October 02, 2026
Provided Image/Save the Cecil B. Moore Library Coalition
Cecil B. Moore Library has had to reschedule or cancel some of its community programming due to delays in its construction start date.
For the past 12 years that Karris Cantrell has lived in North Philadelphia, the Cecil B. Moore Library has been a vital resource for her and her family.
Despite the building's aging infrastructure, she credits the site, its programming and its staff with providing a "safe space" for her 15-year-old daughter, who has autism, and her 11-year-old son to become more sociable. Her grandson, also autistic, uses the library's conference rooms for occupational and speech therapy.
"It doesn't seem like the library is that deep, but our library is kind of like a community center," said Cantrell, 45. “(My daughter) is who she is today partially because of the library.”
But Cantrell said Cecil B. Moore's community has been hurled into a state of disarray in the months leading up to its scheduled $2 million renovation to fix the building's HVAC system, bathrooms, water heater and other safety features.
Library workers and patrons have said there's been insufficient communication from Councilmember Jeffery Young Jr. about their library’s future, which has caused some of the programs and events to be disrupted.
Work was originally announced in August and slated to begin sometime in September, causing the building to be temporarily shutdown for around six months. After a start date was never set, the construction timeline was pushed back during a community meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 15, where Young's office estimated it to begin in October. An exact start date has yet to be confirmed.
For Cantrell, that means her grandson has to have his therapy sessions relocated to their crowded family home, her daughter lost her "firm foundation" and their lives have been "on hold."
"It's like we're in stasis," Cantrell said. "We're just stuck."
Kate Goodman, a Cecil B. Moore library worker, said that because of the confusion surrounding the library's future schedule, she has had to turn people away from reserving rooms or hosting events.
A screening of "Fletcher Street," a documentary about North Philadelphia's Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, was planned for mid-to-late September, but was canceled because library staff were told the branch would be closed. North Philly History Festival was also supposed to host an event there featuring the music and archives of jazz great John Coltrane, but it had to be moved to a different branch, Goodman said.
She added that when she and other employees have attempted to get answers from the Free Library about the construction schedule they've been met with unknowns.
"It's created a lot of uncertainty … especially in the last month," Goodman said. "People are reaching out to do programming and things and I can't say to them whether we're open or closed."
Mark Graham, communications and marketing director at the Free Library of Philadelphia, said the organization is working with the construction team and Young's office to finalize the schedule. Since many library programs are planned at least 60 days in advance, the unknown timeline for the renovations can cause some events that "require significant advance planning" to be put on pause, he added.
"Programming is continuing at the library where possible, including daily LEAP afterschool programming," Graham said in a statement. "We are currently working to confirm a temporary space for library programming during the closure."
During the community meeting last month, Young and representatives from the Free Library and the Capital Program Office said that during the building's closure, limited programming would be relocated to the MLK Recreation Center and members of a community advisory group would receive updates on its progress.
Cantrell, a member of the group, said that while it has received direct communication from the office, discussions have fallen short of exact timelines.
"Every time we ask about (future plans), it's 'Oh, we’ll discuss it later' or 'It's not in the works yet,'" Cantrell said. "It's frustrating as hell, and we all just want to scream."
Representatives with Young's office did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
"We understand that uncertainty around the construction timeline can be frustrating since the library is a community anchor and residents need time to plan for alternatives," Graham said in a statement. "We hope the community feels confident that we will provide a firm closure date and closure information as soon as possible. It is the Library's and the City's goal to be as transparent as possible about this important site improvement project."
Cecil B. Moore Library has had to reschedule or cancel some of its community programming due to continued delays in its construction start date.
The turmoil comes after years of the state of the library being in limbo.
Cecil B. Moore Library, which opened in 1962, was awarded $1.3 million in 2018 for a small renovation on its HVAC system, which would frequently break during extreme weather events. Community members, sensing an opportunity for broader changes, banded together and were able to raise $5.3 million from the city’s Rebuild program for the future of their building.
Collaborative sessions were held with patrons and staff that pinpointed some of the changes they’d like to see, including a teen center, new lighting and flooring, and a commercial kitchen for cooking classes.
When Young came into office, he proposed a plan to pause the project, demolish the existing building and build a new one. He acquired another $5 million from the city's capital budget, with plans to raise more from the private sector.
The $8 million not being used for the first phase of construction "remains committed to the future of the Cecil B. Moore Library," according to a fact sheet dispersed by Young's staff at the most recent community meeting. The money "has not been spent, redirected or lost."
The document said the next stage of the planning process after the upcoming first phase will "assess the library's existing programming space and determine what additional amenities and services may be feasible within the current footprint."
But some members of the North Philly community remain unconvinced that their requests will be honored.
"It just all reads like bull----, to be honest with you," Cantrell said. "And we can't do anything about it. … We as a people should have power."
The library has still seen its participation rise, with it saying it welcomed nearly 18,500 people over the summer — nearly doubling its attendance over the past two years. However, Goodman expressed concern over whether the promising trend can last through this renovation process.
"A huge amount of our patrons are vulnerable in some way — children in low-income neighborhoods, elderly people, people with physical or developmental disabilities, (people who) live in shelters — so people are really worried,” she said. "From my perspective as a librarian, programming and community partnerships take time, headway and trust. If I don't know if we're going to be open next month or if we're still fighting for what services are going to be available in our temporary space … that much uncertainty just breaks trust with the public institution."
