Philadelphia library closings: protests, lawsuits, read-ins, marches, rallies

11 Philadelphia library branches are due to close 1 Jan 2009 because of budget cuts.  Some survey of the news surrounding that.

Philadelphia CityPaper: BREAKING NEWS: Library advocates win injunction

Talk about dramatic: With just over 24 hours before the doors of 11 branch libraries were to be shuttered, locks changed and keys reposessed from library staff (that's according to a librarian), Court of Common Pleas Judge Idee Fox granted an injunction that prohibits the city from closing the libraries after all. Apparently — and we'll have more on this later — the judge also specifically ordered that the injunction would stay in place during the appeals process.

MyFox Philadelphia, 12/29/2008: Protestors Try To Block Library Closings In Court, Heckle Mayor

This is a really emotional issue for a lot of people. The courtroom was packed, and so was Mayor Michael Nutter's conference room. They are trying to do everything they can to save the libraries, which are slated to close Jan. 1, Fox 29's Robin Taylor reported.

Angry protesters heckled Nutter as he discussed library cuts.

Eleven branches will close Thursday unless a judge steps in and issues an injunction.

Philadelphia CityPaper, 12/29/2008: Hearings begin on libraries

Hearings are taking place as we speak on the two separate lawsuits filed in recent weeks to stop Mayor Michael Nutter from closing branch libraries. The first lawsuit was filed by local attorney/former candidate for City Council Irv Ackelsberg on behalf of library patrons and concerned community groups. The second and more recent lawsuit was filed by Councilmembers Blackwell, Green and Kelly.

With the uproar over Nutter's decision, it's no surprise that Courtroom 426 was packed this morning with library supporters — a very diverse crowd indeed.

Free Speech Radio News has a 12/23 story:  Philadelphia Residents Fighting Library Closures

Over the past month hundreds of Philadephia residents have taken to the streets to protest plans to close 11 of the 54 branches of the Free Library. Holding read-ins, rallies and marches they have told mayor Michael Nutter that closing their neighborhoods' educational resource centers is not the proper way to deal with the city's $1 billion budget deficit. FSRN's Andalusia Knoll has more.

More information is available from the Friends of the Free Library Philadelphia.