My Mount Airy library was my lifeline as a kid. I want that for all Philly kids, including mine.

Recently, one of my kids became ill and was sent home from school. Her fever abated that afternoon, and by the next morning, she seemed like herself again. But the school has a rule — if you have a fever, you take the next day off, too — so I found myself in the position lots of parents have probably experienced: on my own with a 5-year-old trying to fight the urge to plop her down in front of the TV while I did stuff around the house.

We ended up going out to the Parkway Central branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia, where we had a nice time — the librarians were friendly, there was a nice selection of books, and the space was well-maintained.

The visit reminded me of when I was growing up in Mount Airy in the early ‘90s, when I used to spend a lot of time at Lovett Memorial Library. The gracious librarian at the time took a special interest in my reading and encouraged me for years.

I felt safe when she was around, and I loved whiling away the hours in the children’s books section. The library’s impact on my life was positive and long-lasting.

The library’s impact on my life was positive and long-lasting.

I would love for my kids to have the same experience, so on the way out of the Parkway Central branch with my daughter, I checked the hours — I thought it’d be fun to come back with the whole family — and was surprised to see that the library was closed on weekends. While I knew the pandemic impacted finances and staffing, I wrongly assumed that the most prominent branch in the city would be open on at least one weekend day.

For years now, prominent officials and others have lamented the budget cuts that have undermined our library system. Indeed, in 2022 the system was allocated only 75% of the money that was budgeted in 2007, on an inflation-adjusted basis. The new 2024 budget commits additional funding to restore all libraries to a six-day-a-week working schedule.

That money should help the library system fulfill its primary functions; namely, provide an accessible, clean, well-maintained space with opening hours that meet the needs of the community it serves.

So does the city’s proposed allocation for its library system in 2024 — $70.9 million in annual funding — meet the needs of the community? Most of the money — $59 million, or 83% — is going to personnel expenses. Focusing on staff is a good way to open six days a week, yet having the money is just one part — hiring is another. In 2022, of 1,023 budgeted roles, only 630 were actually filled.

» READ MORE: Philadelphia is allowing its libraries to wither and rot | Opinion

Why can’t the library hire the staff it needs? Many industries are struggling, but among libraries, the lack of job stability is likely a factor. In 2020, more than 200 workers were laid off — and that’s after years of budget cuts had already reduced head count. Workers notice this trend: A recent Gallup poll indicated that 53% of respondents place a premium on job security. And changing perceptions, as the five-year budget plan seems designed to do, will take time.

In Philadelphia, libraries can act as safe environments for children who need them, particularly as the gun violence in our city continues unabated. Opening libraries on weekends should be a priority for that reason alone. The same goes for after-school and enhanced summer operating hours.

But given the funding and hiring constraints, Philadelphia’s library system can’t expect to open six days a week citywide anytime soon. To determine which libraries — and which communities — are most in need of additional hours, city analysts should start by overlaying a map tracking gun violence across the city. Weekend and evening library hours should be targeted to branches in those neighborhoods, since gun violence is often most acute in places where kids don’t have a lot of resources. Once potential focus areas are identified, library administrators (or someone with the know-how) should conduct a survey of residents to assess whether or not night and weekend hours are really desired.

Lots of kids in Philadelphia today don’t know what it means to lose oneself in a book at the library on a summer day or after school, the way I did at Lovett Memorial. With a little bit of tinkering, we may be able to at least grant some the possibility of doing so.

Ahmed Moor is the founder of Marine Biologics and a committeeperson in the 46th Ward. He lives in West Philadelphia.