PENNA REPUBS TRY TO CLOSE PHILA LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND!!??
It really doesn’t make any sense at all. That above headline seems like a bad Twilight Zone episode plot.
But sadly it’s true.
Pennsylvania state officials have a plan on board to essentially “gut the Philadelphia Library For the Blind, a vital service for the area’s visually impaired.” Gov. Corbett and western Penna republicans want to move most of the Library’s operations and materials out of Philly to the Carnegie Library For The Blind and Physically Handicapped in Pittsburgh. Not surprisingly, that’s located in the Govs home county. The 2 libraries share allocated funds in the state’s budget and the move is “all about saving the state needed funds.”, according to the Govs’ press cronies.
I have a real hatred for politicians and public servants who continually dredge up laws and regulations that are based on outright myths, lies, shoddy reports or phony statistics. These laws are designed to shred the safety net that people need to make their lives better.
It is a fact that taking materials from the Philadelphia Library and transporting them across the state to Pittsburgh will cost more money with less results. State Representative Michael O’Brien pointed out in a recent letter to the state’s Sec. of Education that “Philadelphia Library received $1.7 million last year to service 13,000 visually disabled individuals at a cost of $130 a patron. Pittsburgh received $1.2 million for 8,000 patrons at a cost of $150 each.”
And there is the human factor. 24 of 28 jobs will be eliminated by this “cost-efficiency move”. There will switch from union jobs to non-union jobs.
The Philadelphia Library for the Blind serves more than 13,000 visually disabled and impaired folks regularly and lends out more than 600,000 braille & recorded books and materials yearly. That’s a healthy 20% of the entire Library circulation. It is also the oldest such Library in this country and the birthplace of where recorded materials and books were invented.
I attended a rally on February 22, 2012 held in Shakespeare Park, in front of the Central branch, where 70 angry but determined patrons and library workers gathered to denounce this plan.
Jim Antonnucci, a longtime Library patron, pointed out “How will this benefit the blind? Of course, they refuse to answer the question. They care less about us. But we will be counted. We will not put up with service reductions, not on our backs.”
Miss Starkey, a vibrant young patron also known as Sister Soldier Sapphire, added, “I have used and enjoyed the Philadelphia Free Library facilities for many many years. Even before I lost my sight. The Library for the Blind is a wonderful, a magnificent place, where the staff is efficient and courteous, where people in need like myself converse and interact. Its a safe oasis. It cannot be taken away like this. This Library must stay here! It will stay here!”
Miss Starkey told me she represents others like herself and is a member of the VIP Social Club – Visually Impaired Persons.
There are no hard core facts about the number of homeless citizens in this city who are also blind or severely visually impaired, but I believe that the numbers are significant. People are just reluctant to say so and generally keep it to themselves. Poor and impaired eyesight is one of the major results of the critical poor health care that is a by-product of homeless existence, whether in shelters or on the streets. Access to proper optical care (and dental treatment) is too often way too little and way too late.
But just a casual observation will prove how important the services provided by the Philadelphia library for the Blind and the Visually Impaired are for this city.
This cynical move is scheduled to take place in mid-April.
We encourage all concerned to make their voives heard loud and clear.
Keep the Philly Library for the Blind right here where it serves the needs of the people so well.
posted by Erik younge/contact me at: eryounge@gmail.com
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