OFF theSHELFV
OLU
ME
5
• I
SS
UE
1
FA
LL
20
15
A MAGAZINE FROM THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA
The People’s University: An Amusement Park for the MindHUMANITIES PROGRAMMING
AT THE FREE LIBRARY
OF PHILADELPHIA
Orhan PamukA Strangeness in My Mind
OCT 22 • 7:30 PM
TICKET REQUIRED
Garry KasparovWinter Is Coming
OCT 28 • 7:30 PM
TICKET REQUIRED
UPCOMING AUTHOR EVENTS
FOR MORE INFO: 215-567-4341 • FREELIBRARY.ORG/AUTHOREVENTS
CarrieBrownsteinHunger Makes Me
a Modern Girl: A Memoir
OCT 29 • 7:30 PM
TICKET REQUIRED
David HareThe Blue Touch Paper
NOV 5 • 7:30 PM
TICKET REQUIRED
Sarah VowellLafayette in the
Somewhat United States
OCT 21 • 7:30 PM
FREE
Kamel DaoudThe Meursault Investigation
FREE
NOV 18 • 7:30 PM
Leonard Pitts Jr.Grant Park
FREE
DEC 1 • 7:30 PM
Garth Risk Hallberg
City on Fire
Claire Vaye Watkins
Gold Fame Citrus
FREE
WITH
NOV 19 • 7:30 PM
Mary BeardS.P.Q.R.:
A History of Ancient Rome
TICKET REQUIRED
NOV 10 • 7:30 PM
S E C U R E T H E F R E E L I B R A R Y ’ S T O M O R R O W E S TA B L I S H A C H A R I TA B L E G I F T A N N U I T Y TO D AY
The Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation is pleased to offer our supporters a unique way to make a difference to the future of the Library—by establishing a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA). A CGA enables you to receive a guaranteed income for life in return for an outright gift today. Rates for CGAs are based on your age, and CGAs can be established for as little as $10,000, using cash or highly appreciated stock. Current rates are below as of September 1, 2015.
FOR MORE ABOUT CGAS—AS WELL AS ESTATE GIFTS—PLEASE CONTACT AMANDA GOLDSTEIN, VICE
PRESIDENT, CAMPAIGN, AT 215-567-7710 OR [email protected].
Not intended as legal, tax, or investment advice
SAMPLE RATES FOR A $10,000 SINGLE LIFE ANNUITY
ANNUITANT AGE 65 70 75 80 85 90
ANNUITANT RATE 4.7% 5.1% 5.8% 6.8% 7.8% 9%
CHARITABLE DEDUCTION $3,363 $4,001 $4,502 $4,965 $5,621 $6,269
ANNUAL PAYMENT $470 $510 $580 $680 $780 $900
Rates current as of September 1, 2015
Merriam Theater Meelya Gordon Memorial Lecture
Welcome to the fall 2015 issue of Off the
Shelf ! As we transform our spaces and
services for the 21st century, we also hold
fast to the core upon which the Library was
founded—a love of words and stories.
Our cover story celebrates the unique, thought-provoking
programming taking place throughout our system that is driving
conversations of literature, art, history, and music. Here at the Free
Library of Inspiration, the humanities are what keep us connected as
a community. “The People’s University: An Amusement Park for the
Mind” will take you on a tour of the amazing humanities programs
on offer at the Library. Our next chapter at the Library also includes
a trip down the rabbit hole—to our new exhibition on Alice’s
Adventures in Wonderland—as the Library prepares to celebrate the
150th anniversary of this treasured work.
In these pages, you’ll also read about the efforts of our new
Words at Play Vocabulary Initiative to tackle the “30 million word gap”
experienced by many of Philadelphia’s children. Additionally, you’ll
find a biblical hidden gem from our Rare Book Department, catch up
on the latest news from around the system, and find out what novelist
and native Philadelphian Mat Johnson has to say about his hometown.
It’s a very exciting fall here at the Free Library. Come visit to write
this season’s story with us.
Warmly,
Siobhan A. Reardon
PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR
FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR
Siobhan A. Reardon
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT
Joseph Benford
VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT
Melissa B. Greenberg
VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Sandra Horrocks
ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Alix Gerz
SENIOR WRITER AND EDITOR
Julie Berger
COMMUNICATIONS AND PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Samantha Maldonado
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jenn Donsky Eileen Owens Michelle Saraceni Sheffer FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA FOUNDATION
1901 Vine Street, Suite 111 Philadelphia, PA 19103 215-567-7710 freelibrary.org/support OFF THE SHELF
[email protected] freelibrary.org/publications
Off the Shelf is published twice annually for supporters of the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation and showcases the Library’s educational, economic, and cultural contributions to the region.
FROM THE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR
WHAT’S INSIDE8 THE PEOPLE’S UNIVERSITY: AN AMUSEMENT PARK FOR THE MIND HUMANITIES PROGRAMMING AT THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA
4 NEWSANDNOTES
6 HIDDENGEMS:THESPIRITEDHISTORYOFTHEAITKENBIBLE
7 FOCUSON:CELEBRATING150YEARSOF
ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND
12 FROMTHENEIGHBORHOODS:WORDSATPLAY
14 THEFINALWORD:MATJOHNSON
15 BOARDLISTS
ON THE COVER: SAXOPHONIST
CHRISHEMINGWAYTAKESASOLOONONEOF
WAYNESMITHJR.’SORIGINALCOMPOSITIONS
DURINGTHE“MYSTERIOUSTRAVELERS”
CONCERTWITHSMITH’SBANDONDECEMBER8,
2014.PHOTOBYBRITTANYLEEPHOTOGRAPHY
COURTESYOFTHEPHILADELPHIAJAZZPROJECT.
BELOW:AYOUNGCHILDENJOYSAWORLD
DRUMMINGWORKSHOPATWHITMANLIBRARY.
PHOTOBYRYANBRANDENBERG
PH
OTO
BY
JO
N R
OE
ME
R
The Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped won the 2015 Mae Davidow Community Service Award from the Philadelphia Regional Chapter of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind in recognition of its outstanding contributions to the quality of life of blind and visually impaired citizens of the Delaware Valley.
{ 4 }
THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES TEAM WAS AWARDED TOP HONORS FOR ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AND STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT BY THE URBAN LIBRARIES COUNCIL!PICTUREDARESUSANBENTON,PRESIDENTANDCEOOFTHEURBAN
LIBRARIESCOUNCIL;SARAMORAN,FREELIBRARYSTRATEGICINITIATIVES
VICEPRESIDENT;ANDSIOBHANREARDON,PRESIDENTANDDIRECTOR
OFTHEFREELIBRARY.
We are excited to announce that the 2016 One Book, One Philadelphia featured selection is Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier.
National Book Award winner Cold Mountain is the acclaimed
American epic of a Civil War soldier journeying through
a divided country to return to the woman he loves, while
she struggles to maintain her father’s farm and make sense
of a new and troubling world. Coinciding with the East
Coast premiere of the opera Cold Mountain, composed by
Jennifer Higdon and Gene Scheer, the choice of the novel
Cold Mountain gives One Book, One Philadelphia a unique
opportunity to tie in with another major cultural event.
Additionally, our choice provides the inspiration to focus
on the Civil War, with all its complexities and ramifications.
To that end, we have chosen two adult companion books,
which will offer historical context to our featured book: The
Civil War, by Geoffrey Ward with Ric Burns and Ken Burns,
gives breadth of knowledge to events precipitating the war,
decisive battles, and emancipation; Twelve Years a Slave
by Solomon Northup tells the harrowing narrative of a free
black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. One
Book, One Philadelphia is honored to bring the city together
around these works and featured book Cold Mountain,
exploring the intersections of literature and music, history,
and current events in an enlightening and extraordinary way.
Join us on Tuesday, February 2, 2016, for a kickoff celebration featuring author Charles Frazier in Parkway Central’s Montgomery Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.
And in the meantime, start reading!
ANNOUNCING THE
FEATURED SELECTION
ADMINISTRATORKERIWILKINS
ANDLIBRARYSUPERVISOR
PATSHOTZBARGERACCEPTING
THEDAVIDOWAWARDINJUNE
Yvette Torres peppers her speech with
uplifting aphorisms that reveal her cheerful
personality: “Life is about building bridges,
not burning bridges,” she says. And: “I’m a fan
of no excuses.”
Her wealth of knowledge has been cultivated,
in part, by significant time spent at the Free
Library, encouraged by her library-loving family. Not
only is it important for Yvette to share her optimism
with those around her, but she also wants to pass on her
appreciation for the Library through generations.
“I was raised to be an avid reader,” she says. “And my
kids had library cards from the time they were toddlers.”
Yvette, who works in broadcast media, now takes her
grandchildren to the Library for storytimes and children’s
activities. She sings the Library’s praises for its plethora
of resources as well as its role as a safe space in
the community.
The Library has been a constant in Yvette’s life, a place
to turn to when times were tough. When she was laid off
from a previous job, she spent time at the Free Library
researching job options, industry trends, and professional
paths for herself. The staff in the Business, Science, and
Industry Department helped her create a career strategy
to move forward. Later, when her daughter wanted to
start her own makeup company, Yvette encouraged her to
do research at the Library.
Yvette sees the Free Library as a foundation for education.
“I’m an advocate for learning. It’s a gateway to having a
different life for yourself regardless of circumstance,” she
says. The resources, information, and guidance from the
Free Library, available to everyone, have truly enhanced
Yvette’s life—she’s a Free Library evangelist for sure.
AROUND THE SYSTEM(1) Paschalville Library celebrated its 100th anniversary! From
left to right are Principal of Southwest Leadership Academy
Charter School Alphonso Evans; Head of Paschalville Library
Jennifer Beggans; Chief of Staff Indira Scott; Former Mayor
W. Wilson Goode, Sr., also a member of the Library’s Board of
Trustees and Foundation’s Board of Directors; and Paschalville
friend Paulette Backson-Royster.
(2) Mayor Michael Nutter reads to children at Wadsworth Library
as part of the Summer of Wonder summer reading program.
(3) More than 50 new Americans swear in to become United
States citizens at Parkway Central Library during
a naturalization ceremony.
(4) Job seekers line up outside Northeast Regional Library to
enter the job fair, one in a series of six held at libraries around
the system.
{ 4 }
CUSTOMER CORNERYVETTE TORRES
1
2
3
4
{ 7 }
This September, as hundreds of thousands gathered on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway for Pope Francis’s historic Philadelphia Mass, the Free Library joined in the festivities and began a sacred show of its own.
Housed in the Rare Book Department,
Sacred Stories: The World’s Religious
Traditions—on view through January
2016—showcases some of the Library’s
rarest and most unique Bibles alongside
sacred texts from the Buddhist, Hindu,
Jewish, and Muslim traditions.
Of special interest is one of the Library’s
hidden gems with a Philadelphia-based
backstory: the Aitken Bible.
By 1777, English-language Bibles had
become scarce, due to Britain’s wartime
decision to cut off the flow of goods
to its rebellious colony to the west.
Gathered in Philadelphia, the Continental
Congress decided to address the shortage
by ordering 20,000 English Bibles
from “Holland, Scotland, or elsewhere.”
(American printers dared not produce the
Bibles themselves due to the long-held
royal copyright on the text, in addition to
the cost of procuring the paper and other
materials needed for production.) But
before the revolutionaries had time to
follow through with their purchasing
plans, British forces pressed down
upon the City of Brotherly Love, and
the Continental Congress fled to York,
Pennsylvania.
In 1781, Robert Aitken, a Philadelphia
printer based on Market Street, decided
to address the shortage himself and
began to print 10,000 copies of the
The Spirited History of the Aitken Bible
HIDDEN GEMS
entire Bible, which would become the
so-called Aitken Bible, or The Bible of the
Revolution, the first entire Bible printed in
English in what is now the United States.
The financial burden of printing a 2,000-
page document was severe, and Aitken
petitioned the Continental Congress for
a loan but was denied; the Pennsylvania
General Assembly eventually lent him £150,
a mere drop in the bucket.
Aitken pressed on, eventually providing
a copy of his work to the Continental
Congress and asking for a post-
facto approval so that he could “be
commissioned or otherwise appointed
& Authorized to print and vend Editions
of, the Sacred Scriptures.” The Congress
acquiesced, noting that those assembled
“highly approve the pious and laudable
undertaking of Mr. Aitken.” Aitken
took care to print the full text of the
endorsement in the final publication
of his Bible; today, just 30 copies of this
historic work remain, including the one
in the Rare Book Department.
“The Aitken Bible embodies the spirit of the
American Revolution, combining the quest
for freedom from colonial rule with the
spirit of the American entrepreneur,” says
Assistant Chief of Parkway Central Janine
Pollock, who oversaw the mounting of
the exhibition. “Although the venture was
not financially successful, Aitken’s Bible
enhanced his reputation as a printer and
remains the only Bible ever authorized by
the United States Congress.”
THE AITKEN BIBLE AND OTHER RARE TEXTS ARE ON VIEW THROUGH JANUARY 30, 2016, IN THE SACREDSTORIESEXHIBITION IN THE PARKWAY CENTRAL LIBRARY’S RARE BOOK DEPARTMENT’S WILLIAM B. DIETRICH GALLERY.
{ 6 }
#22
• • • BY ALIX GERZ
Celebrating 150 Years of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
“WE’RE ALL MAD HERE” AT THE FREE LIBRARY AND THE ROSENBACH.
And why not? Recently, in honor of one of the most beloved—and
wackiest—children’s books in the English language, we began a wild ride
Down the Rabbit Hole: Celebrating 150 Years of Alice in Wonderland.
To commemorate and celebrate the 150th anniversary of the publication of Lewis Carroll’s
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland—and all the maddening tea parties, disappearing cats, and
“off-with-their-head”-ing queens that came with it—the Rosenbach is hosting a landmark
exhibition and a bevy of fun and interactive programming for the young and the young at
heart, running through May 2016.
The celebration kicked off with a homecoming of sorts on October 14, when the original Alice
manuscript paid a very special visit to the Rosenbach before returning to the British Library. Dr.
Rosenbach once owned the precious piece and was part of a contingent of Philadelphians who
gifted the manuscript back to the people of England after World War II. This fall marked the first
time in nearly 70 years that the treasure has traveled back to the Rosenbach.
In addition, the Rosenbach is leaving no giant mushroom cap unturned in its captivating
exhibition covering the beloved classic. The exhibition, running through May 15, features
three distinct parts, each delving into a different aspect of the story behind the story. Part One,
Wonderland Rules: Alice at 150, explores the creation of the work and its lasting legacy. Part Two,
Alice in Philly-land: The True-Life Adventures of A.S.W. Rosenbach, Alice Liddell Hargreaves, and
the Manuscript That Made Them Famous, highlights the fascinating story of Dr. Rosenbach’s
ownership—and eventual transfer to England—of the original Alice manuscript. And
Part Three, Why is a Raven Like a Writing Desk? Lewis Carroll’s Riddles, Puzzles,
and Games, delves into Charles Dodgson’s—the Oxford mathematics lecturer
behind the pen name Lewis Carroll—love of mathematics and games, and
offers visitors a chance to play some themselves, including circular billiards!
Finally, a special short-run show, Through the Camera Lens: The Photography
of Lewis Carroll, will run from March 25 through May 15.
When visitors aren’t exploring these varied exhibitions, they can jump into a giant
chess match at the Parkway Central Library, pick up a croquet mallet
and match skills against their favorite Wonderland characters in Dilworth
Park, listen to expert lecturers discuss the many facets of Alice, or join in on
any number of unique programs, all of which are listed at rosenbach.org and
freelibrary.org. And don’t forget the Free Library’s annual gala: This year we’ll
be celebrating with Through the Looking Glass: A Wonderland Ball, a far-out
fête worthy of Alice and all her adventures.
Take a hop down the rabbit hole with us, won’t you?
• • • BY ALIX GERZ
FOCUS ON
{ 7 }{ 6 }
IMAGESCOURTESYOFTHEROSENBACH
{ 8 }
• • • BY MICHELLE SARACENI SHEFFER
The People’s University: An Amusement Park for the MindHUMANITIES PROGRAMMING AT THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA
In Emily St. John Mandel’s bestselling
novel, Station Eleven, a troupe of
actors traverses a post-apocalyptic
landscape, driven by the notion that
“survival is insufficient”—that in
order to truly live, we must celebrate
humanity and civilization through
art, music, theater, and more. Mandel
herself recently appeared at the Free
Library as part of its acclaimed Author
Events Series, which, along with
One Book, One Philadelphia, stands
tall among the Library’s flagship
humanities programming. But in
addition to these marquee programs,
in libraries throughout the city, the
Free Library is proud to host hundreds
of events each year that examine art,
life, and what it means to be human.
“I enjoy putting together thoughtful programs for curious people,” says Deborah Ahrens, Branch Head at the Oak Lane Library. “I see humanities-based programming as opportunities to bring people together in conversations that cross social, economic, and cultural barriers.”
Ahrens is one of many librarians who works hard to present
interesting programs that will appeal to a wide variety of
adults living in the communities their libraries serve. In the
northwest Philadelphia neighborhood served by Oak Lane,
she has hosted several readings and events celebrating new
books published by local authors, including a lively soul
food buffet in conjunction with East Oak Lane author H.
Victoria Hargro Atkerson’s novel Buttermilk Bottom, during
which more than 50 neighbors and friends shared food and
memories of growing up in the South. In bringing people
together through thoughtful, book-based discussions—as well
as through workshops on writing, drawing, sewing, gardening,
and more—Ahrens is helping to ensure that the intellectual,
creative, and social life of the community remains dynamic
and rich, with the Oak Lane Library as a beacon at its center.
Similarly, across town at Northeast Regional Library, librarian
Keith Kessler presents a variety of summer programs designed
to carve entry points into potentially intimidating subject
matter for people of all education levels, believing “that any
program can be done in a user-friendly manner.” He has hosted
several mini-courses featuring films, handouts, quizzes, brief
lectures, and group discussions on such topics as “Faulkner,
An Introduction,” “James Joyce’s Ulysses for Beginners,” and
“Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Greek Tragedy,
but Were Afraid to Ask,” with future plans in the works for a
series on Dante’s Divine Comedy. He believes programs like
these provide an enjoyable alternative for senior citizens
and those who may not have attended a college or university
to learn about literary classics—and he’s so grateful to his
program attendees that he creates custom t-shirts for them to
celebrate their completion of each course.
“Humanities programming at the Free Library really sits at
the heart of what a library can and should be doing for its
community,” says Siobhan A. Reardon, President and Director.
“Libraries are a source of self-enlightenment and transformation for everyone who walks through our doors, regardless of background or circumstance.”
{ 8 } { 9 }
THE FREE LIBRARY CELEBRATES THE HUMANITIES WITH POP-UP THEATER PERFORMANCES (TOP), HANDS-ON MUSIC
ACTIVITIES (MIDDLE), AND RICH LITERARY DISCUSSIONS AND READING GROUPS (BOTTOM). AT LEFT, THE DANCERS
OF PENNSYLVANIA BALLET II PERFORM IN PARKWAY CENTRAL LIBRARY’S MONTGOMERY AUDITORIUM.
PH
OTO
BY
RY
AN
BR
AN
DE
NB
ER
G
PH
OTO
BY
CU
RT
HU
DS
ON
“By presenting programs that advance literacy, guide learning,
and inspire curiosity, the Free Library is ensuring that all
Philadelphians have the opportunity and ability to engage with,
examine, and celebrate our diverse world.”
At the Parkway Central Library, many departmental librarians
present programs that allow attendees to delve deep into a
particular topic or survey a wide variety of subject matter. Often
in collaboration, the Art Department and Print and Picture
Collection host exhibitions and programs that celebrate the visual
arts and showcase the Library’s inspiring special collections,
like Crafty Tuesdays—in which participants can drop in to
create an easy art project over their lunch breaks. The Print and
Picture Collection regularly hosts artist talks in conjunction with
exhibitions it presents, and its librarians issue a yearly call for
entries for future exhibitions to highlight the impressive and
unique work of area artists.
“Philadelphia is an art-rich city, and we attempt to bring the visual arts to a perhaps slightly different audience—library users—who might be more word-oriented, helping them stretch a bit in their view of the world,” explains Art Department Head Karen Lightner.
In many ways, the Free Library is a nationwide leader among
libraries in hosting innovative programming that unites the
humanities and the arts with a strong sense of community
and accessibility. The Library’s Music Department is receiving
national accolades for its extensive work bringing live music and
engaging programs that encourage creativity and critical analysis
to community members for free. Music librarians Perry Genovesi
and Adam Feldman were recently recognized as 2015 “Movers
and Shakers” by Library Journal for their efforts to not only
expand the services libraries provide but to transform libraries
themselves in the 21st century.
“As a teenager in Philadelphia,” says Genovesi, “even though you
might not be in the upper echelon of society, the Yale-educated
class or whatever, you can still enter into and enjoy scholarly
discourse. And I think music’s a really great vehicle to unpack a lot
of societal matters.” To that end, Genovesi and Feldman assembled
a popular Teen Music Critics’ Round Table, which welcomed and
encouraged Philadelphia’s young adults to listen to music and
discuss the various messages and themes within.
{ 10 }
PH
OTO
BY
RY
AN
BR
AN
DE
NB
ER
G
PHOTO BY RYAN BRANDENBERG
PHILADELPHIANS ENJOY LIVELY PERFORMANCES, THOUGHT-PROVOKING EXHIBITIONS, AND HIGH-INTEREST CLASSES WITHIN THE WALLS OF THE FREE LIBRARY.
The Music Department also regularly hosts free pop-up
performances at Parkway Central Library, and in partnership
with the Philadelphia Jazz Project and the Producers Guild it also
presented the acclaimed Mysterious Travelers Concert Series,
featuring the estimable skills of acclaimed area jazz musicians
like Vince Turnbull, Wayne Smith, Jr., and Anwar Marshall, among
many. “The Music Department is a conservatory-quality music
library accessible to Philadelphians at every point in their musical
education,” says Feldman.
Additionally, the Free Library hosts the beloved and long-
running Monday Poets series, led by Kay Wisniewski, Head of the
Literature Department, during which two local, published poets
give readings on the first Monday of every winter month, often
with an open mic to follow. Due to the success and reputation of
the series, which has been running since the 1990s, the Library
has also hosted pop-up performances for Philly Poetry Day in the
last two years, as well as in the last three years of the Philadelphia
Poetry Festival, where all the different poetry venues and
publications meet to read and greet. The Library also regularly
hosts engaging talks with area historians, interactive creative
writing workshops, family-friendly celebrations of authors and
artists, and much more.
“Authentic creation is treasure; propaganda, publicity, advertising,
and entertainment are mostly products. One needs to be able to
tell the difference between the authentic and the exploitative—or,
as the Harry Potter novels would say, the right, hard way and the
less good, easy way,” enthuses Wisniewski. “The humanities may
not look ‘useful’ to some people, but how else are we to make
sense of our world and lives? Poetry, novels, plays, movies, the arts,
philosophy, religion—all are about understanding what it means
to be human and framing our lives in ways that increase integrity,
relationships, and felicity.”
Thanks to the Free Library’s incredible librarians, who every day find inspiration in the community, materials, and collections they maintain, Philadelphians of all walks of life can enjoy high quality, engaging programs that explore and celebrate our common humanity.
{ 10 } { 11 }
PHOTO BY RYAN BRANDENBERG PHOTO BY RYAN BRANDENBERG
PH
OTO
BY
BR
ITTA
NY
LE
E P
HO
TO
GR
AP
HY
CO
UR
TE
SY
OF
TH
E P
HIL
AD
EL
PH
IA JA
ZZ
PR
OJE
CT
Words are everywhere—the names of the foods on our plate, the colors on a walk down the street, the shapes of items at the grocery store. Naming these things is essential for children, which is why the Free Library is partnering with organizations across the city and local parents on a fun new learning initiative to bring more words to our youngest citizens.
This initiative comes in response to one of Philadelphia’s greatest
needs. Philadelphia is the poorest big city in the United States,
and study after study shows direct links between poverty and
low literacy. For these children, knowing too few words plays out
as an early hurdle that doesn’t lift over time.
Dubbed the “30 million word gap” by researchers, this word deficit
puts these children at a distinct disadvantage. They hear fewer
words per hour than their more affluent peers. Once this gap
develops, it tends to widen, not narrow. Early educational success,
graduation, higher learning, and a good job are all imperiled
when literacy lags.
The Free Library’s new Words at Play Vocabulary Initiative aims to
help close this divide. With support from PNC Grow Up Great, and
working with the Franklin Institute, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia
Museum of Art, and Philadelphia Zoo, the Free Library has designed
this program to give the littlest learners a head start on literacy.
Through playing, singing, talking, and reading at “Play Parties,”
families will discover new ideas to help strengthen their
child’s vocabulary. Once a month, this word-building fun will
travel to community organizations for “Pop Up Play.” Also,
look for the Words at Play team at assorted community events,
distributing information and leading learning activities. Once
a year, participating families will receive transportation and
tickets to the leading cultural organizations (proud Words at
Play partners) mentioned above!
Words at Play focuses on families with children under age 5
and will be taking place at two neighborhood libraries, both
located in North Philadelphia, west of Broad Street: Cecil B.
Moore and Widener. Half of the families in the communities
served by these libraries are living below the poverty line,
and nearly half of the neighborhoods’ adults have less than
a high school education. Launched at a festive block party in
the spring, Words at Play will pool the resources of its partner
organizations to increase the breadth and depth of seriously
playful vocabulary-building offerings.
Check out our Words at Play programming,
and keep reading, writing, talking, singing,
and playing with your little ones today for
a great tomorrow!
• • • BY JENN DONSKY
from the
NEIGHBORHOODS
{ 13 }{ 12 }
CHILDREN AND PARENTS ENJOY WORDS AT PLAY PROGRAMMING AT CECIL B. MOORE LIBRARY AND WIDENER LIBRARY.
PHOTOS BY CURT HUDSON
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS AT HADDINGTON LIBRARY This year marks the centennial of Haddington Library, a
keystone of its community since 1915.
The neighborhood of Haddington first appeared on an 1816
map of Philadelphia and was named for the country town
of Haddingtonshire in England. The village of Haddington,
centered around 62nd Street above Arch Street, consisted
of a dozen houses and a coach stop inn called The
Whitesides.
By 1865, Haddington was accessible via the West
Philadelphia Passenger Railway. With the opening of the
Market Elevated line in 1907, small shopping districts
developed along Market Street. The shopping district
bounded by Market and Chestnut Streets, and by 60th
and 61st Streets, was later designated as the Haddington
Historic District and listed on the National Register of
Historic Places.
Haddington Library, located at 446 N. 65th Street, has been
part of the Free Library system since December 3, 1915.
Albert Kelsey, an architect who chaired the committee
to develop the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, designed the
building on land donated by Alex Simpson, Jr. Haddington
was the 18th Library building erected using funds from
Andrew Carnegie.
Here’s to many more years of great library service at
Haddington Library!
STAFF SPOTLIGHT: SUSAN GUNSENHOUSER, LIBRARY SUPERVISOR AND CHILDREN’S LIBRARIAN AT WIDENER LIBRARY How did you get started working for the Free Library?
I started working for the Free Library back in 2001 as
a Teen Leadership Assistant at the Fox Chase Library. I
responded to a job ad that my grandmother saw in the
local newspaper. It was fate—I’ve been around in some
capacity or another ever since!
What do you enjoy most about working in the
neighborhood libraries? The best part about working
in the neighborhood libraries is the chance to really get
to know the people who come in to use the library. I’ve
worked as an adult librarian and enjoyed conversations
with avid fellow readers, and I’ve worked as a children’s
librarian and enjoyed entertaining kids with storytimes.
It can be especially rewarding to see children’s faces light
up when they see you.
How has the Words at Play Vocabulary Initiative taking
place at Widener Library impacted your customers?
With Words at Play there was a big push for outreach
into the community. As a result of that and because of the
quality of the programs, I’ve seen a lot of people come in
that I haven’t seen before. I think that’s amazing.
If you could have lunch with any author, living or dead,
who would it be and why? That’s a really hard question
to ask a librarian! I concentrated in 18th- and 19th-century
literature when I was in college, so I think I’d eventually
have to go with Jane Austen. People read her in so many
different ways—as an old-fashioned romance writer or as
a subversive social critic. It would be interesting to pick
her brain and find out how she saw herself.
• • • BY EILEEN OWENS
{ 13 }{ 12 }
Philadelphia native Mat Johnson’s newest
novel, Loving Day, landed on the cover
of the New York Times Book Review,
giving his childhood neighborhood—
and the novel’s setting—of Germantown
prime attention. His witty, cutting racial
satire draws on his own experiences as
the son of an Irish father and a black
mother. Winner of the Dos Passos Prize
for Literature and a professor at the
University of Houston Creative Writing
Program, Johnson is known for using
fiction to dig into deep societal truths. The
New York Times pegs him as a “satirist,
historian, spy, social media trickster, and
demon-fingered blues guitarist” on the
subject of being “blackish” in America.
OTS WHAT ROLE HAVE LIBRARIES PLAYED IN YOUR
LIFE? WHAT ROLE DO YOU THINK THEY PLAY IN OUR
21ST-CENTURY WORLD?
MJ Most of the books I read growing up came from the Free
Library of Philadelphia. My local library was Germantown’s
Northwest Regional, with its sunken floor and wooden dragon
bookshelf. And the quieter Lovett Library in Mt. Airy, with its
glass-wall modernism. The special occasions were when my dad
took me downtown to the main library. Going to the library was
an event, and the opportunity to have all the information and art
I wanted, which is something I took for granted as a child, but
now I know how much vision and money and effort went into
making that possible.
What’s fascinated me about the modern library is its evolution
in the face of the digital world. What does a library become
when books are available in digital format instantly at home? I
think it focuses even more on providing people who are cut off
from information with an opportunity to connect, and on the
communal aspect of information for people in general. Computer
access, public lectures and readings, book clubs. The library is
the hub for a community’s thinking people.
OTS YOU HAVE BEEN COMPARED TO KURT VONNEGUT,
PHILIP ROTH, AND RALPH ELLISON. WHICH AUTHORS HAVE
MOST INFLUENCED YOU AS A WRITER?
MJ Probably the single biggest influence, in the beginning, was
Joseph Heller. I read Catch 22 as a senior at Abington Friends; I
recognized the lens of absurdity, I felt like it named the way I was
already silently viewing the world. I felt the same way, in college,
when I read Ellison’s Invisible Man. Gloria Naylor was a big sign
post as well, Mama Day and Bailey’s Cafe, her mix of intelligent
storytelling and humor. The great thing about writing is you get
to choose your literary ancestry.
OTS HAVING GROWN UP IN PHILADELPHIA, IN WHAT WAYS
HAVE THE CITY AND YOUR EXPERIENCES FILTERED INTO
YOUR WRITING?
MJ My writing is filtered out of the city, really. I think, as a kid, my
entire physical world was within the metro area. I could barely
imagine leaving. I’m my head; no matter how far I get away
physically, I still haven’t left, I still filter my understanding of the
world through my norm: Philly. So my work comes out of that.
When I write about Philly, I feel electrified. I feel like the names
and places are talismans on the page for me, forcing me to be
more honest and real.
OTS MANY OF YOUR NOVELS USE SATIRE. WHAT DRAWS YOU
TO THIS TECHNIQUE?
MJ I didn’t want to write satirical books, actually. I wanted to
write somber, sweeping tomes like Toni Morrison. But that just
wasn’t me, as a writer. You only get to be the writer you are, not
the writer you want to be. So I had to accept that my strongest
voice on the page is a satiric one, because that’s the lens through
which I’m already viewing the world.
OTS TO YOU, THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA IS
ALSO THE FREE LIBRARY OF________________. WHY?
MJ The Mind. Libraries used to be private institutions, meant
for the wealthy and privileged to exchange comparatively rare
and expensive books. At one point, Philadelphia decided to
open membership of a great library to the larger, poorer city.
And that information freed minds, led to the creativity and
accomplishments and everyday improvement of life. The Free
Library is one of our city’s greatest accomplishments. I feel
fortunate to have had access to it as a child and honored to
have my books in its catalog today.
{ 14 } { 15 }
TO LISTEN TO THE FREE, DOWNLOADABLE
PODCAST FEATURING MAT JOHNSON, VISIT
FREELIBRARY.ORG/AUTHOREVENTS.
TAKE A FRONT ROW SEAT
The George S. Pepper Society recognizes those who give
$1,000 or more annually to the Free Library Foundation.
In appreciation of their generosity, Peppers receive advance
access to and reserved seating at the Author Events Series,
exclusive invitations to private events, personal access to
world-renowned authors, and much more.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE PEPPER SOCIETY,
CONTACT NICK MCALLISTER AT
[email protected] OR 215-814-3542.
{ 14 }
CHAIR Pamela Dembe
MEMBERS Donna Allie Steven M. Altschuler Christopher Arlene Jacqueline Barnett Darwin Beauvais Brigitte Daniel Tobey Gordon Dichter Donald Generals W. Wilson Goode, Sr. Melissa Grimm Robert C. Heim Nancy D. Kolb H.W. Jerome Maddox Sonia Sanchez Suzanne Simons John J. Soroko Sherry Swirsky Nicholas D. Torres Ignatius C. Wang
EMERITUS Joseph F. Burke Gloria Twine Chisum Armand Della Porta Herman Mattleman Teresa Sarmina
EX-OFFICIO Michael DiBerardinis Deputy Mayor for the Environment and Community Resources
Dawn Maglicco Friends of the Free Library
CHAIR Tobey Gordon Dichter
MEMBERS Robert Adelson Cynthia Affleck James H. Averill Phyllis W. Beck Sheldon Bonovitz Benito Cachinero-Sánchez George Day Andrea Ehrlich W. Wilson Goode, Sr. Daniel Gordon Richard A. Greenawalt Melissa Grimm Janet Haas Robert C. Heim John Imbesi Michael Innocenzo Philip Jaurigue Geoffrey Kent Alexander Kerr Marcienne Mattleman Thomas B. Morris, Jr. Stephanie W. Naidoff Bernard Newman Patrick M. Oates Derek N. Pew Nick Pournader Greg Redden William R. Sasso Susan G. Smith Miriam Spector Stacey Leigh Spector Lenore Steiner Barbara Sutherland Monica Vachher Jay Weinstein Larry Weiss
EMERITUS Peter A. Benoliel Marie Field Elizabeth H. Gemmill Leslie Miller A. Morris Williams, Jr.
FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA BOARD OF TRUSTEES
FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
{ 15 }
freelibrary.org/ball
Literary Costume Party Don your Alice-themed costumes to mark a fanciful Halloween!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31 • 6:00 P.M. • DENWORTH ROOM, THE ROSENBACH
Chess Through the Looking Glass Participate in a human chess match for a chance to win a prize!
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17 • 4:00-7:00 P.M. • PARKWAY CENTRAL LIBRARY
Eat Me, Drink Me: Tea and Tarts with Alice Bring the Mad Tea Party to life by learning all about tea preparation and appreciation
from Alexis Siemons, tea consultant and writer, while enjoying delicious tarts and teas.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19 • 6:00 P.M. • CULINARY LITERACY CENTER,
PARKWAY CENTRAL LIBRARY
Charles Santore Talk and Book Signing Renowned artist Charles Santore will give a visual presentation about the stunning
illustrations in his latest publication project, Alice’s Adventures Under Ground.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 • 6:00 P.M. • DENWORTH ROOM, THE ROSENBACH
SUPPORTTHEFREELIBRARY! To make a gift to the Foundation, please visit freelibrary.org/support or call 215-567-7710.
The Rosenbach of the Free Library celebrates
150 years of Alice in Wonderland with the exhibition
Down the Rabbit Hole, which will immerse visitors
in Lewis Carroll’s imaginative world.
ON DISPLAY FROM WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015, THROUGH SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2016.