Entrance to the Charles Durham branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia and a corner of the new mural, dedicated 11/8/08, produced the the City of Philadelphia MuralArtsProgram
The library's 34th street side
Looking down Haverford Ave towards the Philadelphia Museum of Art
New affordable senior housing is about to open across the street.
The inside of the library is welcoming and bright.
The small library has a few public computers that are in use every time I visit.
The Durham branch is small but has well curated, relevant collections.
test prep
computer instruction
A woman looks over the deaccessioned books .
Free books, in preparation for the library's closing.
The community room set up for the dedication ceremony. It was repainted and restored earlier this year.
Photos in the community room.
"Finding Mantua: The Comic Book Mural Project addresses teen literacy by using Native American folklore, classic African-American texts as well as stories told by the Mantua community as the basis for a graphic novel-driven mural. Historical figures, sports figures, community members and fitional characters are 'holding up' a map of Mantua as depicted through time and place. The mural touches on issues of local and national history, geography, and transformation as it pertains to rituals that define what it meas to be an adult." (from the dedication program)
The building is also home to a rec center.
The Dignity Housing Drum Line performs at the beginning of the dedication ceremony.
The rain cleared up just in time for the celebration.
