Five Philly Public Libraries Are Getting a Makeover

Construction on the Lovett Memorial Library in Mount Airy and the Lillian Marrero Library in Fairhill started last week. The Logan and Tacony libraries are next.

By Claire Sasko· 9/15/2016, 12:28 p.m.

Photo credit: Kansas Sebastian via Flickr.

Construction is under way on two of five Philadelphia libraries being modernized as part of the 21st Century Libraries Initiative.

The Lovett Memorial Library in Mount Airy and the Lillian Marrero Library in Fairhill are currently being renovated. Other library branches chosen for renovation include the Logan and Tacony libraries, which will begin construction in October. Construction on the South Philadelphia Library has already been completed, and the building reopened in June.

Plans for renovation were first announced in September 2014. The initiative, which aims to reestablish “the Library as a central resource in every neighborhood in Philadelphia, serving as a portal to learning, public services, economic opportunity, recreation, and community engagement,” according to a press release, is largely made possible by funding from the William Penn Foundation.

The five libraries will each feature their own specialization, listed below, along with photo renditions for each branch:

The Lovett Memorial Library

“Lovett Memorial Library will establish a community center for Mount Airy residents of all ages, where individuals and organizations will be able to meet and connect with each other and the world around them.”