DC Public Library (DCPL) is developing a libraries Facilities Master Plan as guidance for the next ten years of planning for library services across the city.
The Library Facilities Master Plan will
- Analyze how customers currently use libraries and what services might be needed or expanded.
- Explore the impact of city growth on how we deliver library services.
- Engage the community in conversations to ensure future planning aligns with community needs
- Evaluate the condition of library buildings and help us plan for future maintenance needs.
Over the past decade, DC Public Library has invested or allocated a half-billion dollars in renovating and rebuilding the city’s libraries. To date, 19 projects are complete, with five more libraries in the design or construction phase, including our own Southeast Library.
The new buildings have raised the bar for what D.C. residents expect in library service. Library circulation has increased 250 percent in the past decade. The Library now welcomes nearly 4 million visitors per year.
DCPL says that the way libraries are used can differ by neighborhood. “In some locations, meeting rooms are more in demand while public computers or books are the most used service at other locations,” they wrote in a release. “As such, there is potential to increase use even more by customizing building programs based on community needs. In addition, as neighborhoods in D.C. have changed and grown over the past several decades, some residents are without easy access to a neighborhood library.”
Once complete, the Library Facilities Master Plan will provide a framework to ensure future investments in DC Public Library services are responsive to community needs. The Plan will also help the Library work with elected leaders to determine funding priorities, said DCPL.
Attend Community Meetings
DCPL is hosting several community meetings in the course of developing the Library Facilities Master Plan. All are open to the public.
- Tuesday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m., Tenley Library (4450 Wisconsin Ave. NW)
- Saturday, March 2, 11 a.m. Woodridge Library (1801 Hamlin St. NE)
- Wednesday, March 6, 7 p.m., Anacostia Library (1800 Good Hope Rd. SE)
- Thursday, March 7, 7 p.m., Westminster Presbyterian Church (400 Eye St. SW)
Complete On-Line Survey
The Library is also surveying District residents to gain more in-depth insight into what residents want from their public library. Find the link and complete the survey at
https://www.surveymonkey.com/
