BlackRadioIsBack.com Says Whut?: ALL of Philadelphia's Libararies Scheduled To Be Shut Down October 2009

Good Thursday Morning BlackRadioIsBack.com & FuseBox Radio Broadcast crew...

When I first found out about this story yesterday, it was a bit hard to believe...then I just became (and still am) extremely upset and disappointed.

While the mainstream media is STILL tripping over Kanye West-Gate, I heard absolutely NOTHING about this news story except over the internet (props to my fam at Throat Chop University for the heads up with the news link via our Twitter).

A HUGE U.S. metropolitan area like Philadelphia nonchalantly shutting down essentially one of the last truly public thoroughfares where people of all different types of backgrounds can gather free information (via books & the Internet Access) and have a place to gather for everything from various educational programs to other community activities is utter insanity and to a degree, the start of intellectual genocide as far as I'm concerned.

If this can even be a possibility of happening in Philly (hopefully the protests, etc. will have this not occur), don't think that it this will not happen in Every 'Hood (the folks who will be most affected by this type of action, let's be brutally honest - the Poor & People of Color in said areas), Every City or AnyTown, USA.

This shouldn't be any sort of partisan political issue at all, so I don't know why folks aren't uniting to stop this garbage to shut down the public library system yet - Philly's legislators need to pass a damned budget or Heaven Forbid, make some sacrifices on their own end for this not to go down.

PLEASE Spread the Word & do what you can so that hopefully, this action can be stopped!

Philadelphia Libraries Closing October 2nd - All Of Them

Another tragedy befalls Philadelphia. No, I'm not talking about Donovan McNabb. The Pennsylvania State Senate was unable to pass a budget this last week, which may result in the mandatory closing of all Philadelphia public libraries come October 2.

No public officials have set a potential reopening time for the libraries, but NBC Philadelphia has been quick to point out the social ramifications of the State Senate's failure:

• No access to the Internet for low-income earners
• Cancellation of after-school educational programs in libraries
• GED and ESL programs discontinued
• Obviously, no free books, magazines or movies

The Free Library of Philadelphia website details the canceled programs, but also gives options for ways to help prevent the closing, or at least aid the libraries in re-opening sooner, if you live in the Philadelphia area.

From Free Library of Philadelphia:

1. Find your elected officials. Visit this interactive map and enter your zip code.
2. If a phone number is provided, call your legislator and encourage them to do everything they can to keep the libraries open in Philadelphia.
3. Download our suggested letter (you can enter your legislator's address on the letter), print it out and sign it. Don't forget to mail or fax it today!

Source: Huffington Post

Update (12:37 PM EST): Go the the Free Library of Philadelphia's Blog to find out the legislators to call to protest the library system closing down ASAP here.

Update (Sept. 18, 2009 10:30 AM): The libraries got saved (along with other Public Service jobs in danger in Philadelphia), thank goodness...check the story here. :)