Federation of Friends

Due to anticipated staff shortages some libraries will be closed on Sundays

The DC Public Library is anticipating a shortage of staff to adequately provide Sunday hours at all of our branch libraries during the traditional holiday period. To assure that our patrons have access to library services throughout the city during this period we are instituting Sunday library closings at some of our branches.
Sunday service will be maintained at:

1. Anacostia
2. Benning
3. Cleveland Park
4. Lamond Riggs
5. Martin Luther King Jr., Memorial Library
6. Mt. Pleasant
7. Southeast
8. Takoma Park
9. Tenley
10. Washington Highlands
11. Watha T. Daniel / Shaw
12. West End

from 1pm to 5 pm. In making this decision, the Library chose neighborhood branches that have good access to public transportation, the highest level of use, the most public access computers, regular use by school children and geography.

Community and Library sponsored programs already scheduled for Sundays will be held. The Neighborhood Library will open for those events. Residents looking for a particular program should check with the Branch Library.

Why is DCPL temporarily suspending Sunday service at some neighborhood libraries?

DC Public Library strives to operate the public library in a manner that is reliable and equitable. Our goal is to provide the best possible service to those who live in the District. We have assessed our staffing capacity over the holiday period. Like other agencies, DCPL has staff with holiday leave plans and “use or lose” leave. Unlike most agencies, DCPL is open to serve the public on Saturdays and Sundays. In addition, we are expecting a significant number of retirements by year’s end. Union staffs who work on Sunday must be volunteers.

There will not be enough staff to be open for Sunday library services at all branch libraries. Past practice at DCPL has been to post a note on the front door if there is not enough staff to open. We don’t want library users to find that their library is closed when they come expecting it to be open. For this reason, we choose to be proactive by identifying the libraries that would be closed on Sundays until the end of January. If we find we have enough staff, we will resume Sunday library service sooner.

Eleven neighborhood libraries and MLK will remain open on Sundays. We chose those to remain open based on the following criteria:

1. best access to Metro and / or frequent bus service
2. the most public access computers
3. used by the most school students
4. located throughout the District

Can volunteers help keep libraries open on Sundays through December and January?

We welcome and rely on volunteers throughout the library! Nonetheless, I do not think this will solve our temporary problem for two reasons:

1. We just do not have the time to train volunteers to work at neighborhood libraries While it may appear straightforward, the work is quite complex, whether knowing circulation policies and procedures or the variety of print and online resources in reference. The technology employed in our libraries requires expertise and knowledge of specialized library computer systems.
2. Our union agreement says that volunteers can be used to supplement but not to replace library staff.

Those who are interesting in volunteering at DCPL should contact Bill Turner at (202) 727-4968 to learn of the opportunities available.

DC Builds: Buildings for Books
Tuesday, October 9, 2007, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
National Building Museum , 401 F Street, NW

What does it take to design libraries that inspire? The DC Public Library this question in its current development of several branch libraries across the city. Ginnie Cooper, DC Public Library chief librarian, will lead a panel discussion with chief librarians from San Jose , California and Seattle , Washington ; two cities that recently completed a wide ranging effort to build branch libraries in their communities. The panel will include Ray Johnston of Johnston Architects in Seattle and Pamela Anderson-Brulé of Anderson Brulé Architects in San Jose who will share their design for libraries in their respective cities, as well as lessons learned.

$12 Museum members and students; $20 nonmembers. Prepaid registration required. Walk-in registration based on availability.
To register: https://s21.2coolweb.com/nbm/signup.asp

Food for Thought: Shop at Whole Foods Markets and benefit your library
3 Whole Foods Market stores will contribute 5% of an entire day’s sales to enhance the Children’s Rooms in 5 Interim Branches: Anacostia, Benning, Georgetown , Watha T. Daniel-Shaw, and Tenley-Friendship.

On October 4, 2007 proceeds from the P Street Store ( 1440 P Street, NW ) will be donated; on October 11, 2007 proceeds from the Georgetown Store ( 2323 Wisconsin Ave, NW ) will be donated; and on October 18 proceeds from the Tenley Store ( 4530 40th Street NW ) will be donated.

Proceeds will go to the DC Public Library Foundation,a 501( c)3 nonprofit organization working to provide goods and services not otherwise available to the DC Public Library System.

Books and Other Library Resources at DCPL- now and in the future
Books are critical to fulfilling the library’s mission. It is what people expect.

Now: Branch library collections are crowded and uneven in quality and content. Why?

• Money: DCPL has not had the funds for books needed by District of Columbia residents. Staff has understandably been hesitant to discard older books for fear that there would be no money for replacements.
• Interlibrary Delivery System: The ability to share books among libraries is a key value of a system. DCPL’s delivery system needs improvement.
• Access to information about what the library owns: The Library’s computerized catalog serves as the gateway to the collection. DCPL’s catalog is inaccurate and difficult to use.

In the future: DCPL will have a collection for the diverse needs of those who live in the District of Columbia through the purchase of a wide range of materials in formats that are popular and on subjects that draw interest:

• By appreciating the printed word and its continued popularity and recognizing that artistic and informational expression comes in many formats.
• Buying books because they are popular for an extended period of time (Popular Fiction, Feature Films) or will always be in demand (Classic Literature, Practice for Standardized Testing).
• Collections specific to local need. Examples: Local History, Ethnic Interest, Homework Help for branches with heavy school-age populations.

We provide books and other library materials in a timely manner. This will be accomplished by:

• Timely ordering and processing so that we buy at a good price and each book and media product is relevant when it lands on our shelves.
• Work with our new procurement authority to assure the timely award of bids and an even flow of material to branches throughout the year.
• Providing accurate information about what we offer through regular upgrades and maintenance of the technical infrastructure.

We will actively maintain the library’s collections by:

• Regularly removing material that is not being used to make room for material that will be used. This activity will vary from library to library, from subject to subject, and from book to book. Having one rule for all materials and all libraries would not work.
• Removing material that is torn, frayed, or moldy and replacing if necessary.
• Beginning a regular replacement schedule of books on a variety of topics to assure that each library will have a core collection of titles.

We will improve DCPL’s electronic collection:
DCPL has been slower than most other libraries to provide electronic resources. People look for information online in databases and on web pages both at the library and from home. Increasingly, people download books, music and video, etc. The library helps bridge the Digital Divide. The growth of the electronic collection will coincide with an increase in computers and computer access at the neighborhood libraries.

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Is the Library buying schlock?
There have been many complaints about the “series” books such as the “For Dummies” and “Complete Idiot’s” guides. While these series may not exude grandeur, they are popular among many of today’s readers. Libraries are very often at the whim of the publishing industry, and the industry has changed dramatically over the last twenty years…as have reading tastes. The series guides contain much of the same information as their more dignified predecessors. They are just presented, branded and marketed differently because publishers have found that this approach sells more books.

Does circulation-the number of books checked out- matter?
Circulation is not the only measurement for public libraries; but it is an important one. When a book is checked out, it means that people using the library are satisfied with what is being bought with their tax dollars. Many appreciate popular materials. Many use the libraries books and other library materials for research and education. One person’s “junk” is another person’s insight into the unknown and pathway to a better life.

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