Cecil B. Moore Library: a tech space or a learning place?
The struggle to maintain the historic Cecil B. Moore Library in Brewerytown encountered another crowded and contentious meeting at the tail-end of 2025.
Called by the Cecil B. Moore Library Coalition, the meeting sought to address the stacking narrative created by District 5 Councilmember Jeffery Young Jr., that the building and its contents are obsolete for his community going forward.
Throughout the two-hour meeting, Young issued his desire to build a new library with the $10.2 million in funding that has been secured for Cecil B. Moore’s renovation. Young’s original hybrid “affordable” housing/library project faced near unanimous opposition back in March of last year. His latest proposal, a teen “e-gaming” and podcast studio that will supplant the original library.
The community is interested in supporting efforts for the youth with the understanding that there is not a lack of space to implement these ideas. The various recreation centers and community spaces, within a half a mile radius for instance, offer an outlet to youth in the neighborhood and seek to become more tech forward.
Recreation centers in the neighborhood, like Athletic (above) and Martin Luther King Jr. (below) offer various use amenities for visitors. Community-run spaces like the North Philly Peace Park on Jefferson St. have long sought support from the city to provide programming for youth, including that of studio spaces.
Capoeira and other activities take place inside Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, just two blocks from Cecil B. Moore Library.
The issue isn’t the assertion of a space that meets the wants of the youth, it’s the indifference for any other demographic. The lack of communication with the community members and the disregard for their unwavering demands - that the library remain in this space that holds historical value as what it was intended for, a library.
Councilmember Young alleged the structure wouldn’t allow for building above the library. After speaking to the Capital Programs Office, the city department tasked with overseeing new developments on city owned properties, that was determined not to be true. Young also claimed that this existing structure isn’t keeping up with the times. However, a simple trip to the recently renovated Parkway Central Library, the largest in the city, makes it clear that both buildings are functioning as intended. Parkway Central operates as a library with various ongoing events and open spaces for research and learning. If the largest library in Philadelphia is not obsolete, despite lacking state of the art e-gaming facilities, then what does that mean for Cecil B. Moore?
Parkway Library’s teen center (above & below) features multiple consoles for gaming. It features open play on Tuesdays & Fridays and video game events throughout the year.
Inside Parkway Library’s Field Teen Center. Stocked with age appropriate books to read.
Various community members urged him not to sign off on building a new library, to commit to the plan years in the making. To move forward with the renovation in this location. To let the few green spaces in the area exist as they are. To work with constituents to bring the ideas he has to life in already existing spaces so as to not disturb the patrons who frequent this site and to maintain the integrity of what this library was created for.