http://libwww.freelibrary.org/closing/

I thought this was interesting:

Rau[b] also said the salary would be “considerably less” than that of Dale Thompson, executive director of the Providence Public Library. The amount earned by Thompson and other PPL administrators was frequently criticized by patrons’ advocates prior to the system’s breakup. They have taken a 10 percent pay cut in the new fiscal year as the PPL transitions to running just the Central Branch.

You lose 9 branches of a 10 branch system and you get a 10% pay cut? Maybe that says something about how much effort was put into the branches by the PPL.

The library trustees played chicken with the city and lost. In order to save face, they turned over the 9 branches, laid most of the staff off (and the director, who makes 140K per year (!!!!) is taking a 10% pay cut to manage 90$ fewer branches and staff. The Library will hold on to the “central branch” which has been so neutered over the course of four years that it is hardly recognizable from the incredible resource it used to be. They will hold on to it because the building is worth money. My gut feeling is that within a year, or when the market starts to bounce back a bit, that will be the first building sold to a developer.

Meanwhile, a bunch of people who truly believe in the value of community libraries organized and managed to take control of the 9 branches and I wish them all the best, but without the cornerstone, flagship library and its resources, I just have no idea how successful it is going to be.

Wake me when that happens…

With a leasing agreement freshly signed between the city and the Providence Public Library (PPL), the Providence Community Library (PCL) is ready to take over the nine buildings formerly managed by the PPL. Tomorrow, July 1, from the Southside to the North End, each library will be holding a celebration to mark this uniquely historic transition.

Ribbons will be cut and commemorative t-shirts will be sold. Books will ceremonially be related around the city from library to library. Additionally, each branch will be holding its own celebration. Here is a complete list of activities by community:

• Fox Point: Food, live music by Annikki Dawn and Orion Rigel Dommisse, crafts for kids, and storytelling. 5-7pm.
• Knight Memorial: Potluck. 6pm.
• Mount Pleasant: Refreshments and kids’ crafts. 4-6pm.
• Rochambeau: Musicians, origami, and storyteller Mark Binder. 3-5:30pm.
• Olneyville: Karaoke and refreshments. 5-7:30
• Smith Hill: A cookout in the back garden, with kids’ activities inside. 4-7pm.
• South Providence: Cookout in front of the library. Raffles and a commemorative poster to sign. 3-6pm.
• Wanskuck: A ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by flower-planting and refreshments. 1pm.
• Washington Park: A Bigfoot film festival, including a debate and snacks. 2pm.

A list of each library’s hours on that day is available at providencecommunitylibrary.org, as is the relay schedule. The race will begin at 2:30 at Knight Memorial on Elmwood Ave, then travel counter-clockwise around the city by foot, car, and horse until it arrives back at Knight for 7pm.