District of Columbia Public Library
Encyclopedia
The District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL) is the public library
system for residents of Washington, D.C.
The system includes 25 individual libraries including Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
(the central library).
after a lobbying effort by Theodore W. Noyes
, editor of the Washington Evening Star
newspaper. Noyes served on the library's board of trustees for 50 years.
The first library was first located in a home at 1326 New York Avenue
NW. This was replaced by a main library, donated by Andrew Carnegie
, built at Mount Vernon Square
, which now houses the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. President Theodore Roosevelt
attended the dedication of this building in 1903. Several of the branch libraries still in use were also built with funds donated by Carnegie. In 1972, the main library was replaced by a Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
-designed building dedicated as a memorial to Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Chief Librarian is often invited to attend the Mayor's Cabinet meetings and works closely with the City Administrator on how to execute the DCPL budget. The District's Chief Financial Officer provides a fiscal officer from that office to ensure that financial practices within DCPL meet with District requirements. DCPL also has independent procurement authority, allowing them to execute contracts for books, electronic resources, furniture, equipment, and construction services.
In addition to the Board of Library Trustees, the Council of the District of Columbia provides oversight for DCPL via a Council Committee on Libraries, Parks, Recreation, and Planning. The DC Council routinely has Performance Oversight and Budget hearings for the D.C. libraries annually.
The collection in Teen Space is primarily composed of recreational reading material. Customers will find award winning fiction titles, popular non-fiction, graphic novels, magazines, audio books and music. The library also offers an online collection of downloadable audio books, movies, music and language learning software.
The Teen Space staff is readily available to assist with questions, book selection and library tours. Visit and enjoy a movie on our flat screen TV, use any of our 20, fully loaded iMac computers or have a study session in our meeting room. Teen Space is also equipped with a recording studio. The studio’s free to teens who have completed the mandatory orientation session.
Regularly scheduled programs are posted in Teen Space. Teens are invited to participate in video games, card games and board games. With permission from the library staff, teens are welcome to bring their own game consoles.
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Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
system for residents of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
The system includes 25 individual libraries including Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library is the central facility of the District of Columbia Public Library . Ludwig Mies van der Rohe designed the 400,000 square foot steel, brick, and glass structure, and it is a rare example of modern architecture in Washington, D.C.-Construction:This...
(the central library).
History
The library was founded in 1896 by an act of CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
after a lobbying effort by Theodore W. Noyes
Theodore W. Noyes
Theodore William Noyes was an American journalist. He was the Editor-in-chief of Washington, DC's Evening Star newspaper for thirty-eight years....
, editor of the Washington Evening Star
Washington Star
The Washington Star, previously known as the Washington Star-News and the Washington Evening Star, was a daily afternoon newspaper published in Washington, D.C. between 1852 and 1981. For most of that time, it was the city's newspaper of record, and the longtime home to columnist Mary McGrory and...
newspaper. Noyes served on the library's board of trustees for 50 years.
The first library was first located in a home at 1326 New York Avenue
New York Avenue (Washington, D.C.)
New York Avenue is one of the diagonal avenues radiating from the White House in Washington, D.C. It is a major east-west route in the city's Northwest and Northeast quadrants and connects downtown with points east and north of the city via Cheverly, Maryland, the John Hanson Highway and the...
NW. This was replaced by a main library, donated by Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
, built at Mount Vernon Square
Mount Vernon Square
Mount Vernon Square is a city square in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. It is located where the following streets would otherwise intersect: Massachusetts Avenue, New York Avenue, K Street, and 8th Street NW....
, which now houses the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
attended the dedication of this building in 1903. Several of the branch libraries still in use were also built with funds donated by Carnegie. In 1972, the main library was replaced by a Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was a German architect. He is commonly referred to and addressed as Mies, his surname....
-designed building dedicated as a memorial to Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
Governance
DCPL is an independent agency of the District of Columbia municipal government, managed by a Chief Librarian that is selected and reviewed by a Board of Library Trustees. The Board of Library Trustees are appointed by the Mayor of the District of Columbia, subject to review and approval by the Council of the District of Columbia. The budget is also determined by the Council of the District of Columbia based on a request submitted by the Mayor as part of the annual budget process for the entire municipal government. The United States Congress also has to approve of the District's budget as a part of their oversight of the District of Columbia as the nation's capitol.The Chief Librarian is often invited to attend the Mayor's Cabinet meetings and works closely with the City Administrator on how to execute the DCPL budget. The District's Chief Financial Officer provides a fiscal officer from that office to ensure that financial practices within DCPL meet with District requirements. DCPL also has independent procurement authority, allowing them to execute contracts for books, electronic resources, furniture, equipment, and construction services.
In addition to the Board of Library Trustees, the Council of the District of Columbia provides oversight for DCPL via a Council Committee on Libraries, Parks, Recreation, and Planning. The DC Council routinely has Performance Oversight and Budget hearings for the D.C. libraries annually.
Teen Space
Located on the second floor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, Teen Space is designed to meet the academic and recreational needs of young adults age 12-19. Staff is available to assist teens, teachers, care providers and parents.The collection in Teen Space is primarily composed of recreational reading material. Customers will find award winning fiction titles, popular non-fiction, graphic novels, magazines, audio books and music. The library also offers an online collection of downloadable audio books, movies, music and language learning software.
The Teen Space staff is readily available to assist with questions, book selection and library tours. Visit and enjoy a movie on our flat screen TV, use any of our 20, fully loaded iMac computers or have a study session in our meeting room. Teen Space is also equipped with a recording studio. The studio’s free to teens who have completed the mandatory orientation session.
Regularly scheduled programs are posted in Teen Space. Teens are invited to participate in video games, card games and board games. With permission from the library staff, teens are welcome to bring their own game consoles.
See also
Public Libraries in Washington, D.C.- Culture of Washington, D.C.
- Library of CongressLibrary of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
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