What’s inside Department’s longest employed by Nelly Childress individual, through Enny HHOA President Paul Cramer’s inter view. Robert Coyne gives a bird’s eye view of Devoe muses over the future of major maintenance undertakings libraries and particularly books. that have been accomplished this The issue, he says, is not access summer while we were either but excess. David Roberts has on vacation or lolling around more about diet and health; learn in the swimming pool. Lynn to select and enjoy a nourishing, Miller reports on the celebration balanced diet. Scott Childress The Newsletter of of Hopkinson House’s 50th mentions the dogs at Hopkinson anniversary this year. He reminds House 50 years ago. Hopkinson House • Fall 2012 us that our building and Society Pleasant reading! ■ Hill Towers built later, I quote: “were the high-rise bookends the days of our books. Now is listing our inventory; what you designed to anchor the revival the time for all dedicated readers see is what we have. Books newly of Society Hill as a premier Tales from the to come to the aid of their donated mix with daily returns. residential neighborhood….” It is favorites. Books are becoming We do not buy our books; à propos for Louis DelSoldo to quiet room an endangered species. In future they are donated by residents. tell us why our building has been by Robert Devoe days, they will continue to be We began in 1984. Over more named in honor of the ingenious “…There was a land of published and purchased and than a quarter century, our author, composer and signer of Cavaliers and cotton fields called read and loaned and borrowed library has grown to become the the Declaration of Independence: the Old South… and lost and discarded. They largest such in-house facility in Francis Hopkinson. If you “Here in this pretty world, may even be burned. the City’s apartment buildings. have not yet visited our newly Gallantry took its last bow. Here There is no villain in this Even a recent visitor from the redesigned website, read the was the last ever to be seen of saga. The issue is not access, Free Library’s Parkway offices interview of resident webmaster knights and their ladies fair, of but excess. Plus, the ongoing expressed admiration at the size Andrew Thompson by Susan master and slave. Look for it only technological innovation which of our holdings. Tomita. Andrew redesigned in books, for it is no more than a made books an endangered The library’s prime the website using the same basic dream remembered. A civilization species. products during its existence elements set up by the first gone with the wind…” Libraries everywhere strive have been fiction and mystery resident web master, Charles —Gone with the Wind, valiantly to find spaces for their novels—hardback, softcover, Tarragano. Get to know 1939 film title card book inventories. The old books and paperback. Also on shelf are André Dicks, Maintenance As summer fades, so do silently make way for the new. biographies, histories, political “Classics” are not exempt from studies and religious studies, disposal. The ongoing quest is as well as business, finance, law for more space and more services and medicine. A recent influx to meet the needs of more of poetry and travel books has customers. broadened the scope. But if past In spite of this bleak practice is any indication, few of picture, books continue as a these books will ever circulate. necessary and cherished item They will simply sit on our in our society. They provide shelves, awaiting an occasional information, they offer hope browser or even a single and diversion, they help us pass borrower. In anguish, perhaps, days and nights. If you are a they (and their authors) cry out: confirmed and dedicated book “Borrow me. Read me.” Even lover, there are never enough the classical literature we read in Dogs were permitted when Hopkinson House books to read. school is a victim of diminishing opened in 1962–63, but were forbidden when the In most libraries, books interest. building began to fill. With 18 apartments on each compete with each other Library additions here floor, the dog population rapidly overwhelmed the four for limited shelf space. The seem to follow current events. elevators, especially since early and late concentrated usage Hopkinson House Library is Earlier this year, we received was the pattern. no exception. The shelves are five biographies of troubadour —Scott Childress bulging with books of all types Bob Dylan shortly after he and sizes. There is no catalog was awarded the Presidential 2 • FALL 2012 • ON THE HOUSE ON THE HOUSE • FALL 2012 • 3 Medal of Freedom. And, in and thrift shops. Others will be are scheduled to be completed windows look great. to remember the first masonry and all who helped make it a works at the VA Hospital; this summer in which the designated for disposal. by the time this newsletter is • The work—inspection, inspection, repair and painting success. André’s wife is an accounts sun shone ever brightly on The days of the printed published. We are also pleased masonry repair and of the building. Major portions On another note, some manager at the IRS. England, we received an entire Book as a commercial to announce that thanks painting—of the south and of the masonry needed problems in the laundry André, a supervisor, Editorial Committee box load of histories and commodity are nearing an east facades of the building significant repairs. Sections room have been reported to works inside individual units Nelly M. Childress Enny Cramer novels about the monarchy end. Libraries everywhere will is completed as well as the of the balcony walls, floors Management, specifically that need upkeep or repair on Lynn Miller past and present. soon enter a new dimension annual window-washing. and of the façades had to be complaints about several plumbing, convector overflow, David Roberts But, as shelf spaces of functional services keyed The north side of the chiseled out and rebuilt. Many machines and flooding on the electrical or hard-wood floor Dan Rothermel dwindle, there is a need to to ever-expanding Internet building has the inspection of the procedures and working floor. An engineering firm problems. André does it all. Susan Tomita reduce and dispose of books. technologies. Hopkinson House completed and masonry conditions then would have has been consulted about the He acquired his considerable Council Liaison So, a massive reorganization is will continue to maintain its repaired. Painting is to be been illegal in 2012! Costs water overflow problem and skills at a vocational school Paul Coyne currently underway. The intent library, but the number of books finished before October. soared and losses were almost the result of their inspection in Philadelphia, where he Graphic Design is to free up as much shelf we hold will likely diminish. • The work on the mezzanine big enough to bankrupt the is forthcoming. Replacing specialized in auto mechanics. Desperate Hours Productions, space as possible in order to The Quiet Room will still be a air handler’s duct and building. some of the washing machines He had his own garage for [email protected] improve accessibility without meeting room, reading room, controls has also been Our thanks go to the with more efficient and water- two years in the early Eighties. Advertising reducing overall availability. and study room available in to our diligent preventive finished. contractors who took pride conserving ones is under He has a PA license in Louis DelSoldo, (267) 249-7843 ■ [email protected] Our goal is to give greater service to our residents maintenance Hopkinson These multitask projects in their work, to residents consideration. More as things mechanics and in plumbing, prominence and display to House’s facades are in excellent performed by different unions who were patient under develop. ■ good qualifications in our Photography our prime products, those condition. Furthermore, our and craftsmen required trying conditions and to the current economy. And he David Roberts mysteries and novels (and contract is about $300,000 complex coordination on the management team who kept does it all with a smile, Issue Contributors authors) which have become under budget and has kept on part of Chief Engineer Tony things moving. while reporting to our chief Nelly Childress Message from Scott Childress readers’ favorites. In the schedule. Kelly and Building Manager On other matters: André Dicks, engineer, Tony Kelly. Paul Coyne remainder of 2012 and into Council As of the writing of this Judi Forte. Weekly planning • The Smoke-Free Building In his free time, André Enny Cramer 2013, there will be a few by Paul Coyne article: and scheduling meetings were program is in place. We are a very special likes to watch sports on TV, Louis DelSoldo Robert Devoe massive purges as we reduce HHOA Council President • The ground-floor held with contractors and now part of the growing specifically football. He no Lynn Miller the overall inventory. Some of Three simultaneous major commercial window- sub-contractors taking into community of condominium person longer plays sports except David Roberts the books we discard will be projects undertaken in the replacement project is consideration many variables buildings that are smoke- by Enny Cramer fishing off a dock. So, he is Susan Tomita donated to other area libraries spring and summer of this year completed and the new such as weather conditions and free. The Hopkinson House a quiet sports fan, no longer the significant risks involved • The landscapers cleaned up Maintenance Department’s jumping hoops, as he did in with the work.