$18 million. So, when you accepted the $18 million, was there any commitment to William Penn, as to how the system was going to function or did they just say, take the $18 million, renovate the $50 million, and whatever you do after that you're on your own? 275
The generous contribution of the William Penn Foundation to the library was predicated upon our trying to provide services for the children of Philadelphia, which is what we are continuing to do, in trying to make sure that we provide it in every neighborhood. The function of that grant and the idea behind the grant was to make sure that all of the neighborhood and branch libraries are brought into a situation where the children of Philadelphia had access to the technology and to the modern library opportunities that we could provide by renovating them.
But you'd have to agree, based on this plan, that the children of Philadelphia now have less access to all of the benefits of big change, based on this policy. Is that correct? (Applause.)
Councilman, as I said earlier, this is not a plan that we want to do. It's the plan that we can afford to do. 276 And if we could, we would love to provide youth services that we provide in the full services branches in every single branch. We just don't have the --
I heard what you said. Now, I understand you didn't want the plan. I mean, did anyone say no?
When the budget scenario was presented, and you started kicking this around, and you're talking amongst yourselves, you're talking to people across the country, you're scouring the universe for the best ideas as to how to figure this out, at some point in time did someone say, no, this was just -- we're not doing this, this is a bad idea?
We had internal discussions about whether or not we could do this or whether or not we should close eight to ten branches and remove those services from those neighborhoods. And our -- And in thinking that through -- 277
So, it was either do this or close the branches. It was never, no, we're not doing this. We're going to stand our ground because we don't believe that this provides high quality service in a high quality City to the citizens and children and seniors and anybody else that wants access the system. No one said that.
You know, Councilman, the way you've posed the question, I'm not quite sure I can answer that.
Did anyone say, we're not implementing this plan because it's not good enough for the citizens of Philadelphia?
And the choice, I guess I come back to is, if we said no, we wouldn't come up with a plan to implement. We would have closed eight to ten branch libraries.
Well, one, that's not responsive to the question; two, I appreciate your trying to, you know, maintain some semblance of the party line. But I 278 would only say this... (Laughter.)
You've been in this system for a while. You have previous service in City government. Mr. Shelkrot has been in his position how long?
No. I mean, 17 previous City service. All of his service 18 was as President?
No. He started his career in the Philadelphia Library System on Columbia Avenue at the library there.
So, how many years of service does he have total in City government?
Well, I would only suggest -- And everyone is different. But I would only suggest that at some point in time in your professional career there comes a moment, there comes a challenge, there comes a circumstance where sometimes you just have to say no, I'm not doing that. I am a professional. (Applause.)
This is not professional. I am not doing that. I am not putting that plan forward and signing my name to it because I'm a professional at what I do.
Mr. Shelkrot has had a distinguished career as a librarian. Last year --
I'm not questioning the distinction of his career. I'm only suggesting that there comes a point in every person's circumstances, situation, where sometimes you just have to say, this is wrong. It's not good enough. 280 If you want me to implement this, go find somebody else to do it. Sometimes you just got to say that, to let people know how serious you are about what's going on, as opposed to going along to get along. That's all I'm suggesting. (Applause.)
So, my last question is: Presently the proposal is 11 former libraries, because I would take the 12 position that you can't have a library 13 without a librarian. 14 (Applause and cheers.) 15
...will now 16 have... It's these shortened hours and the 17 partner library somewhere else. Now, how 18 does a librarian cover two locations? How do 19 you do that? 20
One of the things that we had happen over the course of the last several years is that all of our libraries suffered the staff losses. And some of them, most of them actually, staffed down to one branch library per branch. In this new 281 plan --
Which meant if the librarian was out, the staff who were there, some of them were L.A.s, library assistants, and others helped to keep that branch open. We had a lot of emergency closings, but our emergency closings would have been more if we hadn't had our staff of library assistants help to keep the branches running. In this situation, we will have more librarians at these full service branches, and they will be able to share some of their responsibilities by helping out at the half-time branches over the course of time.
Okay. So, a 282 kid, older person, whomever is at the express, the libraries at the real -- The librarian is at the real library a mile away. (Applause.)
You have an issue, a question you're trying to find. You're doing you're thing. You know, you need a book for homework, whatever the case may be.
The job specs for library assistant II's and library assistant III's calls for each one of them to be able to help out with reference service questions, simple reference service questions at the library. If it is a complicated or a complex research question, they have the ability to get a librarian on the phone. They have a librarian by e-mail. They have a librarian that they can call for at the other branch or at the general information desk at the 283 Central Library for assistance on that question. They will help that student get that answer. They do it now. One of the people who testified earlier about the wonderful services of Miss Pat at the Roxborough Library and all of the things that she does, Miss Pat is Library Assistant I. Miss Pat helps out... The people who help out all those branches now are not necessarily only librarians. The library assistants do a lot of the work at those branches. They are terrific employees. And I think they do a terrific job. We're not asking them to do the jobs of librarians. We're asking them to do their jobs.
I understand that. But similar to the analogy earlier -- And then I'll conclude with one last piece of information. You know, if you walk into a police station, it's good to be able to talk to the officer at the window. It could be a regular patrol officer. It could be a 284 corporal. Some days you might talk to a sergeant or lieutenant. But the person in charge, the person who makes the decisions and determines what happens is the captain. The librarians are the captains of the library. (Applause.)
They're the captains of the library. They make things happen and make sure that things are running in a way that makes sense. So, lastly, you testified earlier that you expect to have somewhere between, I think the start of the fiscal year, 630 to 640 employees?
Okay. I just want to draw your attention to appendix five, of the five-year plan which indicates that for FY 2006 your proposed level is 652, and it goes out to FY 2010 at that number. Could you tell me or explain the discrepancy?
I'm not sure if it's 285 an earlier version of the five-year plan, but I know that the amended version or the version that we've seen has fewer staff listed.
Well, I'm reading to you from the one that was presented by the Mayor on January 25, 2005. I've been to most of the hearings. We haven't amended the five-year plan. This is the one that was sent to us. This is the real one. (Laughter.)
Not the earlier draft, not a secret version. This is the one that's in front of us right now. 652 is the number.
So, you're saying now that you're funded 630 to 640, but the five-year plan that was introduced has you at 652. And so, the five-year plan is wrong?
I'm just able to talk 286 about what we have in our budget. I really can't tell you whether or not the five-year plan is wrong, Councilman.
Okay. All right. Well, I'm sure we'll revisit this and many other topics at the budget hearing. Madam Chair, thank you very much.
You're welcome. Thank you all so very much for your patience, your interest. Yes, Mr. Vaughan.
Yes. I just wanted to just respond to one question that Councilman Nutter asked about things that we said no to. And as a board, and also working very closely with Elliott, we took a position to say no to closing eight branches. We definitely would not even consider that as an option. We also took a very strong position on not interrupting the availability of L.E.A.P after-school programs for the citizens of Philadelphia, and asked for a 287 plan that would at least protect those two things, in light of the real budget cuts that were described to you today. Those are real dollars, and unless they come back we had to do something. Thank you very much.
Thank you. This committee will stand in recess till the call of the chair. Thank you all so very much. Good night. (Hearing concluded at 6:50 p.m.) 288 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings and evidence are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the public hearing of The Philadelphia City Council, taken on March 17, 2005, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. _____________________________ DAVID A. DEIK, RPR and Commissioner of Deeds (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)