Group Seeks to Take Over Providence Branches
In response to Providence (R.I.) Public Library’s recent proposal to close five of its branches, a newly formed nonprofit organization is seeking to take over all nine of the system’s branches.
The board of trustees of PPL—a private nonprofit organization that receives funding from the city and state—voted December 18 to close the libraries next summer in order to create a “sustainable” library system in light of a $1.4-million operating deficit in the current fiscal year. The branches would be converted to “city- or community-owned Neighborhood Learning Centers” that would serve as “gathering places for afterschool activities and provide access to computers,” according to a statement issued by the board.
However, the Providence Community Library, a group comprised of area civic and business leaders, says it can run the branches with an operating budget of $4.8 million for fiscal 2010 without reducing services. The branches currently receive some $7.5 million of the library’s total $9.7-million operating budget; PCL board Chairman Marcus Mitchell said the group expects to get the branches’ proportion of the city and state contributions as well as conducting “considerable fundraising, which the current management hasn’t been pursuing.”
Mitchell told American Libraries that PCL was “adamant about leaving the current staff in place” and planned to hire a professional librarian as executive director. He added that the organization hoped to enhance services and expand programs, particularly those for youth and seniors.
Mitchell, who is president of the business-strategy firm Shere Enterprises and on the board of the Friends of the Rochambeau Branch Library, said that 10 of the 15 members of the city council, which would have to approve the proposal, showed their support by attending a January 5 press conference outlining the plan. Details of the PCL’s budget and organizational plan were being presented January 9 to Mayor David N. Cicilline, who has voiced his opposition to closing any of the branches.
NBC-TV affiliate WJAR reported January 5 that PPL had issued a statement saying, “Without seeing the Community Library’s proposal, we don’t know that the new organization has the infrastructure capable of administering the branch system, including business, human resources, building management, and professional librarians. As with any new organization, we would be concerned that it has the financial ability to steward the library for future generations.” Mitchell differs, telling AL that he views the situation as “two business enterprises vying for a city contract,” so it would be foolish to show PPL the proposal.
The library has been the center of an ongoing dispute over the level of city financing, governance of the branch libraries, staffing levels, and hours that began in July 2004 when the library cut staff and services in response to several years of level funding by the city and state.
Posted on January 9, 2009. Discuss.