After 4 years, library reopens at West Philadelphia school

WEST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A school in West Philadelphia is getting something back it hasn't had in four years.

The library at Andrew Hamilton Elementary is now open for learning again.

The library has served not only children who attend there, but the surrounding community which is why it was welcomed back in a big way.

Budget cuts and financial restraints left the library under-resourced.

Eventually the school lost its librarian, leaving the kids without a place to read and check out books.

"I did really miss the library. I was sad about it," student Nicole Harrington said.

But on Tuesday, with the help of The West Philadelphia Alliance for Children or WePac, a new library was unveiled and a librarian will be on duty.

"We have this functioning library now with these great books. This collaboration and partnership will help strengthen and promote not only our school wide goals, our district goals, and are initiative to make literacy our first priority," principal Let Johnson-Garner said.

Volunteers spent hours reorganizing the book selection so they would be fitting for kids in the new millennium.

"It's going to provide access to new culturally relevant books to kids, help them improve their literacy, and get them excited about reading," Sarah Joseph of WePAC said.

Reopening the library was a community effort.

Ellen Rose's family is one of the donors. Her daughter Nancy was a teacher 32 years.

"It's what Nancy would want us to do. This is Nancy's legacy of love. Nancy loves books and she loved the children who read them," Rose said.

And these young minds couldn't be more thankful.

"I think this library is necessary. I think it's better for the younger kids as they move up, they can see reading is fun," Harrington said.