When District Council 33 (DC33) union members went on strike on July 1, all Philadelphia Free Libraries also shut their doors due to striking library assistants and other workers. But for many branches, this was business as usual. The day before, 26 out of 54 branches were closed because of staffing shortages and building issues.

Libraries are struggling to fill staffing; Budget proposals show requests for a thousand full-time staff, more than 200 more than the current total. District Council 47 (DC47) Local 2187 — which represents librarians — demanded 8% annual raises in the most recent contract (the same as DC33’s initial demand), benefit improvements, and retention plans such as longevity pay. At 5:30 a.m. on July 15, DC47 union leaders announced an agreement with the city but did not share details. 

The Chestnut Hill Branch has closed for months at a time, most recently in fall 2024 due to HVAC issues during the election, when it served as a polling location. Until spring 2022, the branch had only one children's librarian, with the other combined adult/teen librarian role left vacant. According to Amy Wilson, executive director of Friends of the Chestnut Hill Library, there are still-unfilled library assistant positions, leaving the circulation desk at the branch and across the system about 85% staffed. These positions are represented by DC33. 

“It may not be a full solution, but it's hard to imagine that a fair contract wouldn't help reduce that vacancy rate and restore services,” Wilson said.

More than just books

Friends of the Free Library and their affiliate groups organize volunteers, raise funds for programs and building maintenance, and advocate for staffing and pay. In Chestnut Hill, this funding is through Hilltop Books, a discount bookstore at 84 Bethlehem Pike around the corner from the branch, that is well-staffed by volunteers. 

The one thing Friends can’t do is pay librarians or fill union positions. When libraries are short-staffed, workers receive last-minute notice to work at a different branch. Otherwise, branches close for the day, pausing cooling and free lunch services for communities. (Chestnut Hill and Lovett are not official cooling centers or lunch service distributors. Coleman offers boxed meals and light suppers.) 

Friends advocates for a six-day staffing schedule, common before the pandemic, which allows for Saturday hours. As hiring continues, more branches are open Saturdays, including Mt. Airy’s Lovett Memorial Library.

Three librarians, 216 schools

The library branches already bridge the gap for under-resourced public schools. The Philadelphia School District has three paid, certified librarians across its 216 schools.  The Philadelphia Alliance to Restore School Librarians (PARSL) had its federal funding withdrawn in April 2025, but the organization is still working to develop a plan to restore school librarians. In Chestnut Hill, local students from schools including Jenks Elementary, Norwood-Fontbonne Academy, and Our Mother of Consolation visit the library, or are visited by Children's Librarian Prather Egan. 

Councilmember at Large and Majority Whip Isaiah Thomas said,“Most public schools in Philadelphia do not have a dedicated library or librarian on staff. Maximizing the presence of our neighborhood libraries by increasing the amount of days and hours they are open can supplement that gap and provide more resources to the surrounding community for older and younger learners alike.” He added, “Central to achieving that is ensuring quality pay for certified librarians and the staff that support them.”

According to Thomas, currently, 20% of government positions are vacant. He said the “money is there.” 

This year, City Council approved $550 million for contract negotiations. DC47 had just finished a vote authorizing a strike when union leadership announced the tentative agreement for the next contract. They previously pledged solidarity with their DC33 coworkers, but a two-week negotiation extension stopped a parallel strike. 

Thomas said the pause on municipal services and pilling trash showed the importance of DC33 workers to the functioning of Philly. “DC33 showed us that when they stop working, so does the city.” 

“We must ensure we spend every day, not just moments of hardship like this strike, to remember that Philadelphia is a union town and our municipal workers keep our city moving,” Thomas said.  

Wilson sees libraries as vital, welcoming community spaces that are inclusive to everyone. “The library has endless resources, but you can only access them if the library is open. … Our branch alone can't be healthy unless the system as a whole is healthy.”

Editor's Note: This story was updated to reflect that PARSL is still developing a plan to restore school librarians despite federal funding cuts.