The libraries

Each Philadelphian library branch is reflective of its particular community. 

The Center City branch, pictured to the left, has a thriving ESL community and literature appreciation events. Once I was in the main hall here and caught off guard by a chaotic rendition of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, performed by the ESL group. Once you controlled for the mix of a particularly whiny microphone and the high, reverberating ceilings, it was a nice surprise.

The Independence Branch in Chinatown was often the most crowded and held the most children per sqft. 

The Roxborough branch, closest to where I live, puts a large emphasis on adult reading programs and community resources. 

The bulletin boards often tell of something of the areas churches, charities, and person looking to buy a bicycle (or having lost one). 

All of the libraries are reflective of Philadelphia: bustling and diverse. They are consumed with the chatter of children and hunched over college students (myself included). There is a sense of anonymity and the hope that education, of whichever kind, ensues.

May 7th, 2019