing a literacy crisis. 71% of our 4th graders aren't proficient. That's a fact, right. And almost 40% of adults still struggle to fill out job applications, read doctors' instructions and help children with their homework. These are not stats. They are warning signs about the future of our city. And just last night, our school district moved forward with a decision to close 11 schools without fully answering the 12 most basic question about how those 13 decisions were made, how 14 communities would be supported. In 15 the 5th District alone, we lost 16 Waring, Robert Morris and Penn 17 Treaty. Waring is one of the many schools that had a library in it, right, volunteer-run library, because our school district only has what, three librarians for the 490,000 students. It's moments like this when libraries are a necessity. There are places where young people can continue to learn, where families can access resources and where communities can find stability in disruption. And we have in this conversation in the middle of our budget hearing, and we know our libraries are underresourced, as my colleagues mentioned. We know there are critical gaps in staffing and hours and programming. The Mayor's budget does take an important step with investments in HVAC. I want to acknowledge that. This is just deferred maintenance that should have been happened though, should have been happened 30 years ago. So it really doesn't meaningfully address what happens inside of those library buildings, right, with expanded hours for working families, enough staff to meet the demand, the program and the literacy. Communities are asking for these things. They're asking for space. And at the moment we're closing schools and (inaudible) literacy. Standing still is not an option. In the 5th Council District, we've already taken those steps, specifically with the Cecil B. Moore Library. We've secured additional funding for that library. We've made investments in the infrastructure, including the HVAC, but we also hear the community clearly, that the vision for Cecil B. Moore Library goes beyond just repair.

Residents are asking for expanded programming, flexible spaces and a library that reflects the full potential of a neighborhood. And the reality is that that vision may not fit into a current footprint of a building. That's why we're building a Cecil B. Moore Advisory Group to ensure that the next phase of this work is shaped directly by the people who will use and rely on that library every day, because getting this right means investing with intention, with transparency and with community at the table. So today's hearing is an opportunity to take stock of where we are as a city and be honest about what will it take to move us forward, move us in the right direction because we see what our future is 70% not reading. I can't sit with that on my heart. The question before us is not whether libraries matter. The question is whether our investment reflects the reality. I look forward to thoughtful and direct conversation. And thank you all for being a part of it.

Thank you so much for your words. Ms. Easley, would you please read the title of the resolution.

Resolution 8 No. 251083, authorizing the Council Committees on Legislative Oversight and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs to hold hearings to investigate the current conditions and future of Philadelphia's public libraries.

And the Clerk will please call the first panel to testify on this resolution.

Kelly Richards, President and Director of the Free Library of Philadelphia. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Good morning, President Richards. Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony and tell us who's with you.

Good morning. Thank you, Councilwoman. I'm here with Aparna and Ty, who is my Deputy Director of Property Management. So good morning -- actually good afternoon, Chairpersons Thomas and Phillips -- oh, it's still morning. Okay -- and members of the committees. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today on Resolution No. 251083 introduced by Councilmember Young, concerning the future of Philadelphia's public libraries. I'm Kelly Richards, President and Director of the Free Library of Philadelphia. I want to begin with some of the language from the resolution. Libraries are essential civic infrastructure. As the resolution notes, our libraries are safe, accessible and free. Our 54 neighborhood libraries are hubs that connect residents with new opportunities and improve lives across every neighborhood of Philadelphia. That is not aspirational. It is the reality we see every day. In the Free Library today, we are actively planning and investing in the future we all want to see, a robust, modern future for our system that aligns with global best practices and responds directly to the needs and wishes of Philadelphia's neighborhoods. We want to bring together the best ideas, and often those come directly from our community stakeholders. Philadelphia is changing economically, technologically and socially as our city evolves so much is this civic infrastructure. The Free Library is building our operational infrastructure to be a civic learning and opportunity network, a system that connects residents not to just information, but to skills, connections and economic opportunities. In this way, we are a part of creating a Philadelphia that is safer, cleaner, greener, with access to economic opportunity for all. This future is grounded in a clear vision for our spaces, flexible, adaptable environments that can support everything from early literacy programs to workforce training, to public meetings, welcoming places for play and programming for all ages, from toddlers to teens, to older adults, civic hubs where residents engage with government, community organizations and one another, so digital resource centers that ensure equitable access to technology and digital skills. Modern libraries are not just quiet repositories of books. They are dynamic, multi-use environments designed for collaboration, creativity and community connection. Our vision reflects that reality and ensures that Philadelphia keeps pace with the best libraries in the country and the world. In some cases, new building spaces can be very successful, such as our library in South Philadelphia, a collaborative effort between the library, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the Department of Public Health and Philadelphia Parks & Rec. But just as importantly, we have demonstrated that extraordinary modern libraries can be created within beautiful historic buildings. Recent transformations at the Frankford, Kingsessing, Paschalville, Blanche Nixon, Cobbs Creek, Lawncrest show what is possible when we invest thoughtfully. These projects, all of which were completed in the past year, preserve architectural heritage while delivering modern, flexible, technology-rich environments that meet today's needs. We look for solutions that are both fiscally responsible and align with community identity. This vision is not theoretical. It is backed by real investment and strong partnership with other city agencies. For example, the Capital Program Office has been a partner in investing in projects in recent years, including 48 million in capital improvement projects finished in Fiscal Year '25, and 28 million in additional projects finished or in process right now. These improvements include needed roof replacements, HVAC repair and several renovated libraries inside and out. At the Free Library, we have been making open hours a serious priority.

Two years ago we hired a director of property management and have been building a revitalized team to strengthen our planning and systems to ensure we make progress toward a bolder future. With our team coming into place, we're taking a more systematic approach to planning. A decade ago, through the 21st century library initiative, five total neighborhood libraries were assessed and upgraded to meeting changing needs of those communities. The city continued this work through its Rebuild initiative by identifying neighborhood libraries for 7 modernization to date. 8 Through the city's 9 continued support, we're now able 10 to complete 10 building facility 11 assessments per year, allowing us to identify emerging issues before they become a crisis, build a data- driven understanding of system-wide needs and develop the case for strategic long-term capital investment. This is exactly the type of structured system-wide approach the resolution calls for, and we've already begun the work. We finished the first 10 assessments and are lining up the next 10 for next year. In the meantime, we're addressing known HVAC and roof issues with our increased very much-appreciated increased capital budget allocation. If we only fix what is broken, we'll fall behind. If we only build new, we risk of leaving communities waiting. The right approach is a balanced, phased investment strategy that does both. We're grateful for the strong support from City Council and Mayor Parker's Administration. We've been responsible stewards of these resources and we are committed to continuing the stewardship. We're making substantial progress with more open hours, more renovated library spaces and addressing many needed deferred maintenance issues. We're keeping most of our library services open while closing select locations for upgrades. With this balanced approach, we aim to make steady progress for years to come. The Free Library stands ready to partner with you to build a system that is moderate and resilient, equitable and accessible, flexible and future-ready and deeply rooted in every neighborhood. A system where truly access meets opportunity. Thank you for your leadership, your partnership, your commitment to Philadelphia's libraries. And I welcome any questions.

Thank you so much. I wanted to start just asking some questions, a little bit of a follow-up of what I asked you during budget and then we'll pass along to the committee members. But if we are told as the public that the main reason for many closures during the deep winter and the deep summer are HVAC issues, why haven't you assessed all library branches solely on HVAC issues?

The building assessments that are being done by our contractors are assessing everything in the building. Our assessments that we are doing for HVAC are taking place by staff and our current contractors who handle our HVAC day-to-day needs. We are aware of those particular issues. Sometimes the systems, some of them are very old and they break, but we are assessing those all the time. We're having people, our contractors look at them and our staff are looking at them.

Have you assessed all libraries for their HVAC needs?

I have our Deputy of Property Management here who can address how they've gone out to assess and look at all of those systems internally. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Good morning. This is Ty Dupass, Property Management. So internally we are assessing all of the units. We're working with our contractor, not only to assess but to deal with the units. I'll give you a perfect example. As we're talking, we're replacing the boiler at Wyoming. I can't wait for another project to come Wyoming's way, so we're replacing the boiler now in preparation for next winter. While the HVAC system may still be fair, we know that boilers need to be replaced so we're not waiting on that. So that's why we need to continuously do assessments. In addition to the assessments, we work with the state of Pennsylvania Department of Labor Industry, who also monitors our boilers. And if for whatever reason they're looking at our responsibilities and not maintaining those boilers, they can shut us down. We avoid that at all costs. So we have a partnership in Capital Programs obviously, but also the Commonwealth, who comes and monitors our boilers too. They can come at any given time so it's up to us too. And it's not just the HVAC. It's the heating too. It goes both ways, so to continuously monitor that. You come to our office now where paperwork is all in the place. You can open up the binder and see the certificates that the state witnessed the boiler, and that's how we discovered the boiler at Bustleton was bad, and that's how we were able to replace it. So it's a continuous thing externally with the assessments. They're doing a comprehensive study, but internally we have to continue to do the day-to-day stuff.

Thank you. Thank you for that answer. Happy May Day. Today is May 1st. It is nice to -- (Applause.)

It's nice to talk about boilers now. We should get to a place where we're going to fix boilers in the summer and where we can fix air-conditioning when it starts getting warm enough. But right now we have a problem that many of the libraries likely won't open due to air-conditioning and air management. You said you are assessing each library branch. There's not that many. Have you assessed each library branch solely on HVAC to decide what you need to do, but maybe focusing specifically on rising to the top, the ones that need air-conditioning, because we're moving into that season, not the boiler season?

Yes. I'll let Ty address that. But the systems are old. We're assessing them to make sure that none of the buildings close. We know that more need to be replaced. We have already made that assessment. We're trying our best to keep them operational until we go through the process of replacing them, but I will let Ty explain that from a more technical perspective.

Let me ask some more technical questions too while you're doing that. That's interesting. You say staff helps too. Is this turning on the air-conditioner to see if it works? What are we talking about here when we know that there's an air-conditioning system that didn't work last summer, therefore, a library was closed last summer. Are we assessing it again now to see whether it's going to work this summer or could we just go out and fix it?

When they break, we fix them. We work on them and fix them, even if they're ones that we know over time where the whole system needs to be gutted and replaced. But we go in and we fix the system to keep it running, knowing that at some point it's going to be in the queue because it's not as bad as some of the other ones where we know we need to replace it and it's already higher in the queue.

So we just completed changeover from winter to summer. There's some boilers and air-conditioning equipment that are not on automatic building management system and electronic computerized system, so we have to go out physically to the ones that are not to make sure that they're working. Between the contractor and our internal staff of HVAC technicians, we're constantly monitoring, especially the ones that are not on the system, to make sure they're running optimally. We have changes of filters and belts to make sure everything's running smoothly. And from time to time when we get in trouble, if a motor blows for whatever reason, we're at the mercy of waiting for that part. Because the systems are older, we have to wait for that part before it's replaced, but we're continuously monitoring the system.

Do you believe that all libraries are at the point now where they would be open this summer, they can remain open this summer?

At this particular point, are there any issues with ones -- I believe that they will be open. The thing is you just don't know if something's going to happen because some of the systems are old, and that is why we have our contractors in place to address those issues when they come up until we get new systems in every one of our locations.

I fully understand that things break. I know you're talking about hypotheticals. You're also saying at this very moment though you believe that the HVAC systems are functioning enough at every library that each library can remain open in the summer?

At this time, are there any issues with any that we don't think will open? I believe we're okay right now. It just I don't want to get -- we've got projects in the queue for ones we know we need to work on. We have those particular projects in our queue where we're going to try to stay open as long as we can, while those libraries are worked on. I just know from older buildings that sometimes things happen. But the ones that we are concerned about at this particular time that have raised to that level are being addressed in this fiscal year.

Okay. Thank you. I wanted to pass it along to colleagues who have questions. Chair recognizes Councilmember Anthony Phillips.

Thank you all so much for your testimony today. I was able to listen and read it thoroughly. I just have a couple questions. I wanted to follow up on Vice-Chair Rule Landau's comments. So the idea of providing -- Ty, I think she was trying to mention in terms of the question, which was kind of my question, is that do you have a strategic plan on how you're going to address HVAC at the library? Meaning like year one, we're focused on HVAC for these libraries that have deficiencies, year two, year three, what is the process? And then also, do we have a steady maintenance plan, right? So most companies and organizations having these plans are important, right. And I just think what you have said, if I heard correctly what I'm hearing from you, Ty, is that we are constantly looking at the issue, which to me that sounds reactionary as opposed to being proactive. Do you have a proactive strategy to it?

Yes. The strategy started with hiring our Director of Property Management. We are currently in the process of building out a strategic plan for the whole library system that includes our property management concerns. We're also in the process of doing these building condition assessments, which we already have 10 done, and we are working on going out to bid for 10 more. We also have a new performance asset tool that's helping us track all of our assets, which includes all of our HVC systems and boiler units and mechanical systems through our system so -- I mean, throughout the library. And we're using our internal staff to go out to assess, continue, monitor, maintain those HVAC systems with our contractors, so this is the strategy and this is our plan as we build out that larger building assessment.

So you're saying there's 10 buildings that you have a strategic plan for, 10 library buildings?

That's correct.

Okay. Can you share that plan with Council?

Yes.

And what that looks like, if it's detailed. And then my next question was centered on the assessment. I just received word about the West Oak Lane Library, they're going to be closed until August. That's why it was reported. And I'm saying, how do you make those types of decisions for libraries to close for that long? Why would it be that long for HVAC to be fixed in that particular predicament?

That's a little technical so I'll let Ty answer.

So we're just not replacing the system where you go down to Home Depot and just replace it. It required after the design, after we get the equipment, there's a lead time of anywhere between 8 to 10 weeks, sometimes more, demo of the old equipment, any modifications of any supports, electrical work, upgrade the capacity of the electricity, building out the infrastructure for the BAS system, in addition to the installation, any modification of duct work, testing and balancing.

So why can't we get something like that in writing that we can give to community members who are grossly concerned with a timeline of that nature, right? So it's about communication and transparency, you know. And I keep saying it's one of the reasons why the mayor in New York is so popular right now is because he does a great job from his administrative standpoint being transparent. I believe in transparency. And we have to be honest with people and say, no 24 matter how hard it is, this is the reason why this is the timeline. Because in their mind, it's now April and you're telling me August to put in the HVAC. Is that really the best you could do? Are there preparations we could have done before the closure to mitigate that? I mean, these are conversations that the community could potentially be a part of and say, before you close it all away, you know, this is important, can you -- due to order materials for 8 to 10 weeks that you said, while we're still here, can we have something, maybe we get some fans -- or not fans, but window air-conditioners or I don't know, something that it just feels a lot more transparent? And then say, okay, once the materials are here, we're going to start the construction, everyone has to leave, so that way people don't have to wait so long. Have we thought through that?

Yes. We try to keep them open as long as we can and, you know, I guess to a point where we've got to shut it down because of the temperatures, but we try to keep it open even if we can work in certain parts of the building.

Okay.

Which that's our goal, is to try to do that.

And the last question I have, just for now, assessing all the units, how long is it going to take to assess all these units in terms of the HVAC? I think Councilmember Landau was mentioning HVAC. I just heard a boiler is broken down at East Oak Lane Library. What's the time frame to assess the stability of it?

The larger building assessment, which is a more complex, detailed assessment with multiple contractors involving in several areas of the building, those take longer. I think this particular time it was about 9 months to do the 10 and those take a while, but their shelf life isn't long because of cost of doing business and everything. So what we're doing --

You said it's nine months to assess the state of a library?

We do our own assessments, as I mentioned earlier, in regards to some of the needs and concerns that we see from our regular contractors and our staff.

Good morning. Aparna Palantino, Deputy Managing Director, Capital Program Office. I just want to clarify, Councilmember, you're asking about the building assessments or --

Yeah, the building assessments.

So the building assessment start to end was a nine-month process because that includes finding a firm to do it all the way to a final report. The reason they take that long, they're just not going to a building, look at it, see what's working, what's not. There was also extensive work done with the staff to help identify improvements needed for program purposes, you know, what do libraries need today, what are some programs they would like to have. So it was not only just the physical assessment, but it was also an operational and programmatic assessment. So those take weeks of time to engage staff at multiple levels, both administrative executive staff but also on-site staff. So those conversations, not only physical, which included architects, mechanical engineer, plumbing engineers to assess all those systems, structural engineers, but also the programmatic components. So each library, if you will, took a number of weeks. So cumulatively, it was done by the same team. So we have a very good standard across every facility and the goal is to continue that for all the branches. We know some of them, as Kelly mentioned, were recently renovated. So of course those 10 or 11 are fine and have just reopened from major transformation. So we work with the library staff to identify each cohort of sites for assessment. It's based on the research done internally to say these are the ones that the facility staff have noticed have continual problems. Those rise to the top. The sites are identified based on priority that way. Those are also used -- you'll see when we forward the assessment -- the first 10 libraries alone, they have about $21 million just of critical infrastructure needs. That doesn't even begin to address the operational and programmatic needs. It was upwards of $100 million for 10 libraries. So we take that information and then we ask for that money in the capital budget. So the purpose of those assessments is not only to evaluate the physical and programmatic concerns with every facility, but it's also to strategically request the funds in future capital budgets. We would love to have a billion dollars to fix everything, but we are trying to be fiscally responsible.

Yeah. No, I get it. The only thing I just want to say is, just like Councilmember Landau's question, when I was in the nonprofit sector, you can pick the long-term strategic plan process or the shorter strategic plan process. There is no way we want to rush things. However, you can do an assessment with staff at a shorter period of time than extending it out for months and months and months for dialogue. They'll probably prefer more action than anything. And then also, I just think that it's -- I understand right now there's been a halt on the capital large scale, what we will call Rebuild, right, but now it's called Capital Projects. I just don't understand because we should be able to tell the public who is still receiving this beverage tax, right, that there is money that's being put together strategically to do larger-scale projects in every single councilmanic district, and right now libraries should be a part of it. Is there a plan right now, Aparna, where you could say every year we're going to be doing different councilmanic districts libraries that have been untouched, libraries have been untouched in different districts, and be it through Rebuild which now is called Capital Project? And I'm going to turn it over. I'm talking too much. Y'all got me excited.

So with regards to the question around Rebuild, that was a point-in-time initiative, you know, in partnership with City Council to identify a certain cohort of parks, rec centers and libraries. It also had external funding sources. But the intent is to continue making those investments. In fact, in the Capital Program this year and for the next five years, there has been a significant increase of 500% in the amount of investment being put into libraries to ensure that these branches stay open. If there is a particular library for a particular concern that needs to be completely renovated, a larger scale, that's a conversation certainly with Councilmembers that we have, and the library, it gets prioritized to be a particular type of project. The 21st century libraries were an example of that. It's not just the city. It's partnerships with external funders.

Because right now the funding is coming from District Councilmembers' ITEFs and we also have to negotiate like, hey, from the budget standpoint should we focus on this. To me, this is why this idea of doing an additional tax, there's mistrust, right, because the city has not even managed a tax that was supposed to continue on just for these type of facilities, libraries, recreation centers and so forth. I'm just saying I think you will want to revisit that because people need to see those results. I'll turn it over to Chair Landau.

Thank you. I'm going to pass it in just one second to our colleague, who I know is waiting very patiently. But I really just have to say this. Thank you for the work that you are doing right now. But I want to be clear, one quick question, are you using the same firm for all of the library assessments?

For the first 10, we did. The next one we are soliciting firms, but we're using that framework and asking each new cohort of any firm that is selected to follow that same, so we have an apples-to-apples comparison of the entire system so we don't end up with information in different formats.

I think what I want to say now, and I'll pass it over and we'll come back to this, is that none of this is new information. The thing that is mind-boggling here is that we know that we've had libraries in serious physical deterioration for a long time. We know things have been broken. And it's this framework that you've created, which has gotten us only 10 libraries done, sounds good, great, whatever, but we've known all of this stuff. Have you not been gathering your own maintenance and repair requests and assessing them up until now in a way that would actually effectuate getting some repairs done, getting our staff to be in comfortable healthy conditions, and opening it up to the public? It's really amazing to me to hear some of this, like none of this is new information. And even without the money, as somebody who ran two city agencies, I can tell you nothing stopped you from creating a plan and gathering this information yourself and then always coming back and saying, we need money to do X. So again, I'm glad you're doing it now, but this is not new information.

You're absolutely correct. And as Ty mentioned earlier, that is an ongoing process. So the projects we identified, we worked on last year, the investment of 48 million in completed projects was not based on those assessments. The 20 million that is currently under way 21 is not based on those assessments. 22 Those assessments help to inform 23 FY27 and the next five years 24 beyond, that is where that request came. But again, there could be branches that Ty and his team, through their regular ongoing review of these systems, identify that will take higher priority than anything listed in that assessment, because that is an ongoing continual review of systems. They do that on a daily basis.

Two seconds --

Hold on -- Chair recognizes Councilmember Anthony Phillips.

I just want to note, Kelly, I know you work hard, I know that Aparna works hard. Ty, you're the lead on this. Your responses to these questions makes me worried. You see, because you should be an expert in on the data, the information, the numbers and you should be able to articulate a strategic plan. Just my feedback is that you shouldn't be reactionary. You should be more proactive to this issue, and be able to say, here's the information, here's my assessments that I know of, of all these libraries, and be able to say, I can't do much, I don't have a -- whatever that might be, but I think your answers have to be -- as the lead on the libraries, I feel like you have to become much more of an expert. So that's my encouragement and support of you, because I just wasn't pleased with the fact that, you know, Richards, who's handling a lot of the operations in the libraries, right, I think he has to rely a lot more on you going forward or someone who can really create a strategy for a really serious, serious problem in our city. And I just want to say that's incredibly important. So that's just my feedback. I'm done.

Chair recognizes Councilmember Jeffrey Young.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I also want to echo, Ty, I know you work very hard, and Kelly and Aparna, our office are engaging often on matters and I thank you for that. Some of the questions I have are -- so just want to put things in perspective about our library system. One, so the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Art Museum -- I don't know what the name is now, one of them -- they see about 800,000 visitors per year, right. And our Free Library system as a whole sees about 6 million visitors a year. And just putting that number into perspective, based on the capital improvement, capital investments over the Five Year Plan, we're investing million 5 for the Art Museum over the Five 6 Year Plan cycle for capital 7 investments. For our library 8 system over the Five Year Plan 9 cycle, we're investing $39 million 10 over five years for 54 libraries, 11 so that turns out to be $2.50 of 12 capital investment per visitor for the Art Museum, and for our library system is $0.59 per visitor for our library. So those are numbers I want to put in perspective when you break it down based on the users of the system, because that's what it's all about. It's about the users of the system, the experience they have when they come to our libraries, the infrastructure, how comfortable they are, that's what it's about. And is that enough, right? Is the number that we put forward in our Five Year Plan really enough to address the issues that we have in our library system?

You're asking a Library Director that question. You know, that's a very good question and a question library directors across the country like to hear. I, as the Library Director here at one of the greatest library systems in the world and the country, whatever support that we can get to make these libraries better to serve our communities even more extensively than what we do now to keep the buildings open, I'll take whatever support we can get.

I just want to note that if we are going to be investing in arts and culture scenes, right, our free libraries, our free libraries of Philadelphia, a place that is for Philadelphians, I think we deserve a little bit more attention and investment in that space. So just something to put on a record. Now, are you able to tell us what libraries have already been assessed?

Sure, we can get that.

Yes, so the 10 libraries in the first cohort?

Yes.

Bustleton, Falls -- I can send the list if you'd like.

If you have it, I would like it for the record so we can hear what libraries.

Certainly, Bustleton Library, Falls of Schuylkill Library, Fox Chase, Joseph E. Coleman, Kensington, Lucien Blackwell, Oak Lane, Rodriguez, Torresdale and Wynnefield.

Thank you. And when you are assessing the libraries, as some of my colleagues mentioned, I think that there should be a way to do this quicker when you have work orders that have already been put in place at certain libraries. So that has to work for the contractor, right, so I think we can move a little bit quicker. But what exactly are you looking for? What exactly is in these building assessments that you received back so far?

So it's a comprehensive assessment of the entire physical structure, from the structure itself, all of the mechanical systems, the electrical, plumbing, it is the interior finishes, it is the organization of the building itself, as I mentioned, on top of the physical infrastructure, top to bottom essentially. Everything in the building is being commented on, roofs. We're also doing a programmatic assessment, working with staff to see how could this library be reconfigured to address the needs of today, so that's not a one-hour visual review. That's several days of conversation, and then if the library potentially needs to be reconfigured to be able to accommodate that new program that would suit today's needs.

Thank you. That just alluded to my next question. How long does this assessment take out with the contractor? How long are they taking to assess the libraries on average? How long did it take them to come up with that assessment?

So the 7 actual work on site or in the 8 branch is about two weeks, two to 9 three weeks. That final 10 compilation of the report, the way the information is presented, I know Ty has spent many, many hours, as is Kelly and my team, reviewing those assessments, so there's a draft submitted. We send it back saying we need the information in a way that can be broken down by systems, it can be broken down by priorities. So the actual work is not that long. We do get that raw information. But then configuring it in a way that the library can react to certain things sooner rather than later takes a little bit of back and forth.

So I understand that. But if we've only budgeted for of these a year, 5 but the actual work doesn't take 6 that long, right, so why are we 7 only doing 10? 8

So I 9 will say there's two main reasons. 10 The information, as I mentioned from the first 10, the need was to address all of what was assessed is upwards of 100 million for 10 branches. We don't have 100 million immediately to put into 10 branches, right. So then we get to the next 10, you get another 100 million so that just keeps going. And what happens is then those assessments, the information is no 21 longer valid by the time you actually get to making those improvements based on allocations. So we had done this -- I'm dating myself, but I wasn't with Parks and Recreation at the time, but there was an assessment done in the mid-2000s for the entire system, every single rec center. However, what happened is certainly no one got to making those improvements, you know, that is again billions of dollars. And what happened is half of those assessments just sat there. There was no productive outcome. So we spent money to do that, the information -- even a roof assessed today, in 10 years may not be a good roof. The mechanical system that might be fine today in three years may not be fine. So the information no 20 longer has any validity and we've spent the money to just create documents that then sit on shelves. So we are being very strategic in taking the facilities that are in condition that will have issues in that priority. That's how we prioritize the sites that we are assessing. We know that there's serious issues with these 10. Let's figure out what they are, how much it's going to cost, take those numbers, put them into a capital ask to present to City Council to say, we know these are real needs, can you fund these. There's a lot in those assessments that we know we may not get to, you know, changing the -- I'm just going to say the paint color, right. For example, maybe there's a color that would be more suitable, it needs to freshen up. That's not even the highest priority. That's priority 3, you know. HVAC roofs, fire alarms, those are the things that are the highest priority. Those are the investments we're asking for when we present the capital budget to City Council.

So in having some of the libraries, we know that each library may not have the same level of need, right. So we can prioritize the ones that have that higher level, even if we do more than at a time, right, 10 because we know they just need paint, we can just, you know, move them a little lower than the one that needs an entire roof and HVAC system and things like that. So I just think that 10 at a time we're piecemealing it together. And I don't know if for our communities that is to be acceptable because the buildings are going to continue to deteriorate as you wait 10 at a time, like. Are you able to tell us who the next 10 are?

Yes, I just have one question here. But they're Fumo, Eastwick, Walnut West, Haverford, Widener, Holmesburg, Wyoming, Ogontz, Greater Olney and Welsh Road. And we can submit those to you as well.

Thank you. So just a question for Mr. Richards. The Library describes the system describes libraries as a civic, learning and opportunity network with flex space for working training literacy programs, digital access. But what level of operating funds, right now we're talking about operating funds, is actually needed to make this vision real in every neighborhood, in every branch?

Can you repeat the question?

So essentially, there are programs that happen in some libraries that don't happen in others, right. Workforce training programs, early literacy, whatever type program it is. The programming isn't equal. And so, just asking has there been any assessment on what investment is needed to ensure that there is access to equitable programming throughout our system?

Good question, Councilman. Thank you. For the last two years, we've received from you and the city and the Mayor significant funding for programming for our libraries, funding we've never received before. And that has allowed us to push out some programming from our Central Office out to our neighborhood libraries in a way we haven't done before. Again, you're asking a librarian if we want more money. The dollars that we have are providing the level of programming that we need for our locations, as we build our capacity with our staff at our locations. As we continue to build our capacity, there will be more opportunities for us to do more programming at those locations. But at this particular time, with the support that not only do we get from our Foundation dollars, but what we get from the city, the kinds of programming that we do at our neighborhood libraries, that funding is in a really good place.

Tell us some of the challenges you're having with staff. You've mentioned that.

Well, the challenges or we're working our way through, I'll phrase it that way, that we're working our way through was that we were understaffed for a very long time. It takes near 1000 employees to run our library system. When I started as Library Director, we had 620 or 630, and it had been that way for a very long time. But now -- our HR department has worked really hard, our staffing levels have increased. Our staff have worked hard to train the new staff and we have put people in place throughout our neighborhood libraries to provide the support that's necessary to provide the level of programming that we are actually doing now. Actually, our programming numbers have gone up substantially, as I believe you've got some of that data, because of the resources that you've given us, the resources the Mayor have given us to do some of the programming. Our staff has always been creative to provide necessary programming for our neighborhood libraries, and they did it really just making it happen. But now, we've got some of the resources to support their efforts. And because of those resources, our numbers have gone up.

Thank you. I have a few other questions if you mind, Madam Chair. Thank you. I want to touch on the HVAC issues. Can you tell us just over the past two years how many closures happened in our system because of the HVAC and other issues?

Do you have that number on you?

And what's the typical turnaround time been to resolve those?

You know what, Councilman, that's something we don't have quick access to. If not --

If not, it's okay. You can submit that information --

I can submit that information.

-- with those numbers. But I know in my district alone we had, you know, Fishtown closed for some time. We had Rodriguez had some issues, Marrero had some issues.

I will say this, our numbers has increased, our opening hours have increased in regards to our HVAC issues. I can tell you that because I really feel good about that, but I will submit that information to you, the actual data.

Thank you. I've been on Council for -- this is my third year. And then Cecil B. Moore had issues. It was four libraries that I know of, right, in my district, in the last two and a half years. So if you could really provide us with that information, that'd be helpful, because we want to help you invest in that. We want to see where the problems are occurring so we can invest. That's our job as Councilmembers because we want to help.

I'll get that to you.

And just the last question, what patterns do you see across the branches? What are some of the conditions that you see popping up on a regular basis? And can tell us what communities do you see those issues occurring in?

Issues, can you be more specific?

So I'm sure that there are work orders put in from folks in the system. What are some of the common issues that you see, that Ty sees over and over again? And what neighborhoods are these recurring issues happening?

So for one, we rarely talk about it, but we have ADA accessibility issues. When I think about Donna Tucci, there's no ADA accessibility in terms of ramps or anything like that. Roof leaks, we don't discuss Eastwick a lot but we just replaced a portion of the roof at Eastwick. They were having chronic roof issues. So we're talking about roof issues, ADA issues. Windows, so if we're installing HVAC, we should be also installing windows. We did a roof project at Joseph E. Coleman last year where we were only able to do the upper top windows at the time and we hope to circle back and replace the bottom windows. But when we're talking about the HVAC, it's important to also think about the envelope, whether it's a roof or windows or anything like that, front entrances, making sure doors are secure. So it sometimes goes beyond HVAC. And to clarify something previously, the strategy we're working on now we are implementing the system Performer, which a lot of organ agencies use. I have data that when we implement this system, we'll be tracking these systems in realtime. So when I came here, I had to guesstimate what had a deficiency and what didn't have a deficiency. Now, we're documenting data and for each asset, we'll have a life cycle of that asset. When we did the last inspection, when we replace belts and filters and things like that, that's something we're implementing and developing now. When I first came aboard, I had an email, a book full of data telling me what the problem was, but it wasn't helping me. So over the past year, I've been codifying that data. So now when I implement the system, I have all of that stuff in front of me so we can be more strategic. So it's not just relying on work orders and things like that. I need to see the full picture with everything in the building. I just wanted to make that clarification.

Thank you. My last question: In the budget book, it mentions that the Parkway Central branch has been getting upgrades in public safety with a gunshot detection system. Are there any other libraries getting a gunshot detection system?

Not at this time. This would be our first opportunity to actually see and work through this process, and we'll look at how we would roll that out anywhere else.

So can I ask why was the Central Library chosen if you look at data around libraries where violence occurs? I can tell you I represent the Cecil B. Moore Library and then other libraries in our city where I know those communities could benefit from such technology? I mean, I represent the Central Library as well. So the data doesn't really correlate to the type of investment that's being made here. So I'm just wondering if we can invest in this type of technology at our libraries and some of the neighborhoods that actually experience or are going through gun violence on an everyday basis?

Oh, absolutely, Councilman. We've got the people there to actually judge it, see how well it works, you know, utilize it, and then it's an opportunity to push it out. I would like it to go everywhere now. Yeah, absolutely. But this gives us an opportunity to actually see if this is the best system, this is the best process and to judge --

How, when there's no gunshots downtown?

It's more than just gunshots. It's also a communication tool through all the staff in the building on how we will reach out to them, so it's a little bit more detailed than that. But I can provide you with the information on actually how it works. I don't have it here in front of me or the staff person, our Director of Security who's actually over it, but I can get you that information.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. I just want to do one quick follow-up before we get to the next panel on the Performance Asset tool that you're getting. Can you tell us a little bit more about that? And if -- first, tell me and then I've got to follow up, because I hope this answers my question.

So in addition to the work order system, where a user submits a work order to the staff, they go out and they fix it. Part of that too with the work order is to communicate the progress of that work order, not just to fix it, don't let anybody know, like the Councilperson was saying, communication is key, right. But in addition to that, with our vendors we're also making sure that vendors have accountability as well as the in-house staff to make sure that equipment like a (inaudible) or a handle unit is being taken care of, making sure our annual inspections are being done in a timely manner. We're taking the information, we're inputting it. We'll have a list of those assets, the newer ones and the older ones, and building out a profile so we can track the lifetime of that piece of equipment, how much money we spent on it, parts and everything, track for trends like why are we spending some money on this boiler here, what's wrong with this boiler that we got to spend so much money and wrench time, labor hours on this particular thing. What we're confronting right now is like a classic game of Whack-a-Mole, and that's not a process that I personally want to participate in going through the system. So we're trying to get a systematic approach and more strategy and being transparent where anybody can say, hey, look, this is what FLP is doing. So our goal is to be strategic and transparent at the same time so we're not, you know, you don't have to ask these questions, you know what we're doing and what we're not doing is clear. And, you know, being transparent to the public. It's a public trust. But that's it. Just --

Thank you all so much. I appreciate so much you're telling us all this. It seems the library has been struggling for so long. It's a little shocking this is only happening now. Thank you for doing it. But it's a little shocking that it's only happening now. Very glad that we'll be tracking things and know that if we're putting way too much money for too long into an old boiler, it's time to get a new boiler. Appreciate you. If there's no further questions for this panel, thank you very much. Hope you'll stick around for the next panel. And Ms. Easley, can you please call the next panel.

Robert Harris, Vice-President, AFSCME D.C. 47; Elizabeth Gardner, Library Supervisor at the Fishtown Community Library; Margaret Triandafyllis Library Supervisor. at Charles Santore Library; Elizabeth Maher, Library Supervisor, Interlibrary Loan Department at the Parkway Central Library; Elizabeth Kenny, Library Supervisor at Bustleton Library, and Brett Bessler, Vice-President, Local 21. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Thank you all so much for being here. We're excited to hear your expertise. We thought it was very important to get as much information as we could from the previous panel. And just a reminder, we do have to be out of here at 1:00, but we can't wait to hear from you. And please, first person to testify please state your name for the record and proceed.

Robert Harris, Vice-President, Legislative Director, AFSCME District Council 47. Good morning, Vice-Chair Landau, Chair Phillips, Committee members, and the Philadelphia public. I'm just going to say Councilmember Young now since it's only three of them today. I have members with me who serve as library supervisors from various libraries in Philadelphia as well as the Vice-President and Business Agent of our First-Level Supervisors Local, Local 2186, Brett Bessler. Today we're going to discuss HVAC issues across the Free Library system. There is no 1 surprise to anybody in attendance today that there is infrastructure issues, right, in many of the aging facilities that the city owns, including our libraries. We appreciate the 5.5 million in proposed HVAC improvements for Fiscal Year '27 to start to address these issues as well as the 39 million for Fiscal Year '27 to '32 in the capital program recommended for improvements to library facilities. We appreciate the strategic goal of developing a comprehensive plan to assess management systems, to enhance cleanliness, to enhance our indoor air quality ensuring reliable operations, to reduce service disruptions and to create a healthier, more compliant environment for the patron and staff. We are aware that between the Councilmembers, employees in the community groups and Administration are all aware of these surrounding issues. We thank City Councilmembers who have aggressively questioned Library leadership during budget hearings, especially Councilmember Young and Councilmember Landau's line of questioning around the full assessment of library facility issues. But my members in the communities they serve are concerned that the Administration's plan is stuck on reactive measures instead of proactive planning to address the conditions that our communities and employees endure, especially during the extreme weather months. The Union and the City Administration have negotiated on a policy that I have shared with the Councilmembers to ensure comfortable environment for all city employees working inside city- owned or leased buildings. It is a standard used to keep our employees safe, because all employees should be able to feel safe at work. When conditions linger outside of the agreed-upon parameters, employees should be reassigned to different library locations. We have received multiple reports from our members that in some cases this does not occur, and I'm sure that our dedicated librarians and staff often stick it out in order to continue to provide the services and programming to the communities that they deeply care about. President and Director of the Free Library of Philadelphia Kelly Richards has been accessible to our President April Giggetts when environmental issues surrounding members at FLP do land on her desk. You will hear today how our members are on the front lines of receiving complaints from community members who use the public libraries, and they do report these issues to management. We hope that with our testimony today we will continue to open doors for stronger collaboration with City Council and the FLP administration in our joint goal to strengthen environmental safety in all of the branches of the Free Library for the benefit of the workers and our community. We thank you for the opportunity to hear us today.

Thank you. Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony.

My name is Elizabeth Gardner. I'm a Library Supervisor at the Fishtown location. Good morning, Councilmembers and the viewing public. Thank you for this opportunity to speak today. My name is Liz. I'm a Library Supervisor. I've been with the library for 10 years, now over 10 years. As a supervisor on site, I take very seriously my responsibility for not only the building but the staff that work with me and the public that use our facilities, in addition to everything inside the building that is so precious to us. I'd like to take this time today to tell you a story about my library. On July 5, 2024 the Fishtown Community Library's summer program is in full swing. There's a teen video game event happening this afternoon at o'clock. The 3 only problem is that the library's third floor where this event is set to take place is at 82% humidity. This is a healthy humidity level for a well-functioning rain forest, but disastrous for a library. After weeks of this high humidity, which is caused by a lack of dehumidification components in the HVAC system, the pages of our books are beginning to curl. The building smells like damp earth. There are several sinister dark splotches on the carpet near the public computers and in the children's area where babies and toddlers often play. Mold blooms on an office wall. Multiple staff complain of respiratory issues and skin irritation. There are promises of a fix soon, always soon. Since air-conditioning season began, staff have been submitting building service requests. They have been escalating to supervisors, and then to the supervisors of supervisors, and sending evidence of the problems to library management. Workers take it upon themselves to create a spreadsheet tracking that daily temperature and humidity. I looked back at this spreadsheet before today's testimony. The spreadsheet shows that the Fishtown Library had humidity levels above 55%, which is the percentage which mold growth can activate. For 90% of the days in June and July 2024, humidity was above 70% more than half of the time. After months of uncomfortable and concerning environmental conditions, hours upon hours of staff time documenting and escalating the problem and multiple closures to the public, portable dehumidifiers are provided to the library. So now multiple times a day, staff struggle to remove and carry these catch trays containing gallons of water each and then dumping them in custodial closets or outside. This takes time out of the staff's work day and increases trip, slip and fall hazards. The vibrating hum of these five dehumidifiers resonates through the library. It's an annoyance, but it's outweighed by the mitigated threat of mold, respiratory distress and damage to the library's books and equipment. Staff do get some relief in heating season when the HVAC system is cooking moisture out of the air. If I had more time, I'd tell you about how the library's second floor bakes with heat of 85 degrees and above in the winter. In late spring 2025, the heat switches off. The high humidity returns and the cycle continues. Then in December 2025, the HVAC upgrade that had been promised finally begins, a year behind schedule. So this is my library's HVAC story. And as a location that fought and won an intensive renovation, we're one of the lucky ones. This year we'll finally be able to function without the stress of an uncomfortable and unhealthy workplace. It took every ounce of patience, determination and the inability to accept the word no to be able to secure the upgrades that were necessary for years. Advocating for solutions to persistent HVAC-related issues in just one library location could be a full-time job. And indeed it took my focus away from the work that I love and the work that I feel called to do.

I cannot overstate the stress, fear, concern, frustration and the severe hit to morale and trust that the chronic inability to fix these problems and even to provide timely short-term solutions to the problems has caused me and the staff and their community. I hope you never need to tell a parent or a caregiver that the carpet is not safe to play on because we don't know what that strange dark spot is and we've been denied a mold test. I hope you never need to put your plans for community events, special activities and your own professional development on the backburner because you need to run around dumping gallons of water from dehumidifiers, keeping close track of temperatures and humidity readings and writing emails and making phone calls over and over again, begging for your building's needs to be addressed. I couldn't do my best work these past two years and I sacrificed the level of community service excellence to which I strive to advocate for bare minimum health, safety and comfort in a critical public space. There are numerous other buildings that need upgrades to their critical infrastructure and we're just one of many. And I think we all agree that it's too many. What is being prioritized over safe, functional and reliable city buildings? Our workforce deserves better. Our communities need better, and I'm asking you to please help us get there. One comment that I have after hearing the testimony of Library administration is that I'm not afraid to say that I don't think we have enough staff to offer robust service. There's a difference between being fully staffed according to the allocation and being robustly staffed and doing our best for our communities. And I'm also not afraid to say that we do need more investment in our buildings to be able to function. Thank you so much. )

Thank you very much. We're going to ask any questions or comments afterwards. Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony.

Good morning. My name is Margaret Triandafyllis and I'm the Branch manager at the Charles Santore Library in South Philly. We are one of the busiest libraries in the Free Library system, with high circulation numbers and strong program attendance. We play a vital role in our community. Since January 2025 however, our ability to provide consistent service has been severely impacted by repeated building system failures, resulting in closures totaling more than five months. In January 2025, we were closed to the public for three weeks while waiting for the delivery of a part to fix our boiler. This past summer our HVAC system failed completely, which meant that we had no central air-conditioning from May through September 2025. Since we did not have an operable cooling system in mid-June, large portable units were installed in an effort to keep us open to the public. These units were a tripping hazard for the public and our staff, and did not work well enough to ensure comfortable temperatures during extreme heat. Following the comfort index guidelines outlined by our library management, we closed on days when temperatures exceeded a certain threshold. Between May and August, we were closed for a total of 171 hours to the public, which is roughly days, forcing us to 19 cancel the majority of our summer 20 programming. In late July, we were 21 told that the procedure for closing 22 libraries had changed and that a 23 city risk management team would 24 have to investigate the conditions. Risk management came out on several occasions, but despite the fact that building temps were in the '90s, we were not allowed to close because we were told that we weren't in imminent health danger. This decision exposed both staff and the public to periods of extreme heat inside a public facility. The condition of our HVAC system was well-known to property management prior to its failure, and we had been on a list of libraries that were scheduled for HVAC replacement. However, the money for the project was not encumbered until April 2025 and construction did not begin until November 2025. The library then closed again from December 1, 2025 through February 17, 2026 to complete the work. We have received a lot of community support and the public is thrilled when we reopen, but the closures are disruptive for residents who rely on the library for internet access, cooling during extreme heat, educational programming and community engagement. I urge City Council to prioritize preventative maintenance and capital fundings so libraries can stay open and safe. Thank you.

Thank you all very much. I have one question I chose not to ask the Administration because I wanted to ask you, which is it's about communication with the work orders. Are you following up and being communicated to simply by email or is there a computer program, a database where you're able to see the process and the progress of the work orders?

So there is a computerized system where we can submit service requests. It's called the Building Service Request system, the BSR system. I think many of us here have submitted dozens, maybe hundreds of BSRs during our career. I personally have found that there can be a quick response to BSRs and there can be robust notes left in the system, and we will get notified by email when those updates are made. Some BSRs though do languish for months, if not years, at a time without communication. It really can depend.

I couldn't help when I was hearing the previous testimony about thinking about the bad landlord. You're reporting over and over again a health and safety crisis and the bad landlord is ignoring you, and really hoping that that is not what's happening and also not communicating with you. I just want to also ask a question for the Santore Library. I got a lot of complaints about that library, which is when I started to call the Administration last year, which is when I learned that they hired somebody who would be overseeing all of building maintenance and doing this assessment, which I was told was going to happen to all libraries. I thought pretty quickly. I didn't know it was going to be an extensive, detailed system that would only produce 10 libraries that's been concluded to then have to do the work. Is Santore fully fixed now? They told me they were waiting on a part.

The HVAC system has been fully fixed and it's a brand new HVAC system now. We did have a recent closure because our boiler failed, so we waited for another week or so for a part to be delivered. But as far as I know, everything is fully fixed. However, we were not one of the libraries that had this comprehensive assessment.

Thank you. Does anybody have -- yes. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Jay Young for a question.

Thank you. So often our library staff are expected, you got to hold the libraries together. You're the public-facing mission on the libraries, like when you're asleep essentially. But even when the building is failing, even when it's all this stuff, even when it's 85 degrees here and mold on the ground, you still got to do your job while you're dumping buckets out, right. So how does that affect the staff morale, the retention, right, the trust and the quality of service that you're able to provide to the residents of the city?

Yeah. I think we sometimes feel between a rock and a hard place, right, because so many of us feel deeply dedicated. And it can be hard to find the balance between when do we stay and tough it out to try to do the best for our community and when is enough. It can be very embarrassing when the public comes into the building and the conditions are not adequate and having to try to explain professionally what the problem is. I think many of us have done a little bit too much bending over backwards to make things work. And in the case of Santore, I know that our Vice-President Brett will get to this, but I attended a labor management meeting from the Santore Library last summer and the heat was about 93 degrees in the meeting room. And we sat there on Zoom with management who did not attend that meeting with us and we're sweating and feeling faint, and the staff were not dismissed for the day. So there's times when we need to go, but we're denied that choice.

Thank you.

Okay. Thank you. We're going to have the rest of your panel please testify and then if there's any additional questions, we'll ask then. Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony.

Hello. My name is Elizabeth Maher. I work as the Library Supervisor, one of the Interlibrary Loan Department, which is --

I'm sorry. Can you speak into the microphone and start over.

Got it.

Or you could pull that closer to you as well.

Hello. My name is Elizabeth Maher, and I work as the Library Supervisor, one of the Interlibrary Loan Department at the Parkway Central Library. I've been working in this department for a year now and I've been communicating with management regarding heat and humidity issues the entire time. The room where we work was designed for storage but was reworked for interlibrary loan in 2008. During the move, ventilation and temperature regulation were not considered, which is very clear by the chicken wire that we have in place of walls and the frequent overheating. During the summer, the space is hot and humid. And during the winter, the space is hot and dry. The air-conditioning for the building only reaches our department when it's on full blast, which effectively freezes at least two other departments. During the winter, the heat reaches us very easily. Many departments on the east side and the ground floor of the building feel the heat from the boiler radiating through the walls, again without regulation. The Free Library of Philadelphia is required to lend items to the best of our ability to other libraries in the state of Pennsylvania, and this is one of the services that Interlibrary Loan provides. Throughout this winter, staff have redeployed numerous times, borrowing spaces in various departments, attempting to continue the state-mandated work as well as to fill requests for Philadelphia patrons. However, it is difficult to complete our work when staff are in separate areas and some are cut off from the central software that only lives on our computers. Because we would continue to return to the space to ensure that services do not pause, staff have developed nosebleeds, persistent coughs, migraines and other effects of dehydration. To combat the unbearable temperatures and humidity, we have three standing fans, two desk fans, three standing humidifiers and two desk humidifiers. Two of the standing fans were in the office when I arrived and a third was provided by management over the summer. I ordered the standing humidifiers on December 3, 2025 and the space was consistently below 20% relative humidity. The order was expedited and arrived three months later on March 3rd. While we awaited their arrival, I purchased desk humidifiers with my own funds. The space is still too hot and impossible to regulate. We no 20 longer have any open outlets or space to put any more equipment. Luckily, I am now working with management to move our department to another area of the building, but HVAC failures will continue to affect us. We send materials to nearly every branch library and serve patrons all over the city. We must keep track of which libraries are closed due to HVAC failures, ensuring that we send materials to open locations instead and that patrons know where to find their requests. We are preparing now for the closures of branches that don't have consistent air-conditioning during the summer heat. We receive calls and emails from patrons frustrated that they cannot visit their local library to pick up or return items, which we all know is only one facet of what libraries do for the community. The people of Philadelphia deserve consistent library services that are not subject to the irregularities of the weather. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Please proceed.

My name is Elizabeth Kenny. I have been Library Supervisor I at Bustleton Library for six years. During the past few years, we have experienced regular HVAC issues. Just last year, during the months of June, July, and August, Bustleton Library only had AC for three weeks, from July 9th to the 29th. The AC was fixed again and working by September 9th because we are expecting a boiler replacement in the fall and wouldn't have our heat turned on as scheduled. Turning off the AC got lost in the shuffle and we ended up with AC still on until November 4th, as the weather continued to cool throughout the fall and the boiler installation wasn't completed. The branch was finally closed for about two weeks in mid-November when we were reporting a branch temp of 52 degrees with no 6 heat. The boiler installation was completed and staff were able to return to the building on November 24th. Currently, the boiler works great, but we do not have functioning thermostats. For the heat, there are two thermostats. The thermostat for our baseboard never kicks the heat on, and the thermostat for our air handler never shuts off. Previous to July 2025 when temperatures would be outside of the comfort index, staff would be able to redeploy to a branch with comfortable internal temperature. After changes in how branch closures are handled due to HVAC issues were implemented last summer, we were given fans and dehumidifiers and made to work in a building with no AC for the entire month of August, except one day. There was a recent warm Monday in March, the high for the day was recorded as 68. But because of the ineffective thermostats, the internal temperature in the building when we entered was 85. We were told that if staff are uncomfortable, they can take sick time. But they aren't sick, they are being told to work in an unsafe environment. Bustleton has robust programming. But even though we were open, much of it was canceled last summer. It would have been unsafe to continue hosting chair yoga with a lot of seniors, and our summer English classes refused to start until we had functioning AC. Whether we were open or not, a minimum of five programs a week were canceled in all of August. Bustleton Library's HVAC system, despite appreciated recent updates, still does not sufficiently heat and cool our building at all appropriate times. And despite forcing staff to work in an unsafe environment so our stats can say we are open, we still have to greatly reduce services during these uncomfortable and unsafe temperature periods. Thank you.

Thank you very much.

All right. Good afternoon. My name is Brett Bessler. I'm the Vice-President and Business Agent for AFSCME District Council 47 Local 2186. In my capacity as Business Agent for the Local, one of my assigned departments is the Free Library of Philadelphia. Before I really start to dive into it, I do want to thank all of our Local 2186 members that came today. Our Local 2186 members in the Free Library of Philadelphia are some of the most dedicated civil servants you'll ever meet. They're some of the most dedicated union members you'll ever meet, and I know every day that I go to work they make sure that I'm the most dedicated union representative that I can be. So I know that management has a tendency to dance around questions, right. I mean, I think that you were asking some yes or no questions earlier and you weren't getting a yes or a no. So for the question of is this the allocated funds for the capital budget, is it enough. No. Do we need more funds for operating budget, yes. How many closures, Councilmember Jeffrey Young, that was a great question. You asked over the past two years I believe. I personally don't have that data. Knowing what this hearing was about, I can't believe that management didn't come with that data, respectfully for you all. But I can tell you that there was a WHYY article that was published on October 1 of 2025, so last fall, that said that 31 out of the 54 neighborhood library branches were closed over the summer, just the summer, due to HVAC issues. So effectively, over 50% of our libraries closed last summer due to HVAC issues. So as you heard from our dedicated members today, it's evident that there's a significant problem within the Free Library Philadelphia facility systemwide. You only heard from a few of our members today, but I promise you there's many, many more that are experiencing these kind of issues. I myself was with Margaret and Liz at the Santore branch last summer when temperatures were reaching 90-plus degrees inside. As Liz said, we conducted a virtual labor management meeting on site. We invited management, come on down, check it out for yourself. They didn't come on down and check it out for themselves. We were sweating profusely. We were surrounded by these portable AC units that just weren't cutting it and we were practically just begging for the Free Library of Philadelphia and the City of Philadelphia to keep our members and the patrons that they serve safe. Candidly, what was going on at Santore last summer, the City of Philadelphia should be embarrassed by it. These portable AC units, they have to run these condensation lines, they're taking up sinks, they're creating tripping hazards. I think there was about four or five of them throughout the branch. It was still high 80s, 90 degrees. It's embarrassing. We were in there for hours and hours. Maybe two patrons came in. And I remember one family came in. They made it maybe like 10 feet into the building, they walked right out. We can't accept this. We just cannot accept this. And we shouldn't just hang on to say that we're keeping a library open. So maybe it's 30 branches over the summer that closed instead of 31. We have to address the problem, not just keep kicking it down the road for days and days. That Santore branch remained open despite unhealthy conditions. And eventually after having to endure unsafe conditions for an extended period of time, the branch was closed and repairs were finally set in motion. This happens far, far too often. The union, our members and residents find ourselves in this position now, having to foot the bill for decades of underfunding and neglect. Routine and preventative maintenance has been deferred, fixes with duct tape and bubble gum performed over and over, and stretching sometimes half-a-century-plus old HVAC systems to their absolute limit until it all falls apart. My air-conditioner, my central AC unit broke last summer. That was not fun.

Had someone come out and I said, hey, if I get a new unit, how long is it going to last. And he said, I'll be honest with you, these new units you're lucky if you're going to get years out of 10 it. So it kind of puts a perspective on what we'll be looking at in the future. But as I said, these systemic issues have escalated due to decades of neglect. And I do believe that it's important to acknowledge that there's no one in this room today that is solely responsible for the current state of these HVAC systems throughout the Free Library of Philadelphia. This has been happening since the '80s, far back as the '70s. But what we are responsible for is what we're going to do right now and in the future. It's fantastic that we're seeing more capital funds dedicated to HVAC repairs throughout FLP, but that's just step one. We need a full assessment of all the FLP locations and action plan and accountability to actually spend these new allocated funds. We need to invest not only in major system overhauls, but preventative maintenance and the staff that perform the work. We don't constantly have to contract out this work. That's only going to cost more over time when you have to constantly be putting out bids and all that fun stuff. And we cannot fall into the same traps that previous administrations have fallen into, where we replace these systems, we come out, we have a ribbon-cutting, everybody claps their hands, you hand the keys over to the supervisor and then you're gone, and you just forget about it until 50 years later and the system fails, right. We should be doing routine assessment, routine preventative maintenance. You can think about it like a car. You could go to a dealership today, buy a brand new car with zero miles on it. If you don't change your oil, that car is going to be gone in about a year and a half, right. To that end, the union's requesting that we continue this conversation through an established working group with Free Library Philadelphia, District Council 47 and City Councilmembers. Through this working group, we can get to the root cause of these systemic issues, develop a plan and ensure accountability that appropriated funds are utilized in a timely and efficient manner. We've seen progress with similar working groups in the recent past. I know Councilman Phillips knows I'm going to mention the PPR working group that we've participated in over the last year, you know, hoping to produce some results. We have a plan. It's about accountability. I think one of the best things through that working group is Parks & Rec HR management actually said to one of our executive board members, I can't believe the union's actually sticking up for us a little bit. And you know it is true because again, this is a lot of these things, they aren't our fault, right. It's decades and decades of neglect. But we also recognize that this will take time, right. We're not irrational. We're not unrealistic. We know that some projects are just going to take time, but we want to have goals, we want to have the ability to hold these people accountable, right. And we can't do that unless we have in-depth conversations and dialogue about these issues. So really we hope that you consider our request so we can continue to collaborate for the common good of our membership and all Philadelphians at-large. Thank you.

Thank you all so much. I really want to speak to the library staff themselves, supervisors and line staff. You guys are amazing. It looks sounds like you're working against very difficult odds and circumstances. And thank you for just continuing to advocate and to stand up for your members and to stand up for your colleagues. We will do everything we possibly can to continue making sure that you're working in healthy environments. I absolutely am all for a working group. I think it's the only way that we can get this. Everybody has to be at the table at the same time. If not, then the question is what conversation happened or didn't happen, so we will definitely get back to you. Very interested. I would like to call on Councilmember Jeffrey Young for some questions.

Thank you. Just one question. When these libraries close and the library system knows that it's going to take months for some of the repairs to take place, do they offer any of the libraries like a temporary space in order to maintain some level of service?

I mean, if there's going to be a full closure, no, nothing like that happens. When a closure happens, staff will get redeployed to another branch. I will kind of on that note, Councilmember, I've always found it a little bit absurd that sometimes when we experience these HVAC issues and we have high 80s or really cold temperatures down in the 50s, they'll close the branch so patrons can't visit, but they keep our members inside so people can come drop off their books and/or pick up new books. So they're saying it's not safe for anybody else, but our members can't get redeployed, so I don't know. Would you stand in a burning building and believe that it was safe.

Thank you. That's the only question I had.

Chair recognizes Councilmember Anthony Phillips.

I'm sorry. On that, materials pick-up is what I was referring to and that counts towards hours open. So it's all about the --

They don't even count the materials pick-up days as the branch being closed. So that's not even counted in their system?

No. 19

Wow. Okay. Thank you.

I just want to say thank you. Your testimony today did not go unnoticed or unheard. It is incredibly important and I love working in the working group. We just had -- I think some meaningful results are going to come from it, and we're going to -- hopefully we can work together to make sure that this happens as well because it's mind-boggling how long it takes. And a lot of it has to do with not just funding because funding is definitely needed. Don't get me wrong. We're going to need to push for that, but it's also just simple competencies, right, just knowing that something's not making sense with how long something's taking to get to somebody, and responses to inquiries around your building should happen right away, within 21 hours. A lot of spaces even say no 22 more than 48 we won't get back to 23 you. If it's emergency, call this 24 number. So some things need to change. So thank you so much.

Thanks.

Thank you. Ms. Easley, will you call the next panel of witnesses.

Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati, founder of the African American Children's Book Project; Dawn Hannah, Chief Program and Impact Officer, Beyond Literacy; and Angela Crumdy, Director of Programs and Research at Barbershop Books. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Good afternoon, everybody. Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony. Reminder, unfortunately, we have to be out of here at 1:00 and there are some people signed up for public comment. So thank you.

Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati, founder of the African American Children's Book Project and the Literary Media and Publishing Consultants.

Dawn Hannah, Chief Program and Impact Officer at Beyond Literacy.

Can you state your name again for the record just so the stenographer can get it. Thank you.

Dawn Hannah.

Angela Crumdy, Director of Programs and Research for Barbershop Books.

I just want to say, before I start my presentation, I am a literary consultant and curator. And I've heard the testimony. And it is a hit side and there's a flip side, but I wanted to also acknowledge the current Administration. As a literary consultant who works with people all over the country doing projects that promote literacy, but also empower, enrich, and enlighten all children, this current Administration is the only one that has reached out to do partnerships with me here in Philadelphia. But I also want to acknowledge that I was at the Chestnut Hill Library and we were doing a book event, and they had no 14 heat in the other rooms of the library. So there's two sides to all of that and I'm sure that City Council will find a way to work it out, but they are working closely. In fact, we have a promotion so anybody who's here, go to the website in celebration of Global Heritage Month. We're doing a series of programming with cookbook authors celebrating Jamaican, Chinese, Puerto Rican, and Somalian cuisine. So please come out and support that. But I was called upon to make a presentation and everybody of my generation has a library story. And mine goes back to, well, probably before most of you were born, keeping it real. I grew up in Southwest Philadelphia, in an area called Elmwood. It was rural, we'd have sidewalks and some streets we didn't have light. And they used to call us swamp foxes when we went to school because we were surrounded by swamps. We used to have these drills that they would say, stop, drop and go under your desk, because the Russians are coming. And after two times of stopping and dropping and getting my knees scuffed up, I asked my teacher, what is the reason we are doing this because I am way over this? She replied -- she didn't know but she said, why don't you go to the library and get a book about the children of Moscow and about Russia. We did not have a school library nor did we have a community library. What we had was a bookmobile that came around every other week and you could take out two books. And I am one of eight and my parents were ferocious readers and we looked forward to going to these outings. So I went into the library bookmobile and I said, I want books on Russia. And she looked at me as she squinted, I can still see her face, like why would a little Black girl from the swamps want a book on Russia. I had a curiosity. We didn't have those types of books in my school. We didn't have those types of books in my community. So I took out two books and I can still see the book on Moscow. It was a Time-Life pictorial book. And so, as I walked out of the bookmobile, the kids started laughing at me. They said, that's stupid, you would take out books on Moscow, you're never going to go there, why would you want to read something about the children from a place you're never going to see. My dad said, never mind, keep reading. And it developed in me a passion, a passion to find out about people beyond the boundaries of my community. I took out books on Paris, Rome, London, Istanbul. It was like a challenge for me to see how many of those places I could read about. Well, I went to Moscow about 10 years ago. And as I'm standing in the Red Square, I start to identify every building in that square and the travel guide said, how do you know so much about my country? I said, I read it in a book. So libraries are not just to take out books, they're not just social services. They're places where people can discover their passion and I had a passion for travel. I've been to every country in Western Europe. I've been to Eastern Europe, North Africa, South America and a host of places here in the United States. And many of those places I saw before I had the opportunity because I had a library. Now, there is a library in Eastwick. And every time I drive past it on my way to the airport, I'm tempted to go into the -- I have a problem with always being just late getting to the airport.

But the importance of making sure these libraries, all the things, the elements these people talked about today all have a valid point, and the money is definitely needed. But I took a step further because I am a curator and a consultant to try to shape this whole narrative about the importance of Philadelphia libraries. I checked with libraries, I checked with all the bookstores locally, about 10 of them, both Black and mainstream bookstores, I checked also with libraries within the region and a couple of them in different states because I have relationships and I consult with some of these places. And I asked, do you have any books on Augustus Jackson, the Ice Cream Man? Do you have a book on Philip Freeland? He was an architect. Do you have any books on Mae Reeves? And all of these are important, because many of you know me from the presentation. I kick off Black History Month here in Philadelphia City Council and I bring in those authors and books. These are people who are Philadelphians. Augustus Jackson was called the Ice Cream Man because in 1840s, he created the whole concept of rock salt that you could have a freestanding ice cream store. He was known throughout the region as a man who invented ice cream. Philip Freeland was an architect from Germantown. And what's significant is that he had a reading disability. He was dyslexic. C. And Mae Reeves was the toast of the hat world. She used to go to Paris and London to buy the fixtures for her hats, but she was the first Black woman to own a store on South Street as well as to own a store on 60th. C. The Free Library has all of these books. They're giving our children the opportunity to have access to books that reflect their images. And there are many cultures that do have books. People are Asian, people who speak Spanish and a host of other ethnic groups who have the possibilities to go into public libraries to see themselves. Because when you see yourself, you believe that you have the possibility to do well. So I don't want to take up the time of the other people, but I can impress upon you the importance of making sure that the library gets the funding they need to continue the great work that they're currently doing. )

Thank you so much. Really appreciate that. Please proceed.

Thank you. Ray, could I ask your help giving this to our Councilmembers? As a woman of a certain age, I know I've given you something you can't possibly see so I have a larger size copy for you.

I'll take it.

Thanks for the opportunity to offer my testimony today. Again, my name is Dawn Hannah and I serve as Chief Program and Impact officer at Beyond Literacy or BeLit, Philadelphia's largest provider of free adult education, family literacy and workforce readiness programs. At BeLit, we serve nearly 2000 adults and families every year. The problem is those 2000 learners are a mere fraction of the individuals in Philadelphia who need the services that we provide and that, quite frankly, is by design. When we talk about the literacy crisis we're facing today, we're not talking about an individual failure, but about longstanding consequences of generations of systemic underinvestment, instability and inequity. Consider the timeline that I gave you. All in the 1950s we declared segregation unconstitutional, but never fully resourced integration. In the 1800s, even before then, education in the country was legally segregated. In 2014, Pennsylvania's funding for education was challenged in court for being inequitable. And in 2023, our Supreme Court ruled that our funding system was unconstitutional. Let's sit with that. From 1890 and well before to 2023 and well beyond, generation after generation of children were either denied education altogether or educated in underfunded schools, children who became adults and continue to feed the need for adult education today. And so, here we are in 2026 still fighting for equitable access in a country where 59 million adults have literacy skills at or below level 1, and 33% of those living in poverty have literacy skills at that level. There's no stronger correlation I think I could ever make. You have other data to reflect on. We also live in a state ranked 28th in literacy where more than half of adults demonstrate basic or below basic literacy skills, and in a city ranked next to last in the state, where greater than 140,000 adults lack a high school diploma or equivalent. 52% of adults struggle with basic literacy and math skills, and the unemployment rate for those adults is three times higher than other adults functioning at higher levels. In the face of this great need, adult and family literacy funding to support solutions has decreased over time, reflected in that blue line, and remain flat-funded from 2011 until just recently when we received a small bump. The result is decreased access, the orange line diminished returns, because this kind of instability makes it difficult to build consistent long- term pathways for learners. If we're serious about addressing all of these issues, then we have to invest differently. One of the most powerful accessible systems that we already have to invest in is our public libraries. Libraries are not just places where books are stored. Libraries are where early literacy, adult education, digital access and workforce development intersect, where caregivers and children learn side-by-side, where adults gain skills they need to move from learning to livelihood. BeLit used to offer hundreds of classes at libraries, but those offerings have ceased because of lots of what we've been hearing about today, centers that close suddenly, learners and staff can't count on taking the time to get to those libraries and find them open, so their classes are canceled. And what we know in adult ed, if you lose a student one day, they're going to be absent the next. And this is where our crisis gets fed and continues, chronic staffing shortages, site closures. We are asking libraries and the adult education system more broadly to meet the massive needs that I've described with inconsistent and insufficient investment. At BeLit, we've been thinking about this for a long time and we think we have a solution to moving the needle. You all have heard of the SMART Framework, specific measurable, blah, blah blah. We have a new version, which is the BeLit SMART Future Framework.

The S is for Sustained investment over time and matching funding to the scale of the need; A, Alignment with workforce and economic priorities; R, Resilient enough to withstand political shifts and ultimately to transform lives. Libraries are not a line item. They are a critical layer of infrastructure for the SMART Future framework, because when adults gain literacy skills, the result is stronger families, stronger workforce participation and children who are more likely to read on grade level and ultimately graduate from high school and go on to post-secondary. Libraries sit at the center of that multi- generational impact. When a book opens, a door opens. And when a door opens for the adult or child caregiver, it opens for the child. That is how lives change and how communities change. As policymakers, your decision shapes the conditions that make change possible. You have the power to fund change. Your call to action is to invest in programs that are accessible, consistently open, air-conditioned, safe and of high quality. Support the full ecosystem, instruction, support services, workforce pathways, commit to long-term stability for our public libraries. They are our partner in the fight for educational access for all. Thank you.

Good afternoon, members of Philadelphia City Council. Again, my name is Dr. Angela Crumdy, and I have the pleasure of serving as the Director of Programs and Research for Barbershop Books. We are a national literacy nonprofit that inspires Black boys and other vulnerable youth to read for fun. Today our local programming supports child-friendly reading spaces in 34 Philadelphia barbershops, serving nearly 4000 children every month. With less than in Philadelphia 3rd graders able to read proficiently last school year, it is critical for literacy organizations and community stakeholders to work in tandem to support the city's youngest readers. So Barbershop Books is here today to express our support for Resolution No. 251083, which authorizes hearings to investigate the current conditions and future of Philadelphia's public libraries. At Barbershop Books, we meet children and families wherever they are, whether in libraries, barbershops, schools or shelters. Our positioning of barbers as male reading role models and curating personally meaningful literacy experiences across North, West and South Philadelphia has shown us that when libraries are well-funded, they can help children build positive relationships with reading that extend beyond the walls of the library. Philadelphia's early literacy ecosystem can be strengthened by the Free Library of Philadelphia's leadership and support, enabling literacy organizations like Barbershop Books to deepen our impact and expand our reach. During the summer of 2025, we partnered with the Haverford Library branch to pilot an innovative drop-in program called Reading Solid Summer. This program is designed to help children ages to discover what 2 makes reading personally meaningful 3 to them. With the support of engaged librarians, this program allowed elementary school students to develop their reading identity by helping them to explore the everyday choices that readers make about what, when and where they like to read. We believe that attention to the socio-emotional drivers of literacy success, such as agency, motivation and reducing reading trauma are fundamental to developing well-rounded individuals. Through dance parties, picture walks and independent exploration, Haverford Branch librarians helped to bring this program to life for children and their guardians on a weekly basis. This summer we are not continuing this program at Haverford despite the positive feedback we received. We look forward to doing more of this innovative work. However, we understand that constraints around time, personnel, funding and infrastructure currently limit what is possible. As more children face the choice of whether to outsource reading and thinking to artificial intelligence or whether to engage self-directed or adult-assisted literacy experiences, libraries will play a critical role. For programs like Reading So Lit and partnerships like the one between the Free Library and Barbershop Books to flourish, we need facilities that reflect the state-of-the-art, world-class standards Philadelphia residents deserve. Failing facilities disproportionately harm the very communities that rely on libraries the most for digital access and safe afterschool spaces. We urge the Council to move forward with these hearings. A systemwide facilities plan and reconstruction strategy is not just a capital necessity, it is a commitment to the educational and economic future of every neighborhood in Philadelphia. Barbershop Books is proud of the ways we've been able to partner with the Free Library to help fulfill its mission to advance literacy, guide learning and inspire curiosity. However, there's still work to be done to ensure that the youngest and most vulnerable in our community have access to quality education-based resources. Thank you for your time and your dedication to our city's libraries.

Thank you all so much. I just want to say what you do for Philadelphia is just incredible. Thank you. Sorry that we can't have consistent homes for you yet in the library over the summer and the winter, but we are absolutely going to make that happen.

I just want to acknowledge a couple of people. I don't know if Veronica Britto is still here and some of the other people who were here from the library as well as the librarians. Because for some children, a lot of them don't have libraries in their schools. And the only way you're going to teach a child to read and love to read is if they have access to books. And the only place they're going to find that on a consistent basis is the public library. So whatever you can do, my mission is about getting books into the home too. I heard a lot of things this morning and I want people to begin to understand that libraries are not libraries. Libraries perform a greater, bigger function to give children the opportunity to dream and to dream big. (Applause.)

Absolutely. Thank you so much. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Jay Young.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just have a couple questions on how we can help essentially. So specifically with Beyond Literacy, we know that a lot of this results from generations of systemic underinvestment on why our adult learners are where they are. So what can we do as a city to demonstrate that we're accepting responsibility for this, the systemic historic disinvestment, and we're not treating like adult literacy like a charity, right, but we're actually treating it like it's an issue to really solve? What can we really do?

I think the first thing you need to begin to understand, we talk about constantly over and over again about the negative aspect of what's happening in the literacy community in the city, and nobody's talking about the positive things. The largest Black children's book fair in the world is held here in Philadelphia. 4000 people come to buy books, so people need to draw a parallel to that. You got to give people access and choice. And the only way they're going to find it is in a public library, more programming. For example, Tommy, the latest comedian, has a book out. Take him to the local libraries. People come in, they see him and they begin to understand the importance of reading. You got to find people where they are. You got to meet them in their space.

Yeah. I think we are investing a lot of time in landscape assessments and evaluations, as if we don't already have information that we need to make sound investment in programs that work, consistent, sustained investment over time, not one-off grants. I mentioned that programming is necessary in libraries. We have two centers at Beyond Literacy, five classrooms total, to serve those 2000 learners. If we had library spaces that we could host classes and that we could guarantee were open for us, that we have the funding to fund the staff, the teachers and the student support personnel, we don't have space, we don't have dollars for infrastructure space. So classrooms that could be available to us with Wi-Fi access, with laptops that we could give to our learners or computers, desktop computers that they could use for classes, that would help a lot for us to meet the 400-person waiting list we consistently have. But we can't. As Chief Program and Impact Officer, I have to look at the impact of the partners that we have. I can't place classes in libraries if I know that the students are going to get up in the morning and go there and find them shut. I can't. I have to just use online classes, remote classes for learners that can have the skills to participate in that way and schedule in our five little classrooms those classes for learners who could not function online. I'd have much better results, I think, if we had the ability to have those in-person classes. The other thing I think we need libraries to do and the reason I think libraries are so important, is because the adults we serve, many of them, especially those US-born ones who were educated in those underfunding schools, part of that underfunding is they weren't served well in those schools. There was trauma in their childhood experience in schools. And so, putting programming in schools is something that we try to do. Our adults resist sometimes. They're going into schools with stigma and embarrassment. There's something different about going into a library, right. You can go in there and be learning to read and no one knows you're learning to read. They think you're going in there to read. You go into an elementary school for an adult ed class, folks are going to know that you're going in there because you don't know how to read. So I'd love for our libraries to be funded in a way that we could use them as adult education providers more consistently.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair.

We have some people here for public comment. We are running out of time so thank you all so much. It was really amazing. Appreciate you. Ms. Easley, can you call the first few people for public comment. I would like to say, if you have your comments in writing, you can submit them in writing to the Clerk's office or to us, and we'll give it to the Clerk's office to get it on the record. But unfortunately, we do have to leave at 1 o'clock today. Ms. Easley, will you call the first few people for public comment.

We have Peter Ahn, Paul Brown, Pat Thomas, Cierra Freeman, Spanish Alexander. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Thank you. If you could just keep your comments brief. I apologize. We do want to hear from you, but it's a timing issue. Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony.

Thank you. Good afternoon. My name is Peter Ahn. As a local clergy member, where my congregation sits on Council District No. 5, also I've been in partnership with Cecil B. Moore Coalition, I want to address the issue of the stalling with the Cecil B. Moore. In any organizational challenges, there are technical solutions and there are adaptive solutions. Much of the conversation this morning, I feel were spent on seeking technical solutions to adaptive problems. Let me put it this way, as Peter Drucker famously put it, Culture eats strategy for breakfast any day. We can have good strategy. But if the political culture is not there, it doesn't move forward. Where there's no 6 political will for action, there are usually hidden political cultural reasons that cause stalling. So we need to think about those things. When councilmanic prerogative is exercise in such a way that is not aligned with Cecil B. Moore Library community, and even the rationale here Councilman Young has so far provided does not make sense with the rest of us, then we are left with speculation of possibilities. Possibility number one, the Councilmember genuinely believes that the library is beyond repair, in which case he has not demonstrated that he has initiated earnest research to test that hypothesis. Not having done any structural visibility assessment for 577 days does not make sense to me. There is no clearer action that took to motion. Possibility number two, the Councilmember simply doesn't like Cecil B. Moore Library design as it is and simply wants a demolition and a complete new build, in which case he has not disclosed any information about so-called private sector partners he has in mind or might have been in conversation with. Either way for the possibility number one and number two, this exercise of councilmanic prerogative for the two possibilities that are laid out, they feel paternalistic. Possibility number three, the Councilmember is actually listening to the people, but different people other than the Cecil B. Moore Library Coalition. About a year and a half ago, I spoke with the Councilmember. I expressed my concerns about John Fry being named as the new President at Temple University, with an impressive urban planning track record, along with gentrification. At the time, I asked the Councilmember, what do you understand your role to be in this situation? And he said, people will need to organize. I understand that Temple lost $200 million a year, with enrollment sliding at 27% and the retention rate is worsening. So what do you do? You bring John Fry, yes, the former admin of UPenn and the former President of Drexel University. Yes, Penntrification and Schuylkill Yard development. Perhaps we should confer with the Councilmember Gauthier to weigh in on saving University while not destroying local Black/Brown communities. Perhaps Temple has their skin in the game, but are they here.

I need you to summarize now. I'm sorry. We've got to get to other folks, so please be --

Thank you. Fundamentally, especially when it comes to public-private partnership and making decisions about public spaces, we cannot run schools like a business. We cannot run libraries like a business. We cannot develop or implement urban planning while displacing libraries or communities.

Thank you so much. Let's move on to the next one. Thank you. Please state your name for the record.

Hi. My name is Paul Brown. I'm a youth and education co-lead for Brewerytown Sharswood Neighborhood Coalition. I'm also a school psychologist for the school district. I want to thank you both because he showed up for the school board meeting yesterday. It was powerful to see our representatives advocating against school closures and investment in education. But I have to note there's irony for Councilmember Jeffrey Young advocating for schools to remain as learning spaces, but this is not being generalized to other aspects within the district. Councilmember Young noted Robert Morris is closing, an educational hub will no longer exist for this neighborhood. If Cecil B. Moore Library is not allowed to exist in its current capacity, that exacerbates the lack of educational opportunities for those families. We're hearing an echo of some of these libraries are too far gone for investment and we should invest elsewhere. That's the same thing the school board voted on yesterday. I saw students from Lankenau High School crying. Is this the same fate for people in our neighborhood. The desired outcome skips over those that are impacted. I'm asking for full funding for the Cecil B. Moore Library. There's been an assertion that there's a plan, but we have no 21 plan. I'm asking for a feasibility study. We just don't have anything concrete. We're being told there is something we could do, but we have nothing in writing that shows the full capacity we could have for the Cecil B. Moore Library. Councilmember Jeffrey Young has proposed to 2 million for ADA and HVAC upgrades for the library. That doesn't address the overall needs of the library. That is based on your vision, and there's a remaining 8 million left unaccounted for. I appreciate the desire to bring learning spaces up-to-date. You don't have to erase the past, including cultural anchors to do that. There is an option where we can expand rather than consolidate resources, which we've --

Thank you so much.

I'm almost done, which we've learned from. The school district disproportionately and systematically impacts Black and Brown working-class folks. To act in good faith to create libraries, we want -- please announce the full release of funds for Cecil B. Moore Library for renovations created by the community.

Thank you so much. Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony, whoever's next.

Good afternoon. My name is Patricia Thomas. Good afternoon, Councilman. I have a comment as well as a couple of questions. I'm going to be very brief and respect the time. The question is, why are you not releasing the fund for the Cecil B. Moore Library? Number two, previous Councilmen had approved funding for the library to be renovated. Why are you holding those funds up? Additional funds was given after the Mayor came into office as well. Are you looking for a particular developer, someone that you know to do the job, what is the hold up and why not release those funds? I know that you have been in communication with the library and you guys may have had differences, but are you taking it personal? I'm talking to Councilman Jeffrey Young.

So there's no developer in mind. This is a public project, so the city will go through the regular procurement process as they would do. This is not -- it's personal to me because it's a community that we represent, right. So we want to ensure that the community gets the best, the very best things that it can have. When we are working through this process, we have established a working group. So please join a working group, right, to get that information, to stay updated on what's going on and how we move forward with our libraries and our communities.

It's not about just what you want, but it's about what the community wants. And the community wants the library to be renovated. The question to you is, these fundings was already approved before you was elected into your position. What is the hold up? Why are you holding that up? Why?

I just mentioned that we are creating a working group. Join the working group and we can continue to have the conversation about the Cecil B. Moore Library.

I'm going to move on. I want to get as many voices on for public comment as possible. So please, the next person, if you can be brief --

One question, if I may. Are you looking for a particular developer from New Jersey or Philadelphia?

I'm so sorry. He already responded to that and says it goes through the city's RFP process --

Okay. I yield the floor back.

Could you please state your name for the record, whoever's next, and please proceed with your testimony.

Good morning. My name is Siobhan Neitzel. I'm here today because I'm a constituent of Councilmember Young's and I'm a supporter of libraries throughout Philadelphia. I'm a library patron and a member of the Brewerytown Sharswood Neighborhood Coalition. I'm speaking here regarding Resolution 8 251083 and I fully urge you to fund all libraries. I'm specifically here to speak on the Cecil B. Moore Library. The Cecil B. Moore Library has stood for decades as an anchor of learning, safety and connection, and serves six neighborhoods in North Philadelphia. While the renovations that Councilmember Young has planned are needed for the library to be safe and ADA-accessible, they do not go far enough and do not reflect the wants of the community. On January 14, 2026 when speaking with City Cast Philly, Councilmember Young stated, I think that the community wasn't given the option to imagine what could be there, to imagine what a future could be for our community. Well, community members have dreamed and stated what the library renovation should be. However, when the renovations that Councilmember Young has planned, community members will not get what they have imagined and dreamed about. Additionally, with this plan the community stands to have an improved ADA-accessible library with new HVAC by next summer, but be left without an expanded space for programming for an unknown amount of time as the Councilmember moves the library and moves it closer to Temple University and right outside the Temple patrol zone, which ends at 18th and Cecil B. Moore. And the library is proposed to be at 19th and Cecil B. Moore. Councilmember Young also stated on January 14, 2026 when speaking about the plans for the library, it could still benefit North Philadelphia, still benefit our communities. However, that's not true if the library is moved. Councilmember Young stated on January 22, 2026 in this very room 13 that our children deserve stability. If this plan goes through and the Cecil B. Moore Library is moved, then our children will have to travel an average of 29% further to get to this library. The Cecil B. Moore -- at least one elementary will no longer have the Cecil B. Moore Library as their closest library. And this doesn't just impact children. This impacts our whole community, as there'll be fewer bus routes near the proposed new location, and that means fewer bus stops. Our community disturbs stability and this isn't stability to me. The plan to move the library is based on a professional opinion, and the community has not been able to weigh in on all the options and it will negatively impact the community while serving Temple University. In order to show what can be included in a renovation, a feasibility study of the Cecil B. Moore Library should be completed around the possibility of building above and in front of the library. The results of this study must be shared with the community so that all options can be weighed when providing feedback. Councilmember Young, you also stated on December 4, 2025 right in this room, that leadership requires engagement, not avoidance, and that's something that I always do in our district. And more recently on January 22, 2026 you also stated, I'm not opposed to change, I'm opposed to change without transparency, change without a community voice. Therefore, I urge you, Councilmember Young, to change your mind, listen to what community members have stated, release the funds that have been raised, renovate the library and commit to keeping the library at its current location of 2320 Cecil B. Moore Ave and do the feasibility study now.

Thank you so much. There are three people left for public comment. And I believe we can actually, if we're very brief, get everybody on the record. Thank you.

Hi. My name is Cierra Freeman. I'm a member of the Brewerytown Sharswood neighborhood. I am a mother of a student that currently attends Philadelphia public school, and I am the Co-lead of Culture and Strategy for Brewerytown Sharswood Neighborhood Coalition. Before I say anything else today, I want to say, Happy May Day and I'm so glad to be here with D.C. 47 and in full support of D.C. 47 and D.C. 33 workers that have had to work in these atrocious environments for far too long, and I'm so excited about the funding that they have in them securing additional funding so that they can get the HVAC repaired across the City of Philadelphia and in the 5th District. I also want to say thank you, Councilman, for the work that you've done thus far to advance the HVAC repair, the electricity and getting an ADA-accessibility elevator in the bathrooms upcoming for the Cecil B. Moore Library. That is very important and those things are very needed. I'm here today to share and I have written testimony, but I am not reading my testimony right now. One of the quotes that I've read that has been so profound to me that I make it a part of my everyday life is from an organization called the WildSeed Society. It's a social justice organization in the United States of Philadelphia. One of those quotes is, Accountability is the gift that we give to each other that allows us to stay in line with our intentions and with our values. I am here today, Councilman, to offer you that gift, along with the other community members, along with members of BSNC to offer and ask for the full release of the $9.9 million that is available to renovate the Cecil B. Moore Library. We know that there are so many things that are going on with the libraries across the city. We heard a lot of testimony today. Definitely hold space for those things and advocate alongside those folks to get what they need. And right here in our backyard, we have worked since 2022 with community members, had a town hall of over nearly not over 400 people that are community members, block captains, committee people, leaders of resident-led organizations, parents, patrons of the library saying that they want this library renovated. We acknowledge and also continue to thank you that when you came into office, you went to the Mayor, you requested additional monies and you were granted an additional $5 million that brings us up to the total of $9.9 million and we cannot lose the stick-to- itiveness of the community and their work to raise the funding as well. In a neighborhood like North Philadelphia, where so often our voices, our thoughts, our ideas are pushed to the side, BSNC is doing trauma-informed community building to reinvigorate neighbors, for neighbors to believe in their own ability, to talk to their elected officials, to talk to leaders of their community, to get the things that they want. Again, giving you the gift to stay accountable to that $9.9 million to give neighbors what they ask for, what they fought for, what they know that they can have because the funding is there. Extend the renovation to include the youth spaces, the adult spaces, update the kitchen. And lastly but not least, Councilman, I have to ask you: If we have the option to figure out how we can get a feasibility study done so that we can build above and out for this library to have the 21st century library that you've said and that we also believe as a community that we deserve, would you be open to considering that option for us?

So I'll say the Parks -- not Parks & Rec, the Library system, you were on that call, the experts in the system said that the way the building is currently designed with the infrastructure that's in place, we cannot build above that library. That's the libraries -- I mean, that's the Capital Projects assessment of it. We need more space. All the space you're talking about for youth space and adult programming, it isn't there. It isn't there. The current teen space is 400 square feet. How many teens can fit in that space to really, really utilize what the library can really be? We've heard testimony about what the library could really be. That current footprint doesn't allow any of that space. We can't even have a community meeting there without disrupting the library, patrons, right. That's what a library space should be for. And so, when we're asking to imagine, think boldly, right, what our future really need, what our kids really need, what our communities really need, more space is needed in order to accommodate programs like Beyond Literacy, so they can come in and teach their program without disrupting regular library patrons, everyday library patrons. That can't happen at the Cecil B. Moore Library right now. So that's what we're asking for. That's what we're fighting for. We're fighting for more for our community.

If I can, Councilman, I was on the call. And what was said is that no 13 feasibility study was done. That's what was said. And so, the question still remains can we have a feasibility study so that we can see if the library can be built up or out to get that additional space?

I'm not opposed to a feasibility study --

Perfect.

-- not at all.

Thank you so much. We've got to get the staff out of here. I'm sorry. Please state your name for the record.

My name is Spanish Alexander. I'll be really quick. Thank you so much for letting me speak. Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Spanish Alexander. I'm just a public citizen here to state how important the library is to me. I used to live on 24th and Cecil B. Moore. And when I lived there, I used to go to the library and get a bunch of different books on Malcolm X and Martin Luther King and information about the Black women fighting for equal rights, and I used to go in my room and read it all the time so that library is important to me. I also decided to run for office in that ward. And so, I actually saw my name on a ballot posted outside that library. That was my posting place, you know. So that was my first taste of democracy there. And I fell in love with taking care of people and loving people. And so, this comes right back to something that I think that I need to fight for, because I used to walk to that library every day. This library is important because we need to conserve the traditions and the culture, not only in Philadelphia, but of the Black people in Philadelphia, and this library holds a lot of history of African Americans. And so, I think the way I learned from this library that other young people in the community now, especially youth with everything going on. It's important for them to be able to go there and receive that same type of information or receive that same type of experience. And it's very nice to meet you, Councilman and all of you. Thank you so much for letting me speak. I just want to say thank you so much for what you've done. I'm not sure about how the funds are allocated, but I'm definitely very happy to know that the library is still going to be there.

Thank you so much. Appreciate you.

Thank you. I studied for the bar exam in that library, so it's a place that's important to me as well.

Absolutely.

Thank you. Please state your name for the record.

Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Bonita Cummings and I am the Director of Strawberry Mansion Community Concern. And environmentally, we've cleaned along that corridor of Cecil B. Moore Avenue for the library for the children. I just wanted to say that there's a separation between the resolution overall library needs and conditions and the advocacy around the Cecil B. Moore Library. The advocacy and activism made me revisit what those words' intended definition is. So I looked at three prominent leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King, Fannie Lou Hamer and the Honorable Dr. Leon Sullivan. Their advocacy expanded -- their advocacy was what we would define as against injustice. They expanded equality for all. This advocacy from the groups, and people keep referring to the community in these meetings where really it wasn't community, this advocacy is an injustice masked as justice. And I think that's very important for the citizens of the City of Philadelphia to be clear about. We have a librarian in the Cecil B. Moore Library who has said to the children, the African American children of that community that they don't deserve to expand, they don't deserve to have the opportunity to have a library that brings them into the 21st century. We've had information here today defining the illiteracy of the children of that community. We've had groups here today that talk about their need to be in the libraries, so what their need is can't be met at the Cecil B. Moore Library because it's already been deemed not really suitable for the expansion that we're looking for. So I just wanted to talk about that because I think the activism has been a grave injustice activism to the citizens of this city. It's been violent and it has made our children and given our children the ability to witness and demonstrate how to be disregarding and disrespectful even to our leadership. So I just wanted to express that. Thank you.

I think everybody here today wants to do the best that we all possibly can for the Cecil B. Moore Library. So might have different paths to get there, but I believe everybody wants the same thing. Any closing remarks?

Yes. I just want to thank everyone for coming down today, for listening, for testifying. This information will be taken back and we're going to do something about our library system. We spend the least amount of money of any big city and that is a crime. And so, Councilmember Rue Landau and I, we're in our first terms. Things take time, but I can promise you we're going to keep fighting for our library system.

Fully agree. Can't wait to help you. Can't wait to start this working group. Thank you all so much for your testimony. This concludes the business before the Committees on Legislative Oversight and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. Thank you very much for your attendance and we will be in touch soon. (Joint Committees on Legislative Oversight & Parks and Recreation concluded at 1:48 p.m.) C E R T I F I C A T I O N I, hereby certify that the proceedings and evidence noted are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me in the foregoing matter, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. ______________________________ TANEHA CARROLL