All library locations, including those at the epicenter of the riots, are welcoming patrons today.
You can find more than books at the Baltimore public library today,
as all branches remain open and fully staffed in the wake of protests
and riots that have rocked the city.
With a state of emergency declared and schools closed citywide
Tuesday morning, the Enoch Pratt Free Library has chosen to stay open,
providing a hub of comfort and community to all Baltimore neighborhoods,
including the ones most affected by the mayhem.
“It’s at times like this that the community needs us,” library
Director of Communications Roswell Encina told MTV News. “That’s what
the library has always been there for, from crises like this to a
recession to the aftermath of severe weather. The library has been
there. It happened in Ferguson; it’s happening here.”
Reports of violence, looting, and coordinated gang activity have been
coming out of Baltimore since Monday night, erupting within hours of
the funeral of Freddie Gray. Gray died late last week from injuries he
apparently sustained while in police custody, resulting in an outpouring
of anger from protesters who point to his death as the latest in a
nationwide epidemic of police violence against unarmed black men. Read more....
