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STACK APPLAUDS ‘HISTORIC’ DESIGNATION OF
HOLMESBURG LIBRARY
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Stack |
PHILADELPHIA, June 25
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State Sen. Mike Stack today applauded the
Philadelphia Historical Commission’s recent
decision to register the Holmesburg branch
of the Free Library of Philadelphia as a
historic site.
“Holmesburg library has a long and rich
tradition in Northeast Philadelphia, and
this designation recognizes how special and
how important this place is to the
Holmesburg community,” Stack said. “I’m
proud of the Friends of the Holmesburg
Library and the Preservation Alliance of
Greater Philadelphia for all their hard work
in helping the commission realize the
importance of this truly historic site.”
The commission approved listing Holmesburg,
Haddington, Logan and Kingsessing libraries
as registered historical sites, which means
they are protected and cannot be altered or
demolished without the historical
commission’s approval.
The Holmesburg library was established in
1867, and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie
donated funds for the current building,
which opened in 1907. Today, the library
serves 40,000 families each year and
provides 100,000 items, including books,
DVDs, computer access and more.
“On any given day, the library is filled
with enthusiastic children with stories
under their arms, adults perusing the
shelves and Internet users,” Stack said.
“It’s such a welcoming and popular library
that the community utilizes a great deal.”
Last year, the City of Philadelphia tried to
close Holmesburg — and 10 other library
branches — due to its mounting deficit.
However, after citywide protests that
included Stack and Holmesburg residents, a
court ruling blocked the libraries’ closure.
“Holmesburg library deserves the recognition
as both a quality community resource and a
historic landmark,” Stack said. “I’m so
grateful to the citizens who stood up for
our beloved library and who will now enjoy
it as an important piece of Philadelphia
history.”
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