DISTRICT DYNAMOS: Libraries & Beyond

September 28, 2011 -- A Rally will take place at the MLK Library on Sunday October 2 at 12:30 PM to protest the elimination of Sunday hours at the central library – the only District library open on Sundays.

July 22, 2011 -- During more than six hours of testimony yesterday, the District’s Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) raised questions about the DC Public Library (Library)’s need to receive exemption from zoning requirements.

July 14, 2011 -- Mt. Pleasant’s ANC 1D yesterday voted to oppose the DC Public Library’s request for permission to construct a controversial accessibility ramp, addition, and new main entrance to its historic library building.

April 7, 2011 -- The ANC appeal of the Mt. Pleasant Library case before the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) gained support Tuesday from BZA Commissioner Jeffrey L. Hinkle, who was tasked with the case, after the BZA failed to reach a decision in early March.

March 7, 2011 -- Residents of Ward One believe that DC’s Department of Regulatory and Consumer Affairs (DCRA) Zoning Administrator wrongly issued a building permit to the DC Public Library for its proposed expansion of the historic Mt. Pleasant Library.

August 20, 2010 -- An expert review of newly revised plans for the expansion of the Mt. Pleasant Library has determined that the building's proposed accessibility route remains out of compliance with ADA standards.

July 29, 2010 -- Residents of Samuel Kelsey Apartments expressed dismay when a paper “ramp” was rolled out in their parking lot on Tuesday to simulate what it would be like to use a 120 foot long and 7 foot high ramp, planned as part of a new main entrance to the Mt. Pleasant Library two blocks from their home.

November 23, 2009 -- ANC-1C has asked Councilmember Jim Graham to help expedite a response to the ANC letter asking DCPL about remaining concerns with the Mount Pleasant library project.

September 23, 2009 -- Mayor Adrian Fenty broke ground today, for a new branch library in Tenleytown, where residents have been without a full-service library since the Tenley-Friendship Library was closed on December 31, 2004, almost five years ago.

September 2, 2009 -- Members of the Ward Eight community had the ear of the Board of Zoning Adjustment for five hours yesterday concerning a controversial design for a replacement branch library at Washington Highlands.

July 20, 2009 -- At the Thursday July 16 meeting of the US Commission on Fine Arts, members continued to have reservations about the revised design by DC Public Library (DCPL) for the expansion of the Mount Pleasant Library on 16th Street, NW.

July 1, 2009 -- DC Public Library officials faced near unanimous opposition last night from Ward 8 community leaders and residents who objected to the design for a new library to replace the existing Washington Highlands branch.

June 15, 2009 -- Library advocates are asking the DC Council for an immediate infusion of $600,000 as part of emergency crime omnibus legislation, to allow DC Public library to restore full operating hours during the upcoming crime-heavy summer months.

March 13, 2009 -- Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward3) today withdrew her support for the long delayed public private partnership involving a library, school, and housing across from the Tenley metro stop, after learning that representatives from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and project developer LCOR would not be attending a public roundtable on the matter.

February 13, 2009 -- At a DC Council hearing on the District’s use of federal stimulus funds, Chairman Vincent Gray appeared puzzled to learn that the DC Public Library had not received $2 million promised by Mayor Adrian Fenty to avoid cuts in library hours in FY2009.

February 11, 2009 -- Beginning March 2, the DC Public Library will operate with reduced service hours to accommodate the city’s lower-than-expected revenue projections.

February 10, 2009 -- Deputy Mayor Revised Proposal Adds 2-year Delay

December 12, 2008 -- DC Public Library will host a public event for members of the community to meet with world famous architect David Adjaye.

December 1, 2008 -- More than four years in the making, the new Benning Library is scheduled to be rebuilt by 2010 along with three other neighborhood libraries, closed since 2004.

November 20, 2008 -- DCPL statement on the news that the Tenley library project will move forward. It mentions the Library Renaissance Project Press release.

November 19, 2008 -- President of the Board of Library Trustees John Hill revealed that his board has instructed Chief Librarian Ginnie Cooper to proceed with construction documents for a standalone library at Tenley.

September 3, 2008 -- The DC Library Renaissance Project delivered a letter to Chief Librarian Ginnie Cooper detailing the ways the DC Public Library has ignored general and specific requests from the community regarding plans for the new Watha T. Daniel neighborhood library in Shaw.

August 15, 2008 -- Shaw Library Study Group to hold a speakout and read-in about the new Shaw library designs and programming plans.

August 4, 2008 -- Mayor Fenty assured DC residents that they can continue to access all of DC Public Library’s resources seven days a week next year.

June 28, 2008 -- Review of the Benning Library Read-In and Rally held on June 28 at the old Benning Library.

May 29, 2008 -- “You treat us like audiences, not partners,” said Samuel Jordan, of Ward 7, and the Development Advisory Committee. Jordan cited the closed processes whereby Trustees rejected a development proposal, that many in the community favored exploring because it offered a larger library in a planned town center adjacent to the current library location.

May 27, 2008 -- Residents from neighborhoods across DC will appeal directly to the Board of Library Trustees tonight for answers to questions about design, cost, location, and community participation in planning new libraries for Anacostia, Benning, and Watha T Daniel /Shaw, closed since 2004.

September 17, 2007 -- Community activists deliver copies of petitions and letters calling for the rescission of the West End emergency resolution.

September 12, 2007 -- In a meeting with Robert Miller, Legislative Counsel in Chairman Vincent Gray's, office community advocates learned that rescission could be introduced if the emergency resolution had not yet been implemented.

July 13, 2007 -- Ralph Nader will join Empower DC and other community activists at a rally to protest the DC City Council’s enactment of “emergency” legislation on Tuesday authorizing the sale of the West End Library and other public property to developer Anthony Lanier of Eastbanc, Inc.

June 28, 2007 -- A group of residents of the Benning community have filed a request for a Temporary Restraining Order to prevent the demolition of their neighborhood library.

October 24, 2005 -- The District of Columbia Public Library Board of Library Trustees voted to accept the recommendation of the District’s Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP) that the city terminate the design/build contracts with Hess Construction Company.

December 31, 1969 -- Councilmembers Mary M. Cheh and Kwame Brown sent a letter to Mayor Adrian Fenty indicating their opposition to the LCOR public private partnership for the Tenley/Janney site and their desire for construction of the library to begin immediately.