TMCnet News
East End library resources sent to Black RockBRIDGEPORT, Jul 23, 2009 (Connecticut Post - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- When Danielle Griffith went to the Newfield Branch Library last week to check out her summer reading books for school, she was surprised to see a moving van in the parking lot. Her surprise turned to anger when Griffith realized the moving men were moving the adult fiction and nonfiction sections from the East End library across town to the newly reopened Black Rock Library. "They were literally moving library books out of the library. The librarians weren't aware of what was going on," said Griffith, who will be a junior at Kolbe Cathedral High School in the fall. Griffith said she was told the books would be replaced by computers, which a librarian later confirmed. "That's an insult, saying people who live in this community can't read so we're going to replace them [books] with computers," said the 16-year-old. The Newfield branch, located in a storefront at 1230 Stratford Ave., was meant to be a temporary location for a larger East End branch. "The intent was to have a full-service branch in the neighborhood comparable to what is now in Black Rock. You can't do that in a storefront. It's just not enough space," said City Librarian Scott Hughes. The plan for the new library, however, has never been carried out. The Newfield library's adult sections will be moved to the Black Rock Library, which reopened two weeks ago and is one of three full-service branches in the city, Hughes said. Per recommendations of focus group programs held with East End residents last year, who overwhelmingly expressed a need for a full-service branch with community rooms and more resources, the Newfield branch will continue to serve the city's youth, Hughes said. "Until they have a full-service branch, that's the best we can do," he added. "I don't think that's really right. It sounds like they are saying we are not as educated or we don't want to be as educated as other parts of town," Griffith said. For years, Hughes has tried to make the case that each part of town should have a full-service branch. "The community should be outraged. We have separate and unequal facilities in Bridgeport, Conn., in 2009. If anyone has been to Black Rock Library or the North End branch, and they are being served in an inferior facility, they should be outraged," said Hughes. Bridgeport libraries n Full service libraries in Bridgeport: Burroughs-Saden Library (main branch), 925 Broad St.; North Branch Library, 3455 Madison Ave., and Black Rock Branch Library, 2705 Fairfield Ave. n Storefront branches in Bridgeport: Newfield Branch Library, 1230 Stratford Ave., and Old Mill Green Branch Library, 1677-81 East Main St. n The three full-service libraries in the city, unlike the two storefront branches contain a library space designated for each age group, a wide selection of books and community rooms. n Black Rock Library opened in 1932 but was closed in 2003 for a $4 million construction and renovation project, completed last month. The library officially reopened July 6. n Black Rock Library can accommodate up to 31,000 items; currently there are about 2,000 books, magazines and videos at the branch. To see more of the Connecticut Post, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.connpost.com/. Copyright (c) 2009, Connecticut Post, Bridgeport Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |