The Tacony Branch Library, at Torresdale Avenue and Knorr Street, will undergo major renovations starting next month. A rendering of the new library is pictured above. SOURCE: WWW.21STCENTURYLIBRARIES.ORG
Visiting the Tacony Branch Library can be like traveling back in time in many ways.
Patrons can look around and see the architecture and design typical of the late 1800s and early 1900s, when steel magnate Andrew Carnegie funded the construction of more than 2,500 libraries across the nation, including 25 in Philadelphia. Another old-timey vestige is the library’s vast collection of books. In the digital age, paper and ink must surely be considered a throwback.
But starting next month and for the ensuing 18 months or so, workers will transform the Tacony Branch into a community asset for the 21st century, incorporating modern design concepts and accessibility while staying true to the century-old building’s revered history. The library will be closed throughout the renovations, but plans are in place to open a temporary neighborhood library within walking distance to serve the people of Tacony in the meantime.
The Tacony Branch, at Torresdale Avenue and Knorr Street, is among the first group of neighborhood libraries that will benefit from the Free Library of Philadelphia’s new Building Inspiration Project, an effort underwritten by a $25 million grant as well as $4.5 million in city capital funding.
“The ultimate goal is to renovate all of our neighborhood libraries citywide,” said Joe Benford, deputy director of customer engagement for the Free Library. “Part of our goal is to dovetail (the renovations) with a change of how we work in neighborhoods. We really want the library to be the neighborhood hub.”
Physically, the renovations will address various pressing needs at Tacony. The library opened in 1906 and has remained largely unchanged structurally, although it’s become more cluttered than originally intended. Like many Carnegie libraries, the floor plan is a T, with the broader front section serving as the reading area and the narrower rear meant to serve as a lecture hall. The Disston family donated the land for the library as well as its first books.
Over time, growth in the collections and programming resulted in a lot more compartmentalization of the space with shelves, cases, desks and tables covering the floor. In an effort to make the building accessible to those who cannot navigate steps, the library retrofitted an exterior lift years ago, but it’s not real easy to use, particularly in the winter.
The new construction will include an elevator between ground level and the basement. It will be configured into a new atrium-style entrance on the Knorr Street side that will offer a modern appearance without obscuring the original facade. The front of the library, on Torresdale, will be restored in its historical aesthetic.
Inside, staff work areas will be moved from the ground floor to the basement, as will rest rooms, to free up more floor space for library users. The new decor will represent perhaps the most dramatic changes. Open space and visitor flow will be emphasized in a “living room” concept, Benford said. Shelves will be lowered and curved benches installed. Light fixtures and other decorative elements will reflect original designs as depicted in historic photos of the library. Workers will restore the interior moldings and repair the roof.
“It’s got some beautiful design elements, like the skylight is amazing,” Benford said. “Although all (Carnegie libraries) maintain a ‘T’ configuration, they all have unique elements.”
Branch Manager Suzin Weber and Tacony Community Development Corporation Manager Alex Balloon are both excited about how the renovations will redefine the library within the community. In fiscal 2015, the library generated almost 119,000 visits and hosted 380 programs with almost 7,400 participants. More than 10,000 Free Library cardholders identify it as their primary branch, Weber said.
For Balloon, a robust library is vital to the success of Torresdale Avenue as a commercial destination.
“This particular building is a trip generator and an anchor, so it’s the lynchpin to revitalizing the whole of the avenue,” Balloon said.
When Weber and her staff return after reopening, their challenge will be to engage the community on a new level, particularly young people.
“The public schools in the neighborhood are underfunded and under-performing,” Weber said. “There are a lot of initiatives that the city, the Free Library and the schools are doing together.”
One of them is a “Read by 4” effort to get children reading at their grade level by fourth grade. It’s a crucial milestone and indicator for their long-term academic success. The library can improve literacy by visiting the classrooms for storytimes and book talks.
Balloon is working with the library on a business resources center at the library with resources, programs and information for entrepreneurs. It could be a good place for home-based business owners to do research (on a free wireless Internet connection) and to meet clients without having to travel out of the neighborhood.
City Councilman Bobby Henon helped to obtain private funding for a temporary library at 6918 Torresdale Ave. It will be known as the Tacony Library and Arts Building. The Mural Arts Program will also maintain a presence and offer programs. Weber expects it to open for library business by June 1.
“When people in the community started hearing we were going to close, the consensus was we couldn’t leave the children in the neighborhood without a library for a year and a half,” Weber said.
“This our first attempt to continue to provide a service in a neighborhood where a facility will be shut down temporarily,” Henon said. “And I’m excited about the renovations. Being the first in the city is special and the benefits are going right to the kids.” ••
Saran Louis does paperwork for her job as an independent contractor at the Tacony Branch Library. MARIA S. YOUNG / TIMES PHOTO
Time for an upgrade: The Tacony Branch Library, at Torresdale Avenue and Knorr Street, will undergo major renovations starting next month. The new library will include an elevator, an atrium-style entrance and a more open, modern floor plan. Above, manager Suzin Weber says the renovations will help redefine the library within the community. MARIA S. YOUNG / TIMES PHOTO
