PRINTER'S NO. 980
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
186
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY SIMS, O'BRIEN, BISHOP, V. BROWN, McNEILL,
DiGIROLAMO, HENNESSEY, THOMAS, ROZZI, COHEN, C. PARKER,
DAVIS, READSHAW, PASHINSKI, KIM, HARHAI, DONATUCCI, O'NEILL,
McGINNIS, VEREB, CALTAGIRONE, KINSEY, DRISCOLL, BROWNLEE,
GRELL, MILLARD, YOUNGBLOOD, ROEBUCK, SCHWEYER, FARINA,
D. COSTA, WATSON, GIBBONS AND SABATINA, MARCH 24, 2015
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MARCH 24, 2015
A RESOLUTION
Honoring Ms. Siobhan Reardon, President and Director of the Free
Library of Philadelphia, for being named Librarian of the
Year for 2015 by the Library Journal.
WHEREAS, The Library Journal has named Ms. Siobhan Reardon,
President and Director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, as
Librarian of the Year for 2015; and
WHEREAS, This award is presented annually to a library
professional in North America who is transforming his or her
library, community and the profession; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Reardon was chosen as the recipient of this
award in recognition of her vision and strategic plan, which
transformed a traditional library system facing budget and
staffing reductions into an innovative, vibrant community
center; and
WHEREAS, In 2008, Ms. Reardon became the first woman to serve
as the President and Director of the Free Library of
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Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Upon accepting her new duties, with the Free Library
of Philadelphia initially facing budget cuts due to the economic
recession, Ms. Reardon successfully stewarded this great
institution through two and one-half years of difficult and
challenging times of drastically reduced branch hours; and
WHEREAS, In 2010, as library funding began to gradually
increase, the Free Library of Philadelphia launched a two-year
process to construct a new strategic plan for the library's 61
locations; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Reardon's vision was to streamline and enhance
neighborhood library services by actively reaching out to the
community to identify needs, which was reflected in her five-
year strategic plan to refocus the library on job seekers,
entrepreneurs, new Americans, children under five and people
with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Reardon restructured the 800-member staff of the
library as she created new positions that did not exist before,
while also seeking to improve efficiencies, internal
communications and the quality of the library experience for
patrons; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Reardon is passionate in seeking to advance
literacy, guide learning and inspire curiosity and is a dynamic,
capable leader recognized for her creative, transformative ideas
and dedication to engaging and serving the community; therefore
be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor Ms. Siobhan
Reardon, President and Director of the Free Library of
Philadelphia, for being named Librarian of the Year for 2015 by
the Library Journal; and be it further
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
Ms. Siobhan Reardon at the following address: Free Library of
Philadelphia, 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1189.
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