Friends of Lovett Memorial Library

Library funding is no joke! Communities need free, accessible resources #april1 #fundourlibrariesphl #FundOurLibrariesPHL Mayor Jim Kenney Darrell L. Clarke Free Library of Philadelphia

Beautiful piece! Joe is awesome and we are fortunate to have him spearheading the garden and it’s initiatives!

Schedule your pickup for FREE children’s books next Monday (8/10) and Wednesday (8/12)! Email Miss Dana at [email protected] to schedule a contactless pic...kup of free books as part of the Summer of Wonder! One book per child; book selection is appropriate for ages 0-12. Special thanks to our Friends of Lovett Memorial Library as well as generous local community members who made our giveaway possible! Photo shows a sample of the books we have to give away! To participate in the Summer of Wonder, visit https://libwww.freelibrary.org/programs/summerreading/

Make an appointment and spread the word!

SHARE PLEASE!!! As we gear up for our 4th Annual Back To School Drive(By), we realize with this upcoming school year beginning virtually, the needs of our fam...ilies will be different! We need your assistance! Please take our brief 2-minute survey to help us gather information so that we can help meet the needs of your children this school year! The survey link is here! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WWW2G97 SHARE PLEASE!!! #WeHeardYou #WeAreListening #TakeTheSurvey #BackToSchool2020 #VirtualLearning #SafetyFirst #WithEffortWEWillElevate

Our book drop is open Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm today. Items will be checked in after 72 hours. Don't worry, we remain fine-free!

A letter to the community: Dear Friends, We are writing to check in with you during this extraordinary time. In the spirit of reflection and response, the Friends of Lovett have reconsidered our plans and programming and wanted to share both while also asking for your input.... First and foremost, the Friends of Lovett know that Black lives matter, and we are committed to this ongoing journey for justice. We stand in support of our neighbors and each other, and join the call to examine anti-Blackness and how one actively perpetuates racist systems. We want to work to change these systems within our community. With current resources, we commit $4,000.00 to fund the following: Expanding the children's book collection with titles that specifically celebrate Black children, families, queer culture, identity, and movements Adding teen and adult books written by Black authors; Black American history; and books promoting an understanding of white supremacy and how to be actively anti-racist Expanding family and adult programming that will be facilitated by Black practitioners, activists, scholars, and authors If you would like to financially support these efforts or wish to share ideas about how to better support our community in this moment, and beyond, please click https://friendsoflovett.org/support/ Secondly, we aim to address the limited nature of library services during summer hours by enhancing access to books for Lovett patrons. To this end, books for children and teens, centering authors and protagonists of color, will be purchased and distributed at our local food distribution sites. Dates and times to be announced. If you would like to support this initiative, click https://friendsoflovett.org/support/ We appreciate you and your support and can't wait to be back in the stacks together. In community and with gratitude, Friends of Lovett Memorial Library

Schedule your pickup for FREE children’s books this Tuesday and Thursday! Email Miss Dana at [email protected] to schedule a contactless pickup of free bo...oks as part of the Summer of Wonder! One book per child; book selection is appropriate for ages 0-12. Special thanks to our Friends of Lovett Memorial Library as well as generous local community members who made our giveaway possible! Photo shows a sample of the books we have to give away! To participate in the Summer of Wonder, visit https://libwww.freelibrary.org/programs/summerreading/

For local youth!

Union and Non-Represented Library workers were furious when we heard that on 3 June 2020 the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) directed the Free Library of P...hiladelphia to unlock the Wadsworth Library (1500 Wadsworth Avenue) to harbor National Guard troops inside. The Free Library is no place for soldiers who shoot rubber bullets, tear gas and flash bangs at people demonstrating against the police murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, David Jones, Tony McDade and so many others. To be in solidarity with Black Lives Matter we must listen to the movement’s call to defund and demilitarize the police. We don’t need the National Guard or the police in our libraries or our city. In fact during this uprising they have already injured at least 5 library workers who were out protesting against the murder of George Floyd. Sign our petition to the Director of Philly’s Office of Emergency Management, the administration of the Free Library of Philadelphia, and @PhillyMayor to remove the National Guard from Philly’s libraries: tinyurl.com/NGoutofFLP #BlackLivesMatter #DefundThePPD #TrashThisBudget

Check out limited services available, including Lovett.

Lovett has a Dungeons & Dragons group that met for over a year before going online during the pandemic. If you might be interested, please contact me at [email protected] The group includes adults and teens. We would like more teens so that they can have their own group. Pass the word!

Thank you Sheila and Andrea for distributing Science in the Summer Bags and helping kids be chemists from home! Want to know more about the Science in the Summer program? Check it out: http://scienceinthesummer.fi.edu/

More action for our library and our city.

Miss Dana will be giving away free books as part of the Summer of Wonder! This Wednesday (7/29), you’ll be able to pick up a brand new book purchased by Friends... of Lovett Memorial Library as well as local community members! ***Email [email protected] to schedule a pickup!*** One book per child; book selection is appropriate for ages 0-12. **Please contact Miss Dana via email if you're interested in supporting this initiative!** To participate in the Summer of Wonder, visit https://libwww.freelibrary.org/programs/summerreading/

Hi Friends. Here's our script for calling, tweeting, and emailing to defend our libraries and other city services today.

Friends, like this page and find out what you can do to #TrashThisBudget

The Library Friends Citywide Organizing Committee has released the following statement: "The Friends of the Free Library Organizing Committee opposes the plann...ed job and budget cuts at the Free Library, Parks & Recreation, and other city departments/agencies. While we recognize the economic challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, meeting them by cutting jobs and services is not the correct response. If Philadelphians ever needed their city services and city workers needed their jobs, that time is now. We urge Mayor Kenny and his administration to find other alternatives to use in solving Philadelphia’s budget shortfall, and to keep our libraries, recreation centers and other agencies fully staffed and offering full services to all." See more

Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Ms. Dana is back! Join us virtually for Storytime, Tues at 10:30, on this page!

New: Did you lose a job or hours because of COVID-19 Coronavirus? Here is how you can apply for Medical Assistance/Medicaid, SNAP (food stamps), TANF cash assis...tance, or LIHEAP heating assistance. If you already receive these benefits, you may be able to get an increase. If your Medical Assistance is cut off or if you get a notice it will close, or if your application is denied, please call Community Legal Services at 215-227-2400 and leave a message. We will call you back.

What's everyone reading?

Lovett Memorial Library wants to serve the youth in our community better! The library is hosting this "Teen Cafe" next week so teens and tweens can tell staff what kind of programming they would like to see at the library in 2020. Please share it with any young people who live or go to school in the area! Food will be served!

A Case for Reparations This Saturday from 3-4:30 pm Panelists: ... Dr. Allison Dorsey, Professor of History, Swarthmore College Dr. Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, Assistant Professor in African American Studies, Princeton University State Representative Chis Rabb

Three libraries lost hours today due to the staff shortage and one closed due to a building emergency! Part of the $3.5 million we won for this fiscal year is g...oing to hiring 25 new librarians. The Library is also hiring seasonal Library Assistants and facility guards. We can't wait for our new staff members to start, to help alleviate the staffing crisis! But, we know we still have a long way to go to achieve full funding, and libraries that are consistently open in all communities! #FundOurLibraries See more

TOMORROW MORNING - and Saturdays all summer - at Lovett Park: FREE YOGA. Yoga 4 Philly provides yoga as a means to build a safe community for empowerment, socia...l justice and vulnerability, and we are proud to have them signed on for the summer. Tomorrow at 10, they'll kick off the summer program, then return on June 29th for Saturday mornings the rest of the summer. (Next Saturday the 22nd, Mt Airy Art Garage will host the Philly Family Pride Picnic and Arts Festival in the Park!) Bring your mat, come see what Yoga 4 Philly is all about, and breathe deeply at Lovett Park. See more

In honor of Immigrant Heritage Month, we will be showing An American Tail at 2pm today! Popcorn will be served

A great way to use those points!

Today members of Friends of the Free Library rallied for Full Funding for all Free Library Branches at City Council's budget final passage. The Mayor and City c...ouncil passed a budget this afternoon that included $3.5 million for library staffing and buildings. The Mayor also committed to $2.3 million in additional funds in the next fiscal year. This year, our organizing made a huge difference for libraries. We are proud of the work that we did, and we will be a permanent fixture in budget negotiations until we win FULL FUNDING that provides 6 or 7 day service year round, robust materials and programming dollars, and the millions we urgently need for building repairs! #FundOurLibraries Photos via Friends members and Joe Piette

Thank you to the Philadelphia City Institute Board of Managers for bringing author & illustrator Christian Trimmer and Jessie Sima to Lovett Library today!

Art work from the youth in the After School Community Arts Project will be on display at Lovett Library starting this Saturday, June 8. Come to the reception b...etween 1 and 3 p.m. to congratulate the young artists! Lovett Memorial Library Friends of Lovett Memorial Library Mt Airy Art Garage Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Visual Arts at Philadelphia Parks and Recreation

Here’s a sneak peek at two of the prizes you could win at our Summer Reading Kickoff Party on MondayFancy Nancy and books, and AUTOGRAPHED book by Rick Riordan... with a sneak peek of the newest Trials of Apollo book! Sign up for Summer Reading starting Monday @ 4pm at our kickoff party featuring Reptiles Around the World!!

Last week our #FundOurLibraries organizing committee met with Brian Abernathy, the city's new Managing Director, and David Wilson, Deputy Managing Director for ...Community and Culture. We had a productive meeting discussing our campaign for fully funded libraries, and we look forward to meeting again soon to continue making progress! See more

Help needed! Lovett has had free Yoga on Friday mornings from 10:30-11:30. We are getting 20+ people for gentle on the floor or on the chair yoga. Our teacher... has taken a new job and needs to pull back. Is there anyone out there who might be interested in taking over? Please share widely, thanks! See more

A reminder about what we are fighting for: The library is important to Devon because, "my friends [are] allowed [to] be here and they're funny and silly." Libr...aries are one of the few sanctuaries where young people can show up as their full selves, and simply BE. We must protect and expand these safe havens! #FundOurLibraries See more

Drag Queen Story Time at the Lovett Memorial Library - Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia at 11am. New outfit from Danny Roberts, new dress up costumes ...courtesy of Kelli Mackin Lamplugh and the Mifflin Tavern, new tiaras and crowns for the kids courtesy of my gofundme page, coloring pages art by Joey Martini, and new stories! Transportation by Joe Black enterprises. Hope these kids are ready! See more

We had a great time making mosaic crafts today! Thank you to the Friends of Lovett Memorial Library for sponsoring this event!

Check out Tamia! A teen leadership assistant who got a standing ovation yesterday, speaking in front of city council about the impact of high quality library services on young peoples lives, and the need for fully funding! #FundOurLibraries

Friends and our AFSCME union frontline staff packed City Council's budget hearing to give public testimony on the urgent need for FULL FUNDING of at least $15.8m for our libraries! Check out what we said. #fundourlibraries