SP R IN G 2 01 3
VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 2
OFF the SHELF A MAGAZINE FROM the Free Library of Philadelphia
Helping Hands THE VOLUNTEERS OF THE FREE LIBRARY Also inside: Get the scoop on The Philadelphia Book Festival, see rare letters from Christopher Columbus, and travel the neighborhoods with One Book, One Philadelphia
Secure the Free Library’s Tomorrow Make a Planned Gift Today The Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation is pleased to offer our supporters a new way to make a difference to the future of the Library—by establishing a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA). A CGA enables you to receive a guaranteed income for life in return for an outright donation today. Rates for CGAs are based on your age and can be established for as little as $10,000. Current rates are below as of January 1, 2013. For more about CGAs, contact Amanda Goldstein, DireCtor of Major Gifts and Planned Giving at 215-567-7710 or goldsteina@freelibrary.org.
SAMPLE RATES FOR A $10,000 SINGLE LIFE ANNUITY
65
70
75
80
85
90
Annuitant RATE
4.7%
5.1%
5.8%
6.8%
7.8%
9.0%
CHARITABLE DEDUCTION
$2,661
$3,469
$4,102
$4,669
$5,419
$6,135
ANNUAL PAYMENT
$470
$510
$580
$680
$780
$900
Annuitant Age
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING AUTHOR EVENTS FOR MORE Info: 215-567-4341 • freelibrary.org/authorevents FREE
APR 19 • 12:00 PM
APR 22 • 8:15 PM
APR 25 • 7:30 PM
APR 28 • 7:30 PM
APR 30 • 7:30 PM
FREE
TICKET REQUIRED
FREE
TICKET REQUIRED
TICKET REQUIRED
Cass Sunstein
E.O. Wilson
Isabel Allende
Simpler: The Future of Government
Letters to A Young Scientist
Letty Cottin Pogrebin
Vali Nasr The Dispensable Nation: American Foreign Policy in Retreat
Maya’s Notebook
How to Be a Friend to a Friend Who’s Sick Barbara Gohn Day Memorial Lecture
In conversation with Ian Sheffer
MAY 2 • 7:30 PM
MAY 9 • 7:30 PM
MAY 13 • 7:30 PM
MAY 14 • 7:30 PM
MAY 29 • 8:15 PM
FREE
FREE
TICKET REQUIRED
FREE
TICKET REQUIRED
Maria Semple
Claire Messud
Where’d You Go, Bernadette?
Nathaniel Philbrick
The Woman Upstairs
Bunker Hill: A City, A Siege, A Revolution Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Endowed Lecture
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Americanah
Alice Walker The Cushion in the Road: Meditation and Wandering as the Whole World Awakens to Being in Harm’s Way
From the President and Director Free Library of Philadelphia President and Director
Siobhan A. Reardon Associate Director
Dr. Joseph McPeak Vice President of Development
Melissa B. Greenberg Vice President of External Affairs
Sandra Horrocks Director of Communications and Brand Marketing
Alix Gerz Writer/Editor
Michelle Saraceni Sheffer PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Eileen Owens Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation
1901 Vine Street, Suite 111 Philadelphia, PA 19103 215-567-7710 freelibrary.org/support OFF THE SHELF
offtheshelf@freelibrary.org freelibrary.org/publications Off the Shelf is published twice annually for supporters of the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation and showcases the Library’s educational, economic, and cultural contributions to the region.
ON THE COVER: Clockwise from top left: Peg Kozlowski, Pat O’Bannon, Irv Apt, Randy Shuler, Mary Ann Tancredi, Angel Byard, and Adrianne James are just a few of the thousands of volunteers who generously share their time with the Free Library.
This issue of Off the Shelf highlights our commitment to community engagement. As part of our new strategic plan, we here at the Library crafted a bold statement of vision, dedicating ourselves to “building an enlightened community devoted to lifelong learning.” The following pages illustrate a handful of the many ways that the Free Library is doing just that. You’ll read about flagship programs, such as One Book, One Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Book Festival, that reach beyond the Library’s walls to engage Philadelphians of all backgrounds with the captivating power of literacy. You’ll enjoy stories about our passionate community of volunteers who help our librarians change lives every day because of their dedication to their Library and their community. You’ll meet renowned authors, see hidden gems from our special collections, and find out how we celebrated a historic literary holiday, all of which help us to inspire and engage countless Library customers across the region. Thank you for being part of our Free Library community, and I hope you enjoy reading more about the people and programs that make this institution a cornerstone of education, literacy, and culture in Philadelphia! Warmly,
PHOTO CREDIT: RYAN BRANDENBERG
PHOTO CREDIT: KATIE RIGGAN
BELOW: Retired teacher Rosetta Perno volunteering at the South Philadelphia Library
Siobhan A. Reardon PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR
WHAT’S INSIDE 8 Helping Hands: Volunteer Services at the Free Library 4 News & Notes 6 HIDDEN GEMS: EXPLORING CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 7 focus on: philadelphia book festival 12
ONE BOOK, MANY NEIGHBORHOODS
14 The Final Word: SOLOMON JONES 15
BOARD LISTS
Pride and Prejudice at 200 On January 28, the Free Library hosted a day-long celebration, “Pride and Prejudice at 200,” honoring the 200th publication anniversary of Jane Austen’s most beloved novel. Among many events during the day, Library customers were treated to pop-up performances from actors from the Old Academy Players; a digital exhibition of images from Austen’s era; a special presentation from the Jane Austen Society of Pennsylvania about the novel’s past, present, and future relevance; and a discussion about the portrayal of Elizabeth Bennett in film. “Pride and Prejudice at 200” was a great success, and the Library looks forward to presenting more literary celebrations soon!
Have you visited the Free Library Shop yet? We launched our online store recently, and we couldn’t be more excited to offer an array of beautiful and fun literary gifts! The shop features Free Library T-shirts and tote bags, books signed by their authors, fun literary gifts, and lots of items based on our own stunning collections. More merchandise is being added all the time, so be sure to check out freelibraryshop.org and get shopping!
Members of the Old Academy Players perform scenes from Pride and Prejudice throughout the Library. Here, Jane, Lizzy, and Mary Bennett converse in Philbrick Hall while Mr. Bingley and Mr. Bennett look on.
The Borrowers’ Ball On December 1, some 400 festive Library lovers gathered at Parkway Central for The Borrowers’ Ball. The smashingest literary party of the year gave guests the chance to enjoy cuisine by three outstanding chefs from Brûlée Catering— Jean-Marie LaCroix, Matt Levin, and Guillermo Pernot—bid on glamorous getaways as part of a live auction, and dish on the latest news from the world of words with today’s top authors, including Jami Attenberg (The Middlesteins), Veronica Chambers (Yes, Chef), and Carlin Romano (America the Philosophical). Funds raised support the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation, which make possible many Free Library programs and services that enhance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity throughout Philadelphia. LEFT: Free Library Assistant Chief of Staff Autumn McClintock joins Robert Heim, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and his wife Eileen Kennedy Heim BELOW: John Downes, Sondra Bergey, and Tobey Dichter, Chair of the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation Board of Directors, enjoying the festivities.
Young supporters of the Free Library at the Raven Society’s Holiday FÊte; they later joined up with Ball attendees for dessert and dancing!
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF KELLY & MASSA PHOTOGRAPHY
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WYOMING
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(1) In the fall, our younger customers at Wyoming Library enjoyed a Diary of a Wimpy Kid party. (2) A girl reads Three Stories You Can Read to Your Dog, by Sara Swan Miller, to Lola, a therapy dog at Katharine Drexel Library. (3) A little bookworm chooses some favorite books at the Greater Olney Library.
KATHARINE DREXEL
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(4) Children at Independence Library celebrate Snapshot PA Day, when libraries across the state capture a day in the life of their library.
Willo Carey (left) and her husband Peter Benoliel (right) , a member of the Board of Trustees and Board of Directors, join Selby Kiffer, Sr. (center left), Vice President of Sotheby’s, one of the Ball sponsors, and Sheldon Bonovitz (center right), member of the Board of Directors.
Katherine J. Gilmore, currently a Legislative Aide with Philadelphia City Council, began her journey with the Free Library as a young student completing homework at the Wynnefield Library. As she progressed through school, she relied more and more on the Library for homework materials and especially computer access, as her family didn’t own one at home. In 12th grade, she accepted a position as a Teen Leadership Assistant (TLA) at Wynnefield. Her love for the Library and her many years of experience made her a perfect fit to help younger students complete their homework and utilize all of the vital Library resources. Katherine loved her TLA position and feels that it prepared her for her current career in City Hall. “The experience helped me to learn that I enjoyed helping others, which is a large part of the work I do now,” Katherine says. “It also taught me discipline, time management, and event planning skills, which have proven to be invaluable during my professional career.” And although Katherine is busy with her legislative work, she says the Free Library still plays a role in her life: “I love the newly expanded services at the Library, especially all of the information you can access via computer.” As Katherine continues her journey to help serve the city, we couldn’t be more proud to have her as a life-long customer.
Velma and W. Wilson Goode, Sr., a member of the Free Library’s Board of Trustees and the Free Library Foundation’s Board of Directors, with Ralph Smith.
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HIDDEN GEMS
Exploring Christopher Columbus at the Free Library The Rare Book Department at the Parkway Central Library is a veritable who’s who of big names in the literary world. There are major collections of Charles Dickens, Edgar Allan Poe, and Beatrix Potter, just to name a few. Tucked amongst these renowned collections are a couple of rarely seen items related to a name so big it’s memorialized in an elementary-school rhyme: Christopher Columbus.
the letter was translated into Latin and printed in Rome. The Rare Book Department owns one of the copies of this Latin piece, dating to 1493. Interestingly, this piece only references King Ferdinand as monarch of Spain, leaving out Queen Isabella, who was eventually added in later editions. Pollock notes that these later Latin editions flourished across Europe in 1493, “which is why the news of Columbus’s ‘discovery’ reached so many people so quickly in a world where communication was not exactly instantaneous.”
The Rare Book Department has not one, but two early copies of Columbus’s first letter detailing his discovery of what is now the United States.
Christopher Columbus. Eyn schön hübsch lessen von etlichen inßlen. Strassburg: B. Kistler, 1497. Gift of William Elkins.
Each piece is a rare example of incunabula—which is a book printed in Europe before 1501—and recounts Columbus’s discoveries and documents his earliest impressions of the “new world.” In it he names the “Indians” and remarks that they are very “docile” and will easily be converted to Christianity. According to Janine Pollock, Head of the Rare Book Department, the letter is the first known document to announce the outcome of Columbus’s voyage, and was written during his return voyage when he was aboard the Niña. After Columbus reached Spain, the letter was printed in Spanish in Barcelona. Just one month later,
In 1497, the letter was translated into German and printed in Strassburg; the Rare Book Department also owns a copy of this edition. This piece is exceptional in its own right, featuring a unique woodcut on the title page showing Christ addressing King Ferdinand and his followers. Although the letters are not available currently for public viewing, the Rare Book Department is open for free tours that feature other fascinating pieces of literary history Monday through Saturday at 11:00 a.m. Stop by and make some “discoveries” of your own! • • • BY ALIX GERZ
Christopher Columbus. Epistola de insulis nuper inventis. Rome: S Plannck. After 19 June 1493. Gift of William Elkins.
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A Literary Extravaganza
FOCUS ON
Beloved Philadelphia Book Festival Comes to Neighborhood Libraries PHOTO CREDIT: JONI KABANA
CHERYL STRAYED
NANCY PEAR
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OW
RACHEL MADD
LFUS
BARATUNDE THURSTON
KEN KA
JAMES SALTER
ANDREW SO
LOMON
A RYS PHOTO CREDIT: LAN
PHOTO CRED
IT: Annie Leibo vitz
From hosting Tina Fey’s hilarious book talk to Barbara Walters’s insightful conversation about her career in journalism, the Philadelphia Book Festival has been one of the city’s premier literary events for over half a decade.
“For the past few years we’ve become highly focused on moving our key events into the neighborhoods and even beyond the Library’s own walls, said Siobhan A. Reardon, President and Director of the system. “To be able to take something as big and as important as the Philadelphia Book Festival and make it hyper-local is an impressive feat, and one that I’m incredibly proud of. Our impact is just going to grow exponentially.”
*Check our website as some authors may move off site.
Neighborhood libraries selected their author event based on what their customers enjoy most. Direct, focused service is just one hallmark of the 21st century Free Library, and Festival goers will get to see this firsthand come the seventh annual Philadelphia Book Festival, taking place during National Library Week from April 14–20. • • • BY ALIX GERZ
Headlining authors, pictured above, will appear throughout the week at Parkway Central.* For a full schedule of all Philadelphia Book Festival events, please visit freelibrary.org/festival.
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PHOTO CREDIT: ALEXA LEE
Over the years, the Festival has undergone some changes: In 2010 it expanded from a two-day weekend festival to a six-day extravaganza, featuring headlining authors in Parkway Central’s Montgomery Auditorium every night of the week. This year the Festival is changing again, exploding into every neighborhood in Philadelphia, as each neighborhood library—all 53 of them!— will feature a special in-house event with an author. Headlining authors will continue to appear throughout the week at Parkway Central, and this year’s voices include Ken Kalfus and Rachel Maddow.*
• • • BY Michelle Saraceni Sheffer
Helping Hands Volunteer Services at the Free Library With a warm and friendly smile, volunteer Linda Blythe sits at the Free Library’s Pop-Up Shop in the lobby of the Parkway Central Library, greeting customers and helping them pick out the perfect gift or memento from the variety of Library merchandise for sale. Farther downtown, at the South Philadelphia Library, retired teacher Rosetta Perno welcomes new Americans from Mexico, Vietnam, China, and beyond to her English conversation group as they settle in for a lively discussion. Each and every day throughout the Free Library of Philadelphia system, volunteers work both with the public and behind the scenes, making sure that librarians have the support they need and that Library customers have the positive experiences they deserve. Volunteers help with special projects and lessons for the Literacy Enrichment After-school Program (LEAP). They wield microphones and assist with book signings for the popular Author Events Series. They shelve—and re-shelve—a variety of Library materials. They prepare mailings and record thousands of books on tape for visually impaired customers across the state. Without its volunteers, the Free Library just wouldn’t be the same.
“Volunteers are an incredible asset not only to the Free Library system but to the Greater Philadelphia community,” says Siobhan A. Reardon, President and Director of the Free Library. “By being so giving of their time and their expertise, our generous volunteers help to enrich the lives of the hundreds of thousands of people who visit the Library each year.”
The Volunteer Services Program at the Free Library of Philadelphia began in 1995 in response to City budget cuts, with the aim of supporting and enhancing the work of the system’s expert librarians and other staff members. Volunteers initially helped to process the rapidly growing collections of audio and visual materials, but as the Program grew, volunteers began taking on a diversified variety of roles, depending on where need was greatest. Today, nearly 2,000 people volunteer more than 120,000 hours of their time—in total valued at more than $2.5 million—every year in each of the 54 libraries throughout the city. “What I love most about my job is that I have the ability to impact my city, my community, and my fellow citizens on a macro and micro level,” says Ken Manns, the gregarious Director of the Volunteer Services Program at the Library. “If I see a need—or if a colleague comes to me asking for help—I have the resources to address it. And I am able to help volunteers fill a gap in their résumés, develop new job skills, build their intellect, or just feel good about donating their time.” Most recently, the Library has been actively recruiting volunteers to serve as one-on-one computer tutors for seniors, helping them build their computer skills and connect to loved ones online through
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120,754
HOURS OF VOLUNTEERS’
TIME
With the generous support of Wells Fargo, Oak Lane Library hosted a community tree giveaway in celebration of Earth Day. In addition, volunteers from Wells Fargo and Tree Philly helped to plant new trees at the library! PHOTO Credit: Courtesy of Wells Fargo
Students with special needs volunteer throughout the Free Library system, learning valuable life skills as they help with tasks like cleaning, sorting, and organization. PHOTO CREDIT: EILEEN OWENS
1,929 volunteers
Statistics accurate for Fiscal Year 2012
{9} Retired teacher Rosetta Perno leads an English conversation group at the South Philadelphia Library. PHOTO CREDIT: KATIE RIGGAN
Volunteers Bobbi and Al Fox greet Free Library Pepper Society Members Ed and Lyn Tettemer as they arrive at the author event with renowned journalist Bob Woodward at Parkway Central Library. PHOTO CREDIT: KATIE RIGGAN
A Free Library volunteer helps to manage the lengthy book-signing line at the Philadelphia Book Festival. PHOTO credit: Shannon Grotzinger
email and social networking. (“Volunteers are integral to bridging the digital divide between the young and old,” explains Manns.) Volunteers are also being trained to serve as English Language Facilitators, who host informal conversation groups in libraries throughout the city for people new to the United States who are looking to build their English-language skills. In March of 2012, retired teacher Rosetta Perno became an English Language Facilitator at the South Philadelphia Library. For Rosetta—a lifelong reader and lover of books—deciding to volunteer at the Library was an easy and natural choice. She admits to worrying at first that her conversation group wouldn’t be successful, but thanks to promotional efforts and word of mouth, Rosetta now welcomes a core group of adults each Monday for casual conversation about any topic under the sun.
“Meeting with members of my English conversation group is the most personally satisfying professional experience that I have ever had,” she says. “The participants are very eager to become productive members of American society, and I truly admire all of the members of my group. It is a joy to spend time introducing our country to them.”
In addition to the variety of opportunities available to interested individuals, the Volunteer Services Program also offers special programs for learning disabled adults in life skills groups, as well as for court-ordered volunteers who need to fulfill community service hours. The Library also welcomes corporations wishing to organize large-scale volunteer projects for their employees. In April 2012, Comcast hosted a volunteer day at McPherson Square Library, where employees painted the building, cleaned up the surrounding park, and donated a variety of materials and art supplies. Other corporate volunteer opportunities include reading to children and helping out with a variety of Free Library events, including the Philadelphia Book Festival and One Book, One Philadelphia. The newest and most rapidly growing component of Volunteer Services at the Free Library is the Work Study program, which began in 2009 with grant support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Through Work Study, nearly 200 students from area technical schools, colleges, and universities share their skills and talents in a variety of ways, from helping with robotics programs for Philadelphia schoolchildren to undertaking research projects for a variety of Library departments. University of Pennsylvania Work Study student Chris Zhang is helping with a research project that will shed light on the provenance of materials that have been donated to the Library over the past two centuries by digging into and organizing donor archives from the Library’s early days.
$2,518,928 total value of volunteers’ time { 10 }
80%
of Free Library volunteers provide 20 or more hours of service each year. “Although on-campus volunteer jobs are very convenient, they often lack the connections to the community at large,” says Zhang, a math and economics student. “The Free Library offered me a much more direct way to contribute what I have back to society and interact with people whom I would’ve never been able to meet.”
Volunteers Mimi Barton and Tresa The a variety of len staff the literary good Free Library’ ies and merc items in the s Pop-Up Sho handise based Library’s ric p, selling h collection on some of the s. rare and un ique
It is a spirit of friendliness and inclusiveness that keeps many Free Library volunteers coming back year after year. Linda Blythe has been volunteering at the Library for over six years. When she’s not helping to run the Pop-Up Shop, she’s serving as a greeter at Parkway Central or as an Author Events ticket-taker and microphonehandler. A passionate traveler, Linda enjoys taking tours of historic buildings across the country and, noticing that there was no formal tour available of the Beaux-Arts Parkway Central Library, offered to organize and host one for an event with the Laureate Circle—a group of donors who have been supporting the Library for over 10 years.
Becoming a Free Library volunteer is a simple, two-step process. Interested adults and teens ages 14 and up can fill out an application— available online at freelibrary.org/ VOLUNTEER—that surveys their interests and strengths. Then, they will be called in for an interview with the Volunteer Services team to figure out where best their strengths line up with the Library’s needs. For the most fulfilling experience, volunteers are generally asked to dedicate at least one day a week, three to four hours per day, over the course of 90 days. Join the team today!
“The best part was when we all gathered around the statue of George S. Pepper on the staircase landing at the end of the tour, and I asked the group who had founded the first free library in Philadelphia,” says Linda with a smile. “Everyone said ‘Ben Franklin,’ and I got to explain that no, it was actually this man [Pepper] right here!” (Franklin founded the Library Company of Philadelphia, which required a paid subscription.) If there’s a common thread through the diverse group of Free Library volunteers, it’s the passion and enthusiasm that everyone shares for their work and for each other. By generously giving of their time and talents, volunteers help to advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity each and every day, ensuring that the Library remains a vibrant, welcoming place for all Philadelphians. • • •
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Work Study student Chris Zhang, from the University of Pennsylvania, is helping to dig through and organize more than 100 years’ worth of donor archives and items.
A single volunteer recorded 157 books on tape for the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped over just 18 months’ time.
work study students
from nine area colleges, universities, and technical schools volunteered
54,440 hours of time.
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e h t m o fr OODS
R O B H G NEI
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One Book, Many Neighborhoods For the past 11 years, One Book, One Philadelphia has lived up to its name. With the uniting force of the official book selection, citizens across Philadelphia read, learn, create, and most importantly, come together. The eight inspired weeks of programming take place in the neighborhood libraries along with Parkway Central Library, and with additional events created by outside partners, One Book reaches into every corner of the city.
neighborhoods, citizens both young and old participated in the plethora of One Book programming. “One Book, One Philadelphia is a favorite annual tradition, inspiring and bringing thousands of diverse peoples together in ways that help fulfill the promise of Philadelphia as the City of Brotherly and Sisterly love,” Marie Field, Chair of One Book explains. “Essential to the success of the program as a catalyst for community involvement is the dedicated participation of the Free Library branches, whose talented librarians engage the people of their neighborhoods by creating stimulating programs around our yearly One Book selections. One Book salutes and extends heartfelt thanks to the neighborhood libraries and their personnel who play such a vital role in our literacy and community building program.”
As in years past, the programming generated around the One Book selection highlights the themes, culture, and spirit of the selected book. This year’s choice, Julie Otsuka’s The Buddha in the Attic, inspired dozens of events outside the Library system, and even more in the neighborhood libraries, ranging from Japanese art, music, and history, to women’s rights, immigration, and identity. Readers across the city—including the Philadelphia City Council—became immersed in the story. With book discussion groups for The Buddha in the Attic and after-school literacy activities based on the children’s companion selection, A Place Where Sunflowers Grow, occurring throughout the
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In four different neighborhood libraries, Mama Carla— Founder and CEO of Progeny’s Legacy Jamaa, an arts group in Philadelphia—led an event about the power and uses of tea around the world. As a performer, event leader, and community member, Mama Carla can vouch for the program’s ability to connect the city’s neighbors. “By holding programs throughout Philadelphia, I noticed people who normally don’t linger at the library stay a little longer to learn something different and share with those in their community,” Mama Carla observes. “It is my pleasure to watch new friendship sprout while others are renewed through art, laughter, [and] conversation.” As events happened simultaneously across the city, One Book’s connectivity was seen in every Philadelphia neighborhood. At the Philadelphia City Institute in Center City, program leader Fumiyo Batta headed a Kimono Dressing Workshop; at the Lawncrest Library in Northeast Philadelphia, children and teens learned how to make Origami; in the Southwest at the Thomas F. Donatucci, Sr. Library participants created their own fans from all over the world; and at libraries in all neighborhoods, customers
TOP: Lawncrest Library was just one of many neighborhood libraries to host origami workshops for children. MIDDLE: Workshop leader Fumiyo Batta teaches participants the art of kimono dressing at Philadelphia City Institute. BOTTOM: Young customers at Thomas F. Donatucci, Sr. Library create fans from around the world.
photo credit: DEBRA MIKUS
Philadelphia City Council enjoys this year’s featured selection.
photo credit: kelly & massa photography
Now that the One Book, One Philadelphia 2013 season has come to a close, the city eagerly awaits the next official selection. What will the next book investigate? Will we have the opportunity to explore another culture? What social, historical, or personal issues will the author, and in turn Philadelphia, consider? And as exciting as it may be to guess the next selection, one fact is always predictable: The next season of One Book, One Philadelphia will unite a city of neighborhoods under the lasting effects of literacy, solidarity, and community. One Book, One Philadelphia is generously funded by Walmart, The Field Foundation, The Lenfest Foundation, PECO, Pepper Hamilton, LLP, and Stradley Ronon. Without these sponsors, One Book programming in neighborhood libraries would not be possible.
• • • BY EILEEN OWENS
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photo credit: kATIE RIGGAN
Sarah Byker James, a One Book program leader, facilitated Japanese poetry workshops at multiple neighborhood libraries. From Oak Lane to Kensington, she created haiku collages with children and teens from all over Philadelphia, connecting neighbors who might not get to know each other otherwise. Byker James explains: “Through One Book, year after year, we Philadelphians […] grasp experiences we wouldn’t otherwise grasp. Like most people in most places, we often stick with what we know. Reading puts us in the company of those we don’t already know, and a program like One Book encourages us to listen.”
photo credit: kATIE RIGGAN
talked about The Buddha in the Attic in book club style discussions led by librarians.
To listen to SOLOMON JONES’s Author Events podcast—AMONG OTHERS—visit freelibrary.org/authorevents.
An award-winning columnist for the Axis Philly, Philadelphia Daily News, and WHYY’s Newsworks, Solomon Jones is the author of the Essence Magazine bestselling novel The Bridge, as well as the critically acclaimed books Pipe Dream, Ride or Die, C.R.E.A.M., and Payback. Jones is the founder of Words on the Street Literacy Program; he previously taught creative writing at Temple University and served on the boards of several committees to end homelessness. The Dead Man’s Wife is his eighth novel and the latest in the Coletti crime series. OTS What role have libraries played in your life? SJ I love books. I always have, and the library is the place where
books live. Perhaps that’s why libraries have served as a sanctuary for me. When I walk into a library the smell of books envelops me and the memories come flooding back: high school papers and index cards, the Dewey Decimal System and microfiche, librarians who knew everything, and computers with flashing green cursors. The library was a place where I could go to learn anything, and that made me feel smart and powerful. OTS What role do you think libraries play in our 21st century society? SJ Libraries in the 21st century are instrumental to closing the
digital divide. They are critically important to keeping people informed, engaged, and connected by providing patrons with access to computers, ebooks, websites, and other digital equipment. Libraries will also be critical to filling the role of the rapidly shrinking bookstore industry, providing space where authors and readers can speak face to face, where book-centered events can take place, and where literature can be a tool to connect people around shared ideas. At a time when technology can serve to isolate people from real human contact, libraries are a place where research can be a team endeavor, where communities can come together around the issues that are important to them, and where people can dialogue around the topics that bond us all. OTS You’re well known for your acclaimed, bestselling urban crime novels. In addition, your nonfiction writing has appeared in many local publications, including the Daily News and Philadelphia Weekly, and you recently began writing a regular column for WHYY’s Newsworks, in which you focus on family and community life in Philadelphia. What about our city—good or bad—continues to inspire you to pick up a pen (or power up your computer) every day? SJ Philadelphia is old and new, young and old, conservative and
Africa; Logan has immigrants from Asia; the Northeast is home to a large pocket of Russians; and unlike other cities I’ve seen, African Americans don’t just occupy the hood. We are longtime property owners in some of the most desirable areas of the city. Philadelphia is grimy and dark in spots, and the crumbling architecture and abandoned properties in the old industrial neighborhoods stand out like ugly scars. But the city also has a beauty that’s stunning in both its simplicity and its scope. Take a walk along Kelly Drive and marvel at the statues, the river, and the greenery. Go to neighborhoods like Chestnut Hill or Overbrook Farms and see the architecture of old beautiful houses. Drive through Fairmount Park, the largest urban park in the world, and look at mansions that are centuries old. Why do I write about Philadelphia? I love it. I love it because it’s mine, because it’s home, and because it has a vitality that makes even the grime come to life every day. OTS You recently founded Words on the Street, a nonprofit literacy program for students and parents in Philadelphia. Tell us a little about why you feel so impassioned about literacy and what you’ve been able to achieve through Words on the Street. SJ Writing saved my life by snatching me off the streets and giving
me a voice. I believe writing can do the same for young people. In order to write, however, students must know how to read. Reading is the key to learning. If you can’t read a science book you can’t learn chemistry. If you can’t read a math book you can’t learn algebra. So reading is a skill we must teach our students at all costs. That’s why I’m so passionate about Words on the Street. Through Words on the Street, which was funded by Verizon and the Knight Foundation, I partnered with Art Sanctuary, Barnes & Noble, the Philadelphia Daily News, Clear Channel Radio, and the School District of Philadelphia’s Parent University to reach more than 2,000 students with the message of advancement through literacy. We taught workshops to nearly 400 students and 28 parents, distributed 1,500 books, and enabled nine gifted writers to be published in the Philadelphia Daily News and interviewed on Power 99FM. We also partnered with local businesses to distribute $500 in scholarships. OTS To you, the Free Library of Philadelphia is also the Free Library of ________. Why? SJ It’s the Free Library of Hope. Every book in every library is made
up of words, and words are the key to communicating. If we can communicate through words rather than violence or hatred or malice, then we can understand each other. We can work together. We can thrive. Every time I see a library, I see the hope that the words inside will unlock someone’s imagination and help them to see a brighter future. That’s what libraries did for me, and it’s my enduring hope that they will continue to do that for others.
liberal. It has an eclectic mix of neighborhoods and cultures that is truly mind-boggling. Southwest Philly has pockets of immigrants from
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FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA BOARD OF TRUSTEES Chair
Robert C. Heim Members
Donna Allie Steven M. Altschuler Christopher Arlene Jacqueline Barnett Darwin Beauvais Peter A. Benoliel Patricia A. Coulter Pamela Dembe Tobey Gordon Dichter W. Wilson Goode, Sr. Melissa Grimm Nancy D. Kolb Noel Mayo Sonia Sanchez John J. Soroko Sherry A. Swirsky Nicholas D. Torres Ignatius C. Wang Shelly Yanoff Emeritus
Joseph F. Burke Gloria Twine Chisum Armand Della Porta Herman Mattleman Teresa Sarmina
Take a Front Row Seat The George S. Pepper Society recognizes those who give $1,000 or more annually to the Free Library Foundation. In appreciation of their generosity, Peppers receive early access to and special pricing on Author Events tickets, exclusive invitations to literary soirées, personal access to world-renowned authors, and much more.
Ex-Officio
Michael DiBerardinis Deputy Mayor for the Environment and Community Resources
For more information on the Pepper Society, contact Rebecca at formanr@freelibrary.org or 215-567-7710 x 519.
Irv Ackelsberg Friends of the Free Library
FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FOR $25,000
Wish List
Chair
Tobey Gordon Dichter Members
Cynthia Affleck James H. Averill Phyllis W. Beck Peter A. Benoliel Sheldon Bonovitz George Day Andrea Ehrlich Daniel K. Fitzpatrick W. Wilson Goode, Sr. Daniel Gordon Richard A. Greenawalt Elizabeth Grenald Melissa Grimm Robert C. Heim John Imbesi Philip P. Jaurigue Geoffrey Kent Alexander Kerr Marciene S. Mattleman Leslie Miller Thomas B. Morris, Jr. Stephanie W. Naidoff Patrick M. Oates Derek N. Pew William R. Sasso Susan G. Smith Miriam Spector Stacey Leigh Spector Barbara Sutherland Monica Vachher Jay Weinstein Larry Weiss
The Wish List below details just a few of the many ways your support of the Foundation can enhance and improve the Free Library of Philadelphia: FOR $25,000 a neighborhood library can provide after-school programming for thousands of children four days a week throughout an entire school year. FOR $20,000 Behind the Screens, a film literacy program for teens, can be presented in four branches for two months. Filmmaking equipment is included. FOR $5,000 the Free Library can provide 20 programs for job seekers on writing a résumé, conducting an online job search, and preparing for an interview.
FOR $2,500 a series of 10 Englishas-a-Second-Language classes can be offered in a branch. FOR $1,000 one is recognized as part of the George S. Pepper Society, the most generous group of library supporters, and enjoys exclusive opportunities to meet with renowned authors. FOR $500 the Free Library can add 75 ebooks to its collection to be downloaded and read by hundreds of individuals.
EMERITUS
Marie Field Elizabeth H. Gemmill A. Morris Williams, Jr.
To make a gift to the Foundation, visit freelibrary.org/support or call 215-567-7710.
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The Free Library is one of the most important educational and cultural institutions in Philadelphia. The City of Philadelphia provides funds for the operations of the Free Library system, including staffing at our 54 locations. Through the generosity of individual gifts, the Free Library Foundation supports many of the Library’s incredible programs and services, which advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity throughout our city. To make a gift to the Foundation, please visit freelibrary.org/support or call 215-567-7710.
Summer Reading at the Free Library June 17 – August 9, 2013 With plenty of books, special activities, and surprises, Summer Reading at the Free Library helps more than 50,000 Philadelphia schoolchildren keep their minds sharp over their summer vacations by rewarding them with prizes for reading and learning as much as they can! Studies indicate that students who read six or more books over the summer can prevent “brain drain” and even make gains in their reading levels. Stay tuned to freelibrary.org for more details later this spring! This crucial, flagship program would not be possible without generous private support. To make a gift, call 215-567-7710 or visit freelibrary.org/support.