Mayor Daley Dedicates New West Pullman Branch Of The Chicago Public Library

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 16, 2005

Mayor's Press Office: (312) 744-3334
Maggie Killackey, CPL Press Secretary: (312) 747-4051

47th New Or Renovated Library To Open Since 1989

Mayor Richard M. Daley, 34th Ward Alderman Carrie Austin, Senate President Emil Jones and Chicago Public Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey joined community leaders and residents, for the dedication of the newly constructed West Pullman Branch of the Chicago Public Library at 830 W. 119th Street.

"The Chicago Public Library is one of the few systems in the country that is both building new libraries and hiring new librarians," said Mayor Daley. "We have built or fully renovated 47 libraries since 1989 and we're not done. We've opened three new libraries so far this year and we're close to our goal of opening eight new libraries city-wide before the year is out."

Some of the children's services and programs that will be offered are the 2005 Summer Reading Program Book Splash!, story times, craft activities and holiday celebrations. A number of adult programs will be available including book discussions, Internet tutorials for seniors, financial planning and education seminars and cultural programs of community interest. In addition to the services and programs offered, patrons can take advantage of free Internet and WiFi access, online research databases and a $400,000 opening day collection. The library's special collections feature African American History and culture, Chicago History, small businesses, jobs and careers.

"In addition to being a place to borrow books, the Chicago Public Library is a community center," said Chicago Public Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey. "The entertaining, educational activities and community meeting rooms at a branch library make them a safe place for citizens to gather, exchange ideas and learn from each other."

On July 16, 2005, the West Pullman Branch Library will host a fun filled Family Day celebration featuring storytelling, music, craft activities and Summer Reading Program sign up for school aged children. Beginning at 12:30 p.m., Lenny Marsh will entertain families with storytelling and music, followed by the interactive and dramatic storytelling of Gwen Hilary at 2 p.m. All Family Day activities are free and will be held in the Community Room. Call the West Pullman Branch Library for more information.

The West Pullman Branch, a new, full service branch will be open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. The library will be closed on Sundays. The library's telephone number is (312) 747-1425. Thanks to the support of Senate President Emil Jones, a $2 million Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Grant helped fund the library construction. This $4 million new branch opened to the public on Friday, July 15, 2005 and is serving a community that didn't previously have a branch library.

The West Pullman Branch encompasses 14,000 square feet of space and is equipped with a multipurpose room that has a seating capacity of 125, air-conditioning and 30 parking spaces.

The Chicago Public Library is comprised of the Harold Washington Library Center, two regional libraries and 76 neighborhood branches. The Chicago Public Library provides free access to the Internet and WiFi in all of its locations and offers a rich resource of books, DVDs, audio books and more, as well as free public programs for children, teens and adults. The Harold Washington Library Center, Carter G. Woodson Regional Library and Conrad Sulzer Regional Library are all open 7 days a week and patrons can access the libraries' collections online 24 hours a day.

For more information, visit the Chicago Public Library's web site at www.chicagopubliclibrary.org, or call the Chicago Public Library's Marketing/Press Office at (312) 747-4050.