Libraries are evolving to meet the growing health and safety needs of residents

On a cold, rainy, and windy November day, Robert Sickel Jr. found refuge in a cozy spot in the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Parkway Central branch. A music lover, he spent the day reading a book about the rock band Black Sabbath, searching online job postings, and checking in with family.

Sickel, who lives in a men’s shelter in South Philadelphia and spends most days outdoors, relies on the library’s free Internet access to keep in touch with family. He uses Google’s virtual cloud to store important documents, such as his resume, so he can access them wherever he is.

“I’ve found very kind and thoughtful people, who are very accommodating,” he said.

Libraries are evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of the communities they serve. Once a place to check out books or do research, many are now akin to community centers with a growing menu of events and public services. Need your blood pressure screened? Lessons on how to cook a healthy dinner for your children? Or just searching for a place to rest for a few hours? Everyone is welcomed at the library. There are no fees, you don’t need a library card unless you want to check out materials, and you can get free WiFi in a safe, comfortable environment.

In the summer, Philadelphia libraries become cooling spots for people to escape the heat. And in the winter, they’re designated as places people can go to warm up. Many branches extend their hours on extreme weather days “just to help the people in our community survive,” said Kelly Richards, president and director of the Free Library of Philadelphia.

Libraries are more popular than ever, according to WordRated, a research data and analytics group, but the increase in visitors has strained library staff who were trained in literature and education — not social work. Retaining employees in the changing workplace has been especially difficult. Employees who aren’t burned out by the job’s demands may be scared away by personal threats over the availability of “banned books.”

“We’ve become battlegrounds,” said Anne Frank, director of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library.

Philadelphia Free Library employs social workers and security guards to support libraries. The busy Parkway Central branch partners with outside community groups to station two social workers in the library’s lobby.

But when no security guards are available, library branches are forced to close early or open late. The system is hiring 14 more guards and an additional guard supervisor to beef up the current staff of 76 municipal guards throughout the Free Library system.

All staff are offered voluntary training in topics such as using the overdose-reversing drug Narcan, de-escalating tension, and dealing with an active shooter.

“Enough of us have been on-scene when someone using a computer suddenly falls over and can’t be immediately revived,” said Joel Nichols, a cluster leader for the North Philadelphia Neighborhood Libraries who relied on that training to help revive a library guest.

Nichols was uncomfortable getting so close to a stranger to administer the nasal spray Narcan, but, he said, “we recognize fellow humans in urgent need.”

Like many institutions, libraries are rethinking their approach to interacting with clients following the pandemic. When libraries moved programs and services online earlier in the pandemic, they discovered that many people preferred interacting from the comfort of their homes. Now, libraries offer both virtual and in-person programs. That makes planning a priority, by staggering events to not overwhelm the staff, said Darren T. Cottman, chief operating officer of the Free Library of Philadelphia.

Many library guests, like Jude McSenn, 2, and his nanny Tarryn Pietersen, still enjoy coming in person to choose books, enjoy story hour programs, and interact with peers.

“The library has been one of the biggest hits in the kids’ lives,” said Pietersen, who has cared for McSenn and his older siblings for five years. She appreciates that the library is free, there’s open space for kids to play and mingle, and there’s almost always an event.

During Hurricane Sandy, the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, which has branches in Blue Bell and Ambler, had electricity when many residents did not. The library set up warming stations and phone chargers, and welcomed the community to come in for hot coffee and tea.

Adapting to public needs comes at a steep cost: Philadelphia allocated $56 million for the library system in fiscal year 2023, a $13 million bump from the year before. Much of the money goes toward expanding staff. The Free Library of Philadelphia now has digital research specialists, an after-school program leader, and community initiative specialists.

When city and county budget allocations aren’t enough, library directors add “fund-raiser” to their title. Frank, the director of the Wissahickon Valley library system, said she raised $3.1 million to renovate the Ambler branch. She got the school district to pitch in and applied for two $750,000 grants.

“The rest I had to raise from our lovely public,” she said.