Some (DC) library talk

Lucy and Sally library comics by David Kay.

1. On the HistoricWashington@yahoogroups.com e-list someone raised the library usage issue, making the point that she was in Greenwich, CT recently and saw a thriving library, while the MLK was seemingly unused by comparison. She suggested trying to figure out why that is so.

2. I responded reprinting something I wrote last fall. (Although I'd also say part of the problem is that the MLK is fundamentally, an office building in terms of the design of its interior, and there is nothing comfortable about it.)

School Library at Shrine High School, in Royal Oak, Michigan. Detroit News photo.

3. But one of the things I mentioned was disinvestment. And Sue Hemberger, a Ward 3 land use activist particularly involved in the recent Wisconsin Avenue land use planning fiasco (on every dimension, I think--I don't necessarily agree on the tack they took, but I am impressed with the depth and knowledge they brought to the table) made a good point.



She said, similarly to the problem the DC Public School system has with many relatively under-utilized schools, perhaps in some places of the city in some respects we have too many libraries, and we should think about that because they end up being under-resourced. She mentioned this in terms of the Tenleytown Library which is currently closed, with plans to open up a temporary facility.

She says "Why?"--because people in Friendship Heights can use the close-by Chevy Chase Library branch, and people in Tenleytown aren't too far from the Cleveland Park library. (Plus, she didn't mention that the AU library is open to the public as well.) Perhaps library resources could be better spent in those other facilities? Just a thought...

4. This blog is used as an information source by topix.net so when I occasionally check the referral links, I find weird nuggets, like this article about a new library in Loudoun County, "New Library Will Provide Social Center," from the Alexandria Gazette-Packet. I like what the director of that library system has to say:

When planning the new Gum Spring Library, the leaders of Loudoun County Public Library looked to create not only a place for people to come and read, but a place where people would come to spend time, do research and meet with friends and business associates.

"There are two ways to look at it," director of the Loudoun County Public Library, Douglas Henderson, said. "Either a library is a community center or a library is the center of a community. We want everyone to come out and hang out."Libraries are a "level playing field," Henderson added.

Not everyone is pleased, because the library won't be a standalone facility, but part of an office building, which likely will happen more and more in DC. (And in some instances, I think it should, such as having a public library provided as part of the Skyland Center redevelopment being spearheaded, with some controversy, by NCRC. But if we are going to hand a developer a $40-$50 million gift of land, shouldn't we as residents get more back from this than merely a place to shop?) From the article:

WHILE RESIDENTS are excited to see a new library come into their neighborhood, some are concerned about the fact that the library was being planned inside of an office building."Van Metre was supposed to proffer a stand-alone 7-acre site and that didn't happen," Tekrony said. "We want to know how it is going to work inside of an office building."

5. Speaking of libraries, something I've mentioned in the past needs to be mentioned again. DC has many specialty libraries that are often open to the public. One such library is the Foundation Center, which focuses on foundations, nonprofit organizations, and fundraising. This is a resource of great benefit to many organizations in the city.

At some point during the library planning process I suggested that the FC be approached to relocate their library to the Central Library. Currently the FC is open during standard, M-F business hours, but open til 8 pm on Tuesdays. Perhaps they could receive free rent in return for expanding their open hours significantly, especially in the evenings and on at least one weekend day.


Index Keywords: libraries