West Side Library Branch

[iwasthere]

they can add on by extending further down to schenely ave. the caveat is a big beautiful tree must be sacrifice to goddess libre.

[Towntalk]

The Library people will seek public comment before making any moves so I would sincerely hope that our West Side friends will take advantage of that process when the time comes.

Is there a large empty building anywhere on Schenley that the Library could rent if it comes to that?

[Towntalk]

Oh, and by the way, I'm being sincere when I say that the West Side deserves nothing but the very best library. The fact that so many on that side of town use that facility demonstrates a real need for a 21st century facility much like the East branch.

[jay]

The current West Side Branch Library is at the corner of Schenley and Mahoning Avenue.

Kirkmere school is at the corner of S. Schenley and Kirk Road.
St. Christine School is at the corner of S. Schenley and Canfield Road.
McGuffey School is at the corner of S. Schenley and Junction.
Summit School is at the corner of N. Schenley and Oakwood Avenue.
Chaney High School is at the corner of S. Hazelwood (one block from S. Schenley) and Overlook.

If I were to locate a library to serve the school children of the west side, I would place it on Schenley, the education corridor of the west side.   Perhaps the West Side Branch Library was strategically located when it was first built so many years ago. 

[Towntalk]

They aren't talking about closing the West Side Library completely folks so not to worry. They are talking about closing the building and renting a facility so the West Side will still have its own branch, and it might just be bigger and better, after all, we all know that the West Side deserves only  the very best, even if it means closing another branch to do it.

[Billy Mumphrey]

The times I have visited the west side library I find it to be very busy with school children from McGuffey, Volney, and Chaney using the facility. I also see many people using the computers for internet and e-mail. While it may be nice to build grand new buildings out in the suburbs, the inner city libraries should be maintained for the neighborhood. Not everbody has transportation or can hop on a bus that takes one directly to the main library or out to Austintown and Canfield.

[jay]

I feel that money should be spent to renovate and expand the West Side Branch Library at its current location.  There is a vacant lot behind the library that could be used for the expansion.

[Towntalk]

In its current strategic plan, the library system no longer projects any expenses for repairs to its West branch because it has assumed it will vacate this branch and rent library space to replace them. However, Daniel said the library system will revisit this issue in this year's strategic planning process.