Some libraries in Delaware County would benefit from merging resources, consultant says

Shortly before Delaware County was set to celebrate National Libraries Week, a consultant told officials some libraries need to merge services if they want to survive.

Without naming the libraries but noting they are are in the southeastern portion of the county, Rob Cullen, managing principal of Rethinking Libraries, said three to 10 of the county’s 28 libraries, are in trouble.

“There was a pretty good cohort of libraries that I would say are well below average and in our estimation, are on an unsustainable trajectory,” he said after doing an analysis of each member of the Delaware County Library System. “Some are probably even today already at an almost unviable level.”

This week, Delaware County, and public libraries across the United States, are celebrating National Library Week.

Among various activities, such as viewing the eclipse Monday, is Read at Rose Tree Wednesday night from 5:30 to 7. Residents are encouraged to bring a book and a lawn chair or blanket to read simultaneously as others read by the Rose Tree Park amphitheater.

Regarding the Rethinking Libraries analysis, the firm was hired by Delaware County Council last summer to do an evaluation of library services offered in the county.

The team visited all of the locations, meeting with staff and others, and had the libraries perform a self-assessment based on criteria they offered. They also compared each library location to state and county standards.

Some performed incredibly well.

“We got what we almost refer to as model libraries … they’re above average usage and funding,” Cullen said. “A few are actually best in class within the region, even some nationally in certain aspects of what they’re doing.”

He noted Marple with their community engagement and Middletown’s Maker Space program.

Cullen said the highest number of libraries per capita were in the southeastern part of the county with only Manhattan having more.

He recommended that the Delaware County Library Board lead a conversation with several of those in the region who are interested, particularly if they are on an unsustainable road.

“Is there a path to merging some of them?” Cullen asked. “Not in terms of trying to merge them into a single location but perhaps turning all of these single individual libraries into branches of a unified group of libraries.”

He does not recommend using force.

“Nothing that would be forced on anyone but an option that would provide a more sustainable path and get better efficiencies for those communities and ultimately better services for those communities,” Cullen said, as he added, “Not all municipalities in this county would be interested.”

However, he said some, without naming them, are struggling and might not make it long-term if some solution isn’t found.

He said perhaps a merger of oversight and management with these individual libraries as branches so that the unique character of each community would be retained.

Cullen explained a problem shared by a few.

“Quite a few of these libraries, by state standard, have to be open 45 hours a week and they’re run by a director that’s part-time,” he said. “That, to us, is not a sustainable model.”

The Rethinking Libraries evaluation analyzed the libraries in a multitude of ways.

Looking at facilities, resources, staffing levels and open hours and community awareness and engagement, the J. Lewis Crozer Library and the Darby Library inadequate/needs improvement ratings in every category.

The Collingdale library received an inadequate/needs improvement rating in all but the facilities category. Folcroft also received three inadequate/needs improvements, except for its resources.

And, the Upper Darby Township libraries, the Glenolden library and the Prospect Park library received two inadequate/needs improvement ratings each.

Aston Township and the Rachel Kohl Library received a needs improvement rating for staffing levels and open hours. Sharon Hill and the Mary M. Campbell libraries received the same rating for their community awareness and engagement.

The entire report can be read at www.delcolibraries.org/News-Systemwide-Evaluation.

In his presentation, Cullen also noted the funding disparity.

“One of the things that kind of stood out to us is the funding level for libraries in Delaware County is low,” he said.

In Delco, libraries are funded with a mix of state, county and local funding at $26 per capita. The Pennsylvania average, Cullen said, is $30 per capita with the Greater Philadelphia average being $39. The national average, he added, is $41.

Plus, even within Delaware County, Cullen said some libraries are funded as high as $70 per person and others as low as $7.

County Councilwoman Christine Reuther said the shortfall to fill that gap would be between $2.3 million and $2.5 million.

“If that difference was to be made up by the county, that would be about a 1.5% tax increase to make that up,” she said, adding that’s not something being considered right now.

County Councilman Kevin Madden highlighted the importance of working together.

“Delaware County has more municipalities per square mile than any county in the United States,” he said. “It’s the most fragmented county in the United States. It’s not a bad thing or good thing, it’s just what it is.”

And while each one has its own unique identity, it creates challenges for these towns in having a smaller ability to gain revenue while having to provide services such as police, fire and libraries.

Madden said it would be advantageous to help some of these smaller municipalities to work together.

“What’s really coming out is we’ve got to find ways to cooperate,” he said.