News Release

05/24/2006
Providence Public Library Delivers Petition, Children’s Letters to City Council

Providence Public Library today delivered to the City Council hundreds of letters from city school children and a petition with more than 3,000 signatures supporting municipal neighborhood library services.

The petition and letters were presented to the Library Board of Trustees at its May 15, 2006, Board meeting. In accepting them, Board Chair Mary B. Olenn committed to sharing the expressed sentiments with City officials and Library administrators.

“While this outpouring of concern and support for the Providence Public Library is a testament to the wonderful work our library staff is doing in the community, we recognize that only by working together with City officials can we map out long-term solutions for sustainable municipal neighborhood library services,” Olenn wrote in a transmittal letter to Council members.

Library officials say they were also encouraged that Mayor Cicilline and several City Council members who attended a pro-library rally on May 18 at Knight Memorial Library promised to find a way to continue providing library services to city neighborhoods.

“We look forward to working with the City Council and the Mayor on a transition plan to ensure the best use for the city’s municipal library budget. While there may be difficult financial circumstances facing both the Library and the City, we believe there are also opportunities to better serve the residents of Providence. The Library with its great philanthropic legacy remains committed to continuing to donate millions of dollars each year to ensure quality library services continue,” Olenn said.