Pew Research Report: Free Library of Philadelphia Has Challenges - and Opportunities

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Among the findings of the report are:

• Philadelphians use their libraries less than their counterparts in most of the 14 other urban communities studied. 
• One factor contributing to Philadelphians’ relatively low use of their libraries has been the extraordinary number of times that branches have experienced temporary, unscheduled closings in the past few years. 
• The Free Library has been slower than some other big-city libraries to adapt to the changing needs of its population. 
• In Philadelphia, efforts to adjust to changing customer demands in a tough fiscal environment are complicated by a complex and often cumbersome governing structure. 
• Overall library spending in Philadelphia, at $43 per resident in 2011, is slightly below the average for the communities studied.