The Nation's Oldest Public Library Is In Danger of Closing

[babylonsister]

The Nation's Oldest Public Library Is In Danger of Closing
By Susie Madrak Thursday Jan 22, 2009 7:00pm


This library really is a national treasure. (I know, I used to be a board member.) It's the country's first continuously-operated public lending library (as opposed to a paid subscription library), operating since 1743. It just has the misfortune to be in a historic but poor, mostly minority community that has to scrape together every dime. Thanks, Bush-O-Nomics!

The library's first book purchase (shown here) was from Benjamin Franklin's London bookseller. (Franklin helped John Bartram, the nation's first botanist, to set up the library. Bartram worshipped at the Darby Quaker meeting, whose graveyard still surrounds the present library building.)

If you'd like to help, send checks to:

The Darby Free Library
1001 Main Street
P.O. Box 164
Darby, PA 19023

AS THE NUTTER administration prepares to ask a court for approval to shutter 11 Philadelphia libraries as part of a cost-cutting plan, a national treasure just outside the city limits is on the verge of collapse.

Delaware County's Darby Free Library, which was founded in 1743 and is believed to be the oldest continuously operating public library in America, will be forced to close its doors at year's end if somebody doesn't write a fat check, the Daily News has learned.

"We're on the chopping block," said Susan Borders, director of the library at 10th and Main streets, near the Southwest Philly border. "We thought we may have had four years left, but after going over our finances, we only have this year."

Founded by 29 Quaker townsmen, the library received its first shipment of 45 volumes from London in November 1743, with the assistance of botanist John Bartram.

"It's older than our country," said Raymond Trent, a longtime bibliographic assistant at the University of Pennsylvania Law School who has donated books, DVDs and other reference materials to Darby's library.

more...

http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/nations-oldest-public-library-danger-

[Libertyfirst]

1. What caused the sudden collapse? How is it financed? How many users does it have? It would

ba a shame to see it close. What does it need to stay open?

[babylonsister]

2. Money, or lack of. Every state is cutting wherever they can. And yes, it would

be a shame.

[tbyg52]

3. K,R, forwarded to my email list and put on my "when I have money" list.... nt