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Philly Human Relations Commission hosts anti-hate panel
“Hate has no place in our city or anywhere across our state and nation, yet it poses a real threat that disproportionately impacts people of color, the Jewish community, and members of our LGBTQ+ community, specifically transgender women of color,” said Kia Ghee, executive director of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations.
As Philly grapples with gun violence, libraries look to become a safe space for city youth
The city's Rebuild program is working to improve and renovate libraries across Philadelphia.
Philly Free Library supporters demand $15M budget boost
Advocates want spending that was slashed during the pandemic to be restored to the library system's budget.
In Philly, library advocates demand $19.3M in new funding ahead of budget negotiations
On Monday, the nonprofit volunteer group Friends of the Free Library of Philadelphia unveiled a six-point plan that calls for Kenney and City Council to boost the library’s current $49 million budget to pay for staffing ($12 million), infrastructure upgrades ($5 million each year for the next five years), training, resources, and extending six-day service throughout the year.
Philly Free Library takes steps to turn page on fines for overdue items
Fines make up a fraction of the library’s $49 million budget. They fell to $148,000 last year from $421,000 in 2012.
Black library employees earn the least as Philly officials move slowly to implement diversity, inclusion policies
A new report reveals that full-time Black Free Library employees earn the least out of all racial groups, staff demographics do not reflect the city’s.
Philly Mayor Kenney calls on library to eliminate fines for overdue materials
Major cities like Chicago, San Francisco and Salt Lake City have rolled out fine-free policies, and have seen a significant number of overdue books returned during the process.