At Large Candidates	David Catania
Demographics
Do you have a DC Public Library Card, and if yes, for approximately how many years?	No
What branch do you consider serves as your neighborhood library?	West End Neighborhood Library
How has the DC Public Library contributed to your life as a resident of the community?	During my tenure as a District Councilmember, I have witnessed how libraries are valuable settings for community meetings, public forums, and civic gatherings.  However, I also believe that libraries are important places for academic study, leisure activities, and as places where our residents without computers can access the internet.
Scope
With 27 library branches, does the Library System have the right number of  facilities to effectively serve the community?   If no, approximately what number would you advocate and why?	The current number is roughly appropriate.  Given the scope of funding and the needs of the current sites, I would prefer to update existing branches before expanding the number of them.  This year the Council appropriated roughly $170 million to be spent over 6 years to begin addressing the capital needs in all 27 branches.  I believe this was a worthy action.
Do you feel there are communities that are currently underserved by the DC Public Library?  If yes, which ones?	Currently, our 27 library branches are spread evenly throughout the city.  However, I believe that the services available at each branch should reflect the needs of the particular community.  For instance, I would like a greater emphasis on job training and employment services located in libraries in those areas of the city with high unemployment.
What approaches would you support for reaching those currently underserved by the DC Public Library System?	I believe that one way we can introduce our residents to the valuable services available at our public libraries is to place a greater priority on staffing and equipping our school libraries.  This is similar to the way in which a meaningful school-health program can teach our students the importance of wellness and prevention.  I am concerned that many of our school libraries lack the appropriate materials and staff to serve the needs our students.  I am in favor of opening up school libraries to members of the public and fostering greater collaboration between our school librarians and those in our public libraries.
Does the District need a major central facility such as it now has with the Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Library?  If yes, why?	Yes.  A properly operated central library can provide a greater number of services and materials than would be available in other branches.  It can also serve as a repository for important District documents and special collections.  I am in favor of maintaining a central facility.
Funding
Would you support a dedicated commitment of a certain percentage of the DC Budget for literacy, libraries, and cultural programming?  If yes, approximately what percentage and why?	While I support all three initiatives, I believe that statutory percentage allocations are not the answer.  I am a strong advocate of improved literacy and believe that it should be well-funded.  I do not, however, agree with tying the hand of city leaders during the budget process.  Funding our city’s needs is, and will always be a dynamic process.  In order to properly perform their duties in this system, policymakers need a certain degree of flexibility.
The DC Public Libraries are facing approximately $480 million in deferred maintenance on facilities.  What portion of these costs should be direct appropriation from the District budget?	The District government is facing a looming shortage of capital funds.  These include funds for our libraries, health and mental health clinics, roads, sewers, schools, sidewalks, and municipal buildings to name a few.  Currently, we maintain one of the highest per capita debt burdens in the country.  We are on the verge of threatening our bond rating and thereby increasing our costs to borrow in the future.  This will make funding these initiatives even more difficult in the out years. These are the reasons that I did not support the expenditure of $611 million for a baseball stadium in Southeast.  I’ve stated many times that I believe we should meet our current needs, such as our crumbling public libraries, first.
The quoted estimate of $480 million does not include the costs to furnish and equip library facilities.  What approaches would you support for the additional funds necessary to appropriately equip library facilities?	The District government has the responsibility to build and equip our public libraries.  However, as explained in the previous question, meeting this responsibility will grow more difficult in the coming years.  This is why I support joint development projects that allow us to use valuable land to leverage resources for our libraries.
Would you support a bond initiative for the express purpose of rebuilding the DC Public Library System’s facilities?	Certainly, I believe that a capital expenditure of this sort is a worthy undertaking.  I am pleased that the Council recently approved approximately $170 million over 6 years to be used for our libraries.  However, my support for a bond initiative to rebuild and repair our public libraries would be contingent upon the city’s financial health at the time of issuance.  As explained in a previous question, the city maintains one of the highest per capita debt burdens in the country and is rapidly approaching its debt ceiling.  Thus, I think a better option is to explore joint development projects and leverage private sector resources to update our libraries.
Under what circumstances would you support the redevelopment of library properties by private developers?  How would you address the concerns of many residents who feel that their current stand-alone branches would be lost or overwhelmed by such redevelopment?	While I support joint development because it offers the best avenue for the improvement of our libraries, I absolutely support mandating that all projects require community input.  This means providing an opportunity for residents to express their preferences and concerns about issues such as quality, design, and access.  Organizations such as the Federation of Friends of the DC Public Library should play a vital role in the plans and construction of any joint development project.
Roles and Partnerships
How should the DC Public Libraries coordinate their support for the community with other District Agencies?	I believe that there should be greater collaboration between our libraries, DC Public Schools (DCPS), and the Department of Employment Services (DOES).  As explained in a previous question, greater interaction between libraries and schools (and school libraries) can advance our efforts to promote literacy, as well as introduce the value of our library system to our students at an early stage.  Moreover, our libraries should be used as information hubs for the provision of employment and job-training services.  Because of their fairly even distribution around the city, our 27 branches can and should serve as accessible settings for personal and professional improvement.
Many DC Public Schools have either eliminated their libraries or the professional staff responsible for library services.  How should  the DC Public Libraries coordinate their support for the community with the DC Public Schools?	As stated, there should be greater institutional interaction, cooperation, and collaboration between the DCPS libraries and our public libraries.  This can include the sharing of resources, staff, and materials.  Additionally, there should be a role for the library system in determining how the $1 billion school modernization money should be used.  I support using a portion of these funds to improve our libraries and our art and music programs.  I am very concerned by the manner in which DCPS formulates its budget.  I recently asked for further detail on how funds are spent.  I believe that identifying waste and fraud in the DCPS budget will permit us to reinvest those dollars in areas such as hiring professional library staff and expanding our school library materials and services.  Finally, I support extended hours and community access for our public school libraries.
It is estimated that nearly 37% of adult residents of the District of Columbia are functionally illiterate.  What approach would you support for reaching this population to address their ability to read, write, and contribute better to our community?	Our literacy crisis calls for opening up our schools in the evenings and the development and provision of coordinated night literacy programs.  It is time to get serious about addressing this issue.
What role do you see for the DC Public Library in preparing the District residents for emergency situations, such as a terrorist attack?	The primary responsibility for preparing and responding to emergency situations lies with the Emergency Management Agency (EMA).   Like all other public buildings, our libraries should be provided with proper information and materials and included in a city-wide strategy for emergency situations.  However, I do not support expanding the role of agencies, including libraries, too far beyond their core competency.
What role do you see for the DC Public Library in preparing residents for jobs in an information society?	There are of number of library models that attempt to use their resources to promote job readiness.  I believe this should be one of our top priorities across all city agencies.  Even within our health department, we are working to establish cooperative programs with DCPS to focus on the skills required to work in the healthcare industry.  I believe our libraries should be places where our residents can come to take classes and improve their job skills.
What role do you see for the DC Public Library in working with the homeless population in the District of Columbia?	The primary responsibility for assisting our homeless population lies with the Department of Human Services.  Again, I am weary of expanding the mission of agencies beyond their reasonable expertise.  However, our libraries can certainly serve as sources of information on how and where to obtain services or how to volunteer to offer services to our homeless population.