It's Our City is a project that uses TV, Radio and Web
to promote civic engagement in the Philadelphia region.Would you change the name of the Fumo Library?
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 at 3:28 pm - by Alan Tu. Filed under: Community.
This library branch in South Philadelphia is called The Fumo Family branch library
Apparently the Fumo name still means something in this town. The folks over at the Fumo Family Branch library in South Philadelphia plan to keep the name. Vince Fumo is a former Pennsylvania State Senator who could really bring in the money to his district. The only problem is he felt entitled to skim a little for himself.
So, one might reasonably argue that having a library named after someone who stole other people’s lunch money makes about as much sense as naming a dog park after Michael Vick. But to complicate matters, this branch is actually named for The Fumo Family as in Vince and his now deceased parents Vincent and Helen.
In Susan Phillip’s story on Monday, Library spokeswoman Sandy Horrocks said the library will keep the Fumo name because “The Fumo family and the Senator had been very generous to the library for many years.”
Committee of Seventy President Zack Stalberg has a problem with this. “Because its apparently not about honoring Vince and family as great individuals, but Vince as someone who would bring cash. And since cash was at the heart of the conviction, to me that’s another reason to rethink the decision to keep that name.”
So, I’m curious whether you think that the library name is a big deal.
Often libraries are not named after great writers but instead by generous people who give money. And, Vince’s parents were probably really nice people. Also, given that this was one of the 11 libraries that were originally targeted to be closed back in November 2008, should South Philly residents just be glad that they even have a branch?
Or would you say that we should take every opportunity we can to hold up high those who can be role models for children, especially if we’re talking about a library?
Also, if you could rename it, who would you rename it after and why?
What would you do?
July 28th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
I’d change it, and make it something which would tell folks about where the library branch is located - like South Philly branch, or the name of the street it’s on.
(Just like renaming the Northwest Regional Library the Joseph E. Coleman Library doesn’t tell folks where the heck in the city it can be found. Or calling the old Lehigh Branch Lilian Marero Branch.)
July 28th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
There already is a South Philadelphia regional branch. In fact, there are three branches all within a reasonable walking distance of each other and this is one of them. Perhaps someone should think of closing it to save the city a little cash. You’d think that would have come up by now?
July 28th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Another reason to change the name is because the name on the library acts as a form of political advertising. It promotes the name, and the man, by associating it with the positive images of libraries. And in this case, it’s a reminder of the thinly veiled threats that helped make Fumo so successful–he can giveth and he can taketh away. So I think it’s worth discussing. But taking his name off the library might only be a symbolic gesture. Much more is needed to dismantle the culture of corruption that the name represents.
July 29th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Dog park after Michael Vick… ha. Just saw that part. I do like the idea of naming libraries after great writers as long as we don’t end up with a “Michael Crichton Branch” and a “Stephen King Branch.”
July 29th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Remove the name. We shouldn’t name libraries after convicted felons.
July 30th, 2009 at 10:00 am
It used to be the Ritner Children’s branch. It could go back to Ritner Branch, or perhaps the Porter Branch. Of course, that’s still naming them after politicians.