Staff at Katharine Drexel Library recently wished branch manager Rich Krawczyk a happy retirement after 44 years with the city.
Krawczyk, an Oxford Circle native, attended Ziegler Elementary School and Fels Junior High before taking a job in July 1981 at the Free Library’s central branch. At the time, he was entering his junior year at Cardinal Dougherty.
Krawczyk continued to work for the library system while earning his undergraduate degree at Temple and master’s at Drexel.
Over the years, he worked at the Torresdale, Welsh Road, Northeast Regional and Bustleton branches before becoming branch manager at Katharine Drexel in 2006.
Enrolled in the Deferred Retirement Option Plan, his last day was April 10.
“It was a calling. I absolutely loved it,” he said of his career. “I reveled in it.”
Chrissy Casperson, of Bushrod, which was Krawczyk’s childhood library, will be the new branch manager at Katharine Drexel.
Krawczyk’s retirement party took place at the library on his next-to-last day. The party had a baseball theme, with hot dogs, peanuts and Cracker Jack.
The staff presented him with a Louisville Slugger baseball bat inscribed with the words, “Rich 44. April 10, 2026. Homerun King.” A big baseball fan, Krawczyk noted that he retired after 44 years, two days after the 52nd anniversary of Hank Aaron – No. 44 for the Atlanta Braves – breaking the career home run record.
State Rep. Martina White brought a citation. The offices of state Sen. Joe Picozzi and City Councilman Brian O’Neill also provided citations.
Krawczyk, 61, and his wife Susan live in Delaire Landing. He plans to stay busy in retirement, including by trying to bring back a Friends group at Katharine Drexel to secure Philadelphia Activities Fund money for the branch.
In addition, he plans to volunteer at the Fireman’s Hall Museum and Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum. He’s a member of All Saints Episcopal Church and the Society for American Baseball Research.
Krawczyk said he will miss interacting with and helping the “wonderful patrons” of the Katharine Drexel branch.
“That gave me the greatest joy,” he said. “I’m going to miss it. I’m very lucky. The library was great to me. The city was great to me.” ••
