Phila. Housing Authority opens library

Even before the Philadelphia Housing Authority cut the ribbon to open its new library yesterday afternoon, Nasihah White was busy scanning the shelves.

"I read this," said Nasihah, 11, handing over a paperback book for her friend to inspect. "It is the best book ever."

That book,

The Music of Dolphins

by Karen Hesse, is one of about 5,000 on the shelves inside the John F. Street Community Center at 11th and Poplar Streets.

PHA and city officials came together with children from the Boys and Girls Club yesterday to dedicate their first library. It will serve the families living in North Philadelphia's Richard Allen and Cambridge housing developments.

Two other libraries are planned - one at Wilson Park's community center in South Philadelphia and another in West Philadelphia.

"Anything we can do to keep the neighborhood growing and thriving," said Carl Greene, PHA executive director.

With the future of the city libraries in question as Mayor Nutter, who has proposed closing branches or limiting their hours, struggles with a growing budget imbalance, a new library seemed like a luxury.

The PHA library will be open from noon to 3 p.m. for the community and from 3 to 8 p.m. for children of the Boys and Girls Club. For now, the books will stay in the library until a system is brought in to properly check them out. Twelve computers in the library will be used once a week for adult classes and by students with homework or research projects.

"The library means more stuff to it than just books," said Shalik Moore, 10, who was busy doing his math homework in a noisy community room filled with children. He said he was looking forward to having a quiet place to study.

Comfortable green chairs are set out to serve as reading nooks, and colorful signs - "Reading Is Big," "Books Open the Doors to Discovery" - decorate the walls. On the shelves are the traditional volumes of Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Goosebumps series, along with the more adult fare such as

Airframe

by Michael Crichton and

Living History

by Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Greene said a book drive resulted in donations of about 8,000 books. The Free Library of Philadelphia contributed hundreds of books and Mary Ann McNamee of South Philadelphia donated more than 2,500.

Kyarea Smith, 12, an avid reader, said she finds the new site more convenient. The nearest public library, at Sixth Street and Girard Avenue, is more than a mile from the center.

"I'm planning on writing a book myself," she said, and promptly produced a handful of pages. Her book is about two girls, Yuya and Miya, who are in danger of being killed by the son of an evil king: "They were twin sisters born of a magical family . . . ."