Neighborhoods rally to save Skillman Library

East Dallas is in an uproar about the sudden announcement of the permanent closing of the Dallas Public Library’s Skillman Southwestern Branch. The iconic library, located at 5707 Skillman St. in Dallas, is set to shut its doors forever after September 30. Outraged community members have started a petition at change.org to stop the closure. The Skillman Southwestern Library was built in 1996 and is one of the city’s smaller branches. City officials’ decision was proposed after a review of all library branches and determining another location, the Vickery Park branch built in 2020, was about a mile away. The library also served as an official election location, serving more than 1,800 voters each election cycle. Board member Richard Bailey said on Facebook: “I’m floored by the news that the City of Dallas is closing the Skillman Southwestern Library Branch in Dallas. I’ve proudly served on the board of the Friends Group for this branch for over 10 years, four years as an officer. The news came without warning or debate. A city without a strong library system is not a strong city. Libraries are vital cultural centers and ought to be championed, not dropped.” — From Staff Reports