News Release

04/30/2007
Library to Hold Community Meetings Over Two Weeks in May

With only nine weeks left until the end of the fiscal year, and facing deep concerns about services to patrons at the City’s municipal library branches, Providence Public Library (PPL) has presented various options to the City that will enable branches to stay open and service to continue past June 30, 2007. Among City options, incorporating branch library services as a City Department; or contracting with PPL for full funding of services at all branches (including reopening Washington Park).

PPL has also begun to encourage concerned patrons to communicate with City officials about the urgency of the situation and to begin considering alternative models to keep libraries operating at desired levels in their neighborhoods. Alternative models could empower concerned taxpayers and residents, giving them authority to make decisions about scope and level of services at the branches and decision-making authority on the spending of the City’s library appropriation.

Among additional models discussed

• Utilizing the people’s Municipal Library Services Board -- a separate 501c3 already in existence and waiting to be populated by concerned residents, library advocates, branch patrons and appointees of elected officials. This board could receive the City appropriation for municipal library services, and make decisions on how to allocate it across the branch system. PPL has already offered to donate to the new entity millions of dollars in assets, including books, materials and buildings.
• Creation of neighborhood library branches as separate entities with their own community-based governance boards that could receive funding from the City, donated books and materials from PPL, and contract with the Library for professional staffing.

In an effort to speak directly with library patrons and City residents, PPL has scheduled community meetings at neighborhood libraries. “We were able to speak directly to residents of Washington Park at a community meeting on April 16. We felt it would be good to give community members throughout the City an update on ongoing discussions between the City and the Library and to present a number of potential options that PPL has outlined for consideration for the future of municipal library services in Providence,” said Director Dale Thompson.

Community Meeting Schedule
Monday, May 7 -- 6:00 pm Mount Pleasant Branch Library, 315 Academy Avenue

Tuesday, May 8 -- 5:30 pm South Providence Branch Library, 441 Prairie Avenue

Tuesday, May 8 -- 7:00 pm Rochambeau Branch Library, 708 Hope Street

Wednesday, May 9 -- 6:00 pm Olneyville Branch Library, 1 Olneyville Square

Monday, May 14 -- 6:00 pm Knight Memorial Library, 274 Elmwood Avenue

Tuesday, May 15 -- 6:00 pm Fox Point Branch Library, 90 Ives Street

Wednesday, May 16 -- 6:00 pm Smith Hill Branch Library, 31 Candace Street

Thursday, May 17-- 6:00 pm Wanskuck Branch Library