Watha T. Daniel / Shaw Library Online Questionnaire

This questionnaire seeks to get your input about the new Watha T. Daniel / Shaw Library plans and the subsequent community input process. It should only take a few moments out of your day and seeks to maximize the number of voices involved in the discussion.

None of the data collected will be shared in a way that shows your individual opinions -- only aggregated data shall be reported.

Feel free to complete as much or as little of the survey as you desire.

START - click here

DC Public Library (DCPL) first unveiled structural design images of the new Watha T. Daniel / Shaw Library on January 30, 2008. Please take a moment to review these images directly from the DCPL website.

What are your general comments about the design:


Do you have specific likes/dislikes about the designs? Suggestions?


The Shaw neighborhood is an historic district.

What do you think about the proposed design in the context of the surrounding neighborhood -- does the design fit?
Yes No
Tell us why:


Given the expected increase in population in the Shaw area due to ongoing development, and given the high cost of land...

Do you think the library should be structurally engineered to be able to have stories added as the need develops?
Yes No
Tell us why:

 

DCPL is planning to provide "flex" space on the lower level of the new Watha T. Daniel / Shaw library to accommodate a wide variety of activities from movie screenings to computer classes to ANC meetings.

The "multipurpose room" is a familiar component of public buildings like churches and schools, but many people prefer spaces that are designed for specific purposes if possible. Do you have a preference?
Yes No
Tell us why:


Meeting spaces for groups will be available at the new Watha T. Daniel/Shaw library, with access beyond library hours.

Are you a member of any group(s) that you think would use meeting space? If so, what group(s)? How often do you meet? How many people usually attend meetings?

 

Mayor Fenty has described the adult literacy issue as "huge" for DC.

* One in three adults in DC is sub-literate, meaning he or she cannot read a children's picture book or the directions on a package of over-the-counter cold medicine.
* Research on literacy shows that parents are the single strongest influence on their children's literacy.
* 95% of men incarcerated for serious crimes are sub-literate.

The DCPL operates an Adult Literary Resource Center at the MLK Library, and has one "satellite" center (at the Southwest branch). DCPL also provides ESL classes at some branch libraries.

Would you like to see an Adult Literacy Satellite Center and/or ESL classes in the new Shaw library?
Yes No
Tell us why:


These design images can be found on DCPL's website
These designs were unveiled at the
January 30, 2008 DCPL-hosted library design meeting.
No changes have been publicly shown since.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 2 -- click here


DC Public Libraries (DCPL) has held three library design associated meetings all at the interim Watha T. Daniel / Shaw Library. The first on November 14, 2007 called the Hopes and Dreams meeting, the second just a little over a week later, and on January 30, 2008 when they unveiled the new plans for the first time.

Please select which meetings you may have attended and please note how you may have heard about them in the matrix below:

Meeting Date Did you happen to attend this design meeting Did you happen to get an advertisement notice directly from DCPL about this meeting Did you happen to get a notice from some other source? If so, enter from where.
November 14, 2007 (Hopes & Dreams mtg) Yes No Yes No
November 26, 2007
(concept plans)		 Yes No Yes No
January 30, 2007
(design plans unveiled)		 Yes No Yes No



Design Meeting -- VIDEO HERE


This three-minute video showing a question about the cafe at the
January 30, 2008 design meeting.		 Watha T. Daniel / Shaw Community Comments
Design Meeting Notes HERE

You can review what other Watha T. Daniel / Shaw residents
have been saying at the above library design meetings
by checking out the meeting notes online.


The last opportunity currently scheduled for community input into design for the new Shaw library is scheduled for Wednesday, June 18, at 6 PM at the interim library.

Should DCPL be asked to produce further refinements, and hold additional meetings, if the public identifies unresolved issues?
 Yes No
Tell us why:


Over the past year, did you receive any information from your ANC concerning the Watha T. Daniel / Shaw new library design?
Yes No

Do you think DCPL should make every effort to bring its design plans before the affected ANC's?
Yes No
Tell us why:

 

Do you believe that the Watha T. Daniel / Shaw library and any public library scheduled for upgrade must be evaluated for a renovation/adaptive-reuse before tearing down the buildings?
Yes No
Tell us why:

 

Page 3 -- click here


Young Malcolm X
young Malcolm X 		Old Frederick Douglass
old Frederick Douglass
Many youth and seniors have been left out of the Watha T. Daniel / Shaw design process. DCPL design meetings were held in the evening during the colder months and many seniors and youth could not make it out. There were no childcare services for parents who may have wanted to attend the meetings.

If you could help make this process better what would you recommend to DCPL to do:
Create surveys to bring out to the community door-to-door
Create youth-surveys to bring to schools and after-school programs
Create vision-impaired surveys to bring to seniors
Make sure childcare services are available at the design meetings
Make sure to hold some design meetings during the day on the weekend
Make available an interactive website whereby public comments can be given and responses from DCPL can be in real-time

Other suggestions:

 

THE SHAW LIBRARY STUDY GROUP HAS CREATED SURVEYS FOR YOU TO PRINT OUT OR EMAIL TO YOUR FRIENDS:


 


End

Your Info Please
(will not be shared without your strict permission)

First Name *
Last Name *
Email *
Phone *

I live in the Shaw neighborhood
I live in Ward 2
I work in Ward 2

I would like to receive periodic updates from the DC Library Dynamos regarding the new Watha T. Daniel / Shaw Library