The Public Library

Threatened elsewhere but thriving in DC

This week I was pleased to see that the DC Public Library (DCPL) was one of 10 recipients of the National Medal for Museum and Library Services, the highest honor that can be bestowed on such institutions for service to their communities. At a time when public libraries elsewhere are being threatened by budget cuts and right wing activists stoking the culture wars, I feel lucky that amidst all the things that the District government can get wrong, libraries are definitely high on the list of the things it does right.

When I was a kid, my mother took us on weekly visits to the Atlanta Public Library’s Highland Branch where Miss Salome Betts was a welcoming fixture as the children’s librarian. My brother and sister and I would each check out a towering stack of books, my favorites being the Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books and biographies from The Childhood of Famous Americans series with their reddish-brown covers. Don’t @me. I know from trying to share these titles with my own kids that they don’t hold up to 21st century standards. My point is that this experience cemented a lifelong love of books and a certain reverence for libraries and librarians.

Recently, a friend arranged a tour of DCPL’s downtown flagship, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library, and it was a real eye opener. Opened in 1972, based on designs by internationally acclaimed architect Mies van der Rohe (the only one of his works in DC), it closed in 2017 for a major renovation. Reopened in the fall of 2020, it now features an airier feel inside, new artwork, and an expansive program that redefines what you probably associate with a library. Yes, there are plenty of books, areas for quiet study, a colorful children’s room with a comfy space for story time, but that’s only the beginning.

You can also come to the MLK Library to peruse the People’s Archive (with collections focused on local history, Black studies, Go-Go, punk, and oral history); take computer classes; fabricate something amazing using 3-D printers, sewing machines, and woodworking or metalworking tools; apply for or renew your passport; get help with taxes and tech support; or buy a cup of coffee (just $1!) and a snack at Marianne’s Cafe, a workforce development program run by DC Central Kitchen and Jose Andres' Think Food Group. You can rent beautiful spaces for private meetings or receptions, or attend a concert or lecture for free. And recognizing that many of its visitors are experiencing homelessness, the library also offers peer support specialists to help connect folks to services and to simply feel seen. The day I was there, the peer support team was also handing out bags of food.

One more thing: as our tour guide took us from floor to floor, we noticed a quiet buzz of activity and most notably, no one was being shushed. And that seemed just right — a library being a vibrant place to experience the joy of learning, whatever form that takes.

Locals take note: The MLK Library is located at 901 G Street NW and is open most days at 9:30 except for Sunday when hours are from 1 to 5 pm. It stays open late (until 9:00 pm) Monday through Thursday, so if you are downtown for work, you can easily drop in. Or check out one of the many recently renovated branch libraries around town. You may be surprised by what you find!