Reportback: March 25, 2009 Public BoLT Meeting

Many Ward One library advocates came out to testify at the Board of Library Trustees (BoLT) meeting in Georgetown last night. With the help of CM Jim Graham, the community persuaded DCPL to reserve time at the beginning of tonight's Mt. Pleasant Library design meeting for Ward One to present the recently passed ANC resolution and the people's view of how to move forward.

John Hill, President of the Board of Library Trustees, did say there were changes to the Mount Pleasant Library plans that the community would see at tonight's DCPL-hosted community design meeting.  The word from DCPL staff is that they have moved their planned "Ice Cube" expansion to the back of the building ~ showing what can happen when a unified community voice compels as such.

This is just the beginning of a bigger victory as much broader outcomes are at play here.

VIDEO OF BoLT Meeting courtesy of the District Dynamos and People's Media Center

One key outcome that the Ward One Library Coalition seeks is a meaningful library design process -- one that takes into account our voices, so a mess like this won't happen again!

WHERE WE ARE:

1. DCPL developed a cookie-cutter "Building Program" (that drives the architect plans) without community consultation. DCPL is shoehorning all library projects across the city into this one mold including Mt. Pleasant.
   
   
2. DCPL has never justified the shift from a long-planned-for renovation of our historic library in Mt. Pleasant, to a renovation & expansion the library.
   
   
3. DCPL has not done a needs analysis, failing to take into account specific local situations -- such as the proving the need for a 100-person meeting room in the Mount Pleasant library when a large auditorium exists across the street at Bell Multicultural public school.
   
   
4. Despite Mount Pleasant being a historic district and the library building being one of the original Carnegie libraries, DCPL did not approach Historic Mount Pleasant to get feedback and general guidance until it was way too late in the process.
   
   

POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS:

We now have a chance to see DCPL live up to the philosophy of sharing information that is inherent in libraries... and adopt an inclusive and responsive community design process which can quickly ascertain the pro's and con's of their latest design plans.

The Ward One Library Coalition asks for your support TONIGHT to ask that DCPL work with us to develop a community design process that can be used over the next five weeks which will:

• Open community engagement and dialogue about the plans, including costs, timeline, and other community concerns.
• That this improved process not be unwieldy and provide a quick way to come to a resolution that appeals to as broad array of residents as possible.
• The process shall include working-group model meetings with community groups and individuals keen on this matter that allows for a meaningful back and forth between the public and DCPL.
  
  

Please be there tonight ... so we can stand together and ask and expect to embark on a new community design process that we shape so that our voices are heard and they do count!

Thursday, March 26, 2009, 6:30 - 8:00 pm (Mt Pleasant Library -- 3160 16th Street, NW)
Community meeting on the Mount Pleasant Library Renovation Plans. This will be the fourth Community Meeting and the end of the 30 day "pause" called for by Councilmember Graham. BE THERE WITH FRIENDS. Contact Chief Librarian Ginnie Cooper with your comments, ginnie.cooper@dc.gov and please send any response to the Ward One Library Coalition so we can archive communications between DCPL and the public.

The District Dynamos want to know know your thoughts and feelings are.
dclibrarydynamo@rushpost.com // 202-536-4065

Chief Librarian Cooper on the outreach process, March 16, 2009, DC Council on Libraries Hearing

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