PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Most Philadelphia schools don’t have their own libraries.
So the School District of Philadelphia is looking to the city’s Free Library for help, at a time that their system has its own challenges.
The district has 215 schools, but only a handful of certified librarians.
Schools Superintendent Tony Watlington said he’s looking into having the Free Library of Philadelphia lend a hand.
“We are in conversation with the Free Library of Philadelphia about a potential partnership to fill some immediate gaps with the absence of libraries and librarians in some of our schools,” said Watlington.
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“The leader of the Free Library of Philadelphia has committed to being an equal partner with the School District of Philadelphia so that we can figure out ways to work together to fill some of the voids K-12. Not just in high schools, but K-12.”
Any partnership is in the very early stages, so early that Free Library Director Kelly Richards says that while he wants to help the district, he’s not sure what the short-staffed library system can offer.
“Right now, the Free Library is really just trying to build up to capacity itself, so that we can be open five stable days. So that’s the biggest priority that the Free Library has right now,” said Richards.
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“To have a conversation, to have a discussion, I think it’s best for us to be at that table. That’s what we do.”
The library system recently relaxed its employment standards, removing the requirement of one year of experience, to try to fill 180 entry-level library assistant positions. They have received about 500 applications.
Richards said while it was premature to talk about specifics, the Library wants to be involved in helping the city’s schoolchildren.