City Budget
Philadelphia budget hearings continued today in City Hall. Library officials testified on the that department's budget needs and on the long awaited central library expansion.
By Shai Ben-Yaacov
WHYY News, April 9, 2008
Unlike some other department hearings, their was little bickering between interim Library Director Joseph McPeak and City Council members. That may be because the library's proposed budget is 1 percent less than last year.
McPeak said that some librarian jobs lost to attrition will be filled by library assistants, creating a savings of nearly $200,000. But, those workers will only be put in clerical positions.
"Our subject departments, which are the vast majority of work in the Central libraries, still require skilled librarian work," said McPeak.
McPeak also says that the library will realize savings by cancelling paper subscriptions to some periodicals that will now be available only on line.
In addition, McPeak testified that the $150 million expansion to the central library is set to break ground this December. According to McPeak the project is on target, having raised slightly more than half of the required money.
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