Mayoral Candidates	Adrian Fenty	Marie Johns	Chris Otten	Artee Milligan	Linda Cropp	Michael Brown
Demographics
Do you have a DC Public Library Card, and if yes, for approximately how many years?	Yes, I do have a DC Public Library card and have held one for almost 30 years.	I have not used my library card in many years; however during my tenure at Verizon when I led the effort to get all schools and libraries access  to the Internet,  I was in and out of libraries on a regular basis, As a result, I have been to many branches of the DC Public Library system.	Yes I carry a DC Public Library Card and have carried a card for at least five years.	Twelve years.	Yes, for nearly 40 years.	No, but both of my children have library cards, and I attend with them regularly.
What branch do you consider serves as your neighborhood library?	As a child, I frequented the Mount Pleasant Library.  However, the Petworth Branch Library currently serves as my neighborhood library.	The closest branch to me would be the Tenley Branch, but, as you know it has been closed for several years now. I regret that when the city could have had a library we have nothing but a closed building. The next closest branch to my house is the Palisades Library right off of MacArthur Blvd.	The Mount Pleasant branch is closest to where I live, however, I tend to find myself rollerblading down to Martin Luther King often.	Juanita Thornton/Shepherd Park	Petworth Branch Library is my neighborhood library.	The Chevy Chase Neighborhood Library on Connecticut Avenue.
How has the DC Public Library contributed to your life as a resident of the community?	The DC Public Library has contributed to my life in a special way, by fostering a love and appreciation of literature.  My mother was a DCPS teacher, so I was taught the importance of reading as a child and was frequently taken to the library to do school reports and summer reading.  As a teenager, I enjoyed going to the library on my own to study for major exams and read recent releases.  I majored in English and Economics at Oberlin College and reading has and continues to be one of my favorite pastimes.	As I mentioned, when I was the President of Verizon, DC, I spearheaded the effort to get schools and libraries access to the Internet.  Also, I love to go to the library and I encouraged my son to always be around books. I cannot wait to start bringing my 13 month old grandson to the library near his house in Ward 5. As soon as he stops putting the books in his mouth, we’ll start our regular visits there.	Every time I walk into our libraries, despite some of their conditions, I feel empowered by what I see.  I can't quite describe the feeling I get when I see folks soaking in knowledge but I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this.  I leave our libraries always humbled by the unselfish attention that librarians give to residents seeking awareness.  I also leave energized with new information that helps me continue onwards regarding my various projects.  I see our libraries as community centers and look forward to each planned visit.	Libraries are part of the fabric of my life. In my professional life as a literacy exponent, my colleagues, students, and I are in and out of libraries constantly. I know at firsthand of their essential and critical usefulness in the community as both a resource for reading material as well as a location for reading instruction. On the personal side, I am an unquenchable reader, and I regard libraries as part of my own lifeblood – they provide access to the “nutrient” information and thought that informs my existence.	The library has been a resource for me as a teacher.  It has been a venue for me to engage with community and civic organizations.	The Chevy Chase Neighborhood Library allows my children and many others in our neighborhood to complete homework assignments, and exposes them to the importance of a first class library system in their city.  Even more, it promotes the value of knowledge, learning, and education.
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?	I do not have any one number that is appropriate. It will be important to look at each library and see what the catchment area of the library is. What is the accessibility to those in a neighborhood to a library? Is it easily reachable by metro or bus? What services will it provide to the community? All these questions must be answered for each of our neighborhoods.	I don’t believe that having a “standard” number of libraries is an effective way to serve the community.  Instead, the needs of the District and its residents should dictate the number, type, and location of library branches.  I will work to ensure our District libraries are maintained (aesthetically and mechanically) and effectively and efficiently serve their patrons through collections, technology, services, and meeting space.	I'm not sure if we'll ever come up with the 'right' number of libraries... but I would suggest that we match the number of libraries to the number of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions.  There are 37 ANC's in the District with each ANC representing approximately 12,000 people.  At some point the government felt this was a logical division of elected decision-making and hence could be submitted as a good number for our branch libraries.  So that means we should have at least 10 more branch libraries to better fulfill the needs of our residents.	I believe the communities should be consulted directly to determine the need in each neighborhood. As mayor, I will provide communities with the resources to assess and determine the need in each community.	There should be libraries in sufficient locations and with necessary resources to meet the needs of District residents.  I do not know that an absolute number of facilities is what makes the difference.  My concern is the accessibility and functionality of our libraries, and the collections and programming available in them.	Yes, we do have enough library branches, but that doesn’t address the question of effectiveness, functionality, and accessibility.  Four libraries in our city come to mind: Anacostia, Tenley-Friendship, Nannie Helen, and Langston.  All four are either closed, boarded up, or too small to provide the services they were intended for.  I am proud of the library initiative I released in February calling for the establishment of Sunday hours, which was later adopted and introduced to the Council by Kathy Patterson.  As is evident, I am already providing leadership within my campaign for Mayor when it comes to our library system, education, literacy, and simply expanding our knowledge base.
Do you feel there are communities that are currently underserved by the DC Public Library?  If yes, which ones?	Yes, there are areas of the City that are underserved.  The fact that the lowest percentages of residents who borrow library materials are located East of the Anacostia River Areas should give us concern.  While some Wards may boast of having four public libraries, other wards have fewer. As for “communities” specifically, I thank that we should provide better services to second language learners, our elderly, the blind and disabled.	Yes.  Wards 7 and 8 are most notably underserved. However, there are pockets of inadequate service throughout the District’s other six wards.	Yes. Of the eight public libraries east of the Anacostia River, two of them have been closed since December 2004.  The closing of the Anancostia branch and the Benning branch mean that 25% of the libraries have been closed in the poorest areas of the city where they are needed most!  The other two libraries Shaw and Tenley plus the two I mentioned in Ward 8 are still closed and although Mayor Williams promised interim library spaces, none have been established and without due reason -- just lack of political will and care for these residents. Plus the over burdened Mount Pleasant branch is the only library serving Ward 1 which is one of the most dense wards in the city.	DCPL is in such poor operating condition, I consider every library in the system to be starved of resources and maintenance. Therefore, all communities are underserved.	To some extent, most of our communities are underserved in some capacity by the DC Public Libraries.  However, the communities served by the Anacostia, Benning, Watha T. Daniel/Shaw ,and Tenley-Friendship libraries are most impacted as their libraries have been closed pending construction and they continue to await storefront library services.  I would also consider the area surrounding Deanwood library, which is only a kiosk and lacks computer services, and the R.L. Christian and Francis Gregory library communities, which also need new facilities, as underserved.  Fortunately, these short-comings have spurred a level of community involvement that is leading to reforms.	I have said repeatedly that as a city, we must keep the playing fields level in regard to education, healthcare, affordable housing, public safety, and a host of other services and resources within the District. Unfortunately, the DC Public Library system is one of the playing fields that IS level – libraries from Tenley Town to Anacostia are all in disrepair.  We must reinstitute some of our core values into libraries and schools from Wards 1-8.  When I am Mayor, we will.  You will be able to hold me accountable using the following system: after a reasonable amount of time, you will be able to enter any public library, school, or healthcare facility blindfolded. Once inside, I will remove your blindfold, and you won’t be able to tell what community you’re in based on the state of the interior of the building.
What approaches would you support for reaching those currently underserved by the DC Public Library System?	I think we need to look at the whole range of possible approaches. Virtual libraries are good but only in areas where people have access to computers. Bookmobiles and other ways to bring library services to the people must be considered. Aggressive advertising campaigns could be launched via mass media, agencies, and 501(c)(3) service providers to reach out to communities that are underserved.  In addition, special transportation should be provided for seniors, the disabled, and children who would like to access libraries during certain hours and for special events.  This would be possible by working with DC Access, senior buildings and DCPS.	Individuals need to know that the library is there to meet their needs.  Listening to the branch librarians and their staff, soliciting input from the community and the Federation along with reviewing the comments from the taskforce’s listening sessions would begin to set the framework for developing innovative outreach strategies for the services the public values, wants and needs.  One of the first steps to reach the underserved is to introduce the library to them.  Many equate the library to academic pursuits only.  Today’s library fills a niche far greater than that—it is a business research center, meeting space, self-help resource, etc.—and the District’s underserved library patrons need to know that the library is what they want and need it to be.  Perhaps having a full service mobile library with virtual tours of the central and branch libraries could be developed.  The “library on wheels” would be at various community events.  Another approach would be pairing a smaller mobile library with Meals on Wheels, the youth summer meal programs, and other meal delivery programs—taking the library and its services to where the community is.	I will find the resources needed to finalize the contracts to renovate the four closed libraries immediately.  They must be opened as soon as possible.  In the long-term, I would investigate the use of public schools that are closing down to be used as new library centers.  It seems as if city leadership is fine with letting go of these so-called 'surplus' properties at fire sale prices to rich developers when they could go to helping us meet our library objectives and reaching underserved communities.	I support a plan for establishing library committees at each branch, assisted by the Friends Groups and by the ANC’s as well as other interested parties. Agencies that provide needed services in the community should be invited to participate. The findings and needs defined by these committees should feed into the LEAD Task Force process. The library-based committees will also help renew community hope for the possibilities for their libraries and create new enthusiasm around library transformation initiatives.	First, I would assist the DC Public Library System in expediting the construction of the new Anacostia, Benning, Watha T. Daniel/Shaw, and Tenley-Friendship libraries.  Second, I would encourage the DC Public Libraries to work with the planning offices of the District to determine where additional services may be needed and the type of services.  I would expect collaboration among and between government agencies to ensure that facilities and programs are located in compatibility with the city-wide comprehensive plan.	When I grew up in Shepherd Park, the book mobile used to ride through our neighborhoods. The book mobile reinforced the value of education and knowledge, just like our libraries do. When I am Mayor, I will bring back the book mobile as one method of reaching those currently out of reach or underserved by the DC Public Library System.  We will bring the libraries to you.
Does the District need a major central facility such as it now has with the Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Library?  If yes, why?	I believe that a great city needs a great central library. We need only to look at San Francisco, New York, Seattle and Los Angelos to see how great new libraries can be and the positive response they get from residents and visitors alike.  They must be centers of culture, community life and research capability. They can be places to hold art and the archives of a city. They need to be used as education tools by our schools and universities. But to build a great library we will not only need to build a building but to ensure that our collections are first class and that we develop an endowment to keep those collections current. Most of all, our central library needs to be the center of our city’s library system.  My administration would also advocate for a second major facility east of the river that would function as a learning institute.  MLK Library would function more as an academic resource center while the institute would function more as a learning academy with group-learning oriented rooms that could hold literacy, homework, college-prep, parenting, and computer training programs.	Yes. The Library System needs a “main library” and a centralized organizational structure to handle general operations and allow the branch libraries to do their jobs—implementing services and programs beneficial to their patrons.  The main library serves as a more comprehensive collection and service source and has a sampling of what is available in the branch libraries.  A central library system also works as an economy of scale cutting down on operational costs and allowing an efficient use of monies for collections, outreach, and technology.  Maintenance, advertisement, collection acquisition and  technology procurement are examples of items that would be handled in a centralized structure with input from the branch librarians.	Absolutely. Having a central DCPL library and office that helps to support and facilitate good management at the branch level is critical. It is no wonder that our branches are in such disarray when one examines the years of neglect at our central library. MLK Library will stand once again as a beacon of hope for all librarians in our DCPL system.  It will be a place where librarians can come for regular trainings to further their librarian skills, a place for library management to discuss good practices that can be shared among the branches, and a place that serves as a model for our entire DCPL system.	A Central Library affords pride of place to every city that supports one. A comprehensive central facility is necessary to house citywide administrative functions, but is also an opportunity to showcase the depth and breadth of the treasures of civilization that are made available to all our citizens -- Americans being one of the only peoples on earth who have a publicly funded, free library system, open to all. A large and elegant physical building gives gravitas to the library mission and offers a space for important public ceremonies, lectures, and other activities that connect our lives, including fundraisers and other activities in financial support of the library.	Yes, I believe the District needs a central library that serves as the centerpiece for the system and sets the tone for the library system’s mission and vision.  The central library should state that we value literacy, education, life-long learning, and information exchange.  I view the central facility as one that houses special collections such as the Washingtonian Division and Washington Star collection.  Among the other features it could incorporate are: (1) conferencing and training facilities for use by government agencies and non-profit organizations; (2) an auditorium or reception hall with catering facilities that could be rented to generate revenue to support the library system; (3) exhibition space; (4) a children’s theater; and (5) multipurpose rooms of varying sizes for use by community organizations.	Absolutely, yes.  The New York Mid-Manhattan Public Library has become a central landmark and meeting place for New York residents and tourists visiting the city.  The same goes for Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Detroit.  As a major metropolitan city and the nation’s capital, it is our responsibility to do the same here in the District.
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?	I have stated in my education policy paper that I will fund expanded literacy programs and make sure that these programs are accessible to everyone who needs them including second language learners. I also will be proposing an extensive cultural and arts focus for the District of Columbia. This will involve seeing the Arts as both stimuli for our minds and a stimulus for our economy. I am proposing that we upgrade the music and art programs for all our school children and that no child will be able to graduate without having seen a professional theater production, a musical production and going to a museum. I will work to develop new business/government/community partnerships that will include opening our schools to neighborhood cultural and arts and cultural events and to the District. I will work to fund libraries and work to rebuild our community libraries and to once again make them a valued part of our neighborhood life.	Yes.  However, I will not give a dedicated percentage of funding (line item) without having a full evaluation of the current funding and programs for these priorities.  Literacy efforts need to be in employment programs as well as traditional education programs.  Library funding includes not only programming and collections but also building maintenance and outreach.  Lastly, cultural programming covers a wide range of subjects and the activities should be leveraged with the wealth of museums, schools, theaters, and galleries that are in the District and the region.  One of the primary challenges the District government has is lack of a strategic plan.  Bringing high-end retail and housing are important.  However, the singular focus on high-end residents and services misses the opportunity to create and serve a well-rounded District resident. I will strive to make the District reach its potential and be that “shining city on a hill.”	Please allow me to demonstrate the priorities of our so-called city leadership.  In FY 2007, the city plans to spend almost the same amount of money for our libraries as it plans to spend for repayment of loans and their interest.  Can you imagine repaying interest on loans to build such things as a massive convention center that is more used by private corporations and their sales fairs than by the general public?  As mayor, I will find the means and ways to increase the library budget line item, from 1% of the overall budget (400 million) to at least 1.5% (600 million)... this is the least we can do for our District residents trying to find the skills to move ahead in their academic and professional careers.	For the moment, yes, as a means to ensure the library transformation and restoration is accomplished. I prefer to have a designated amount linked to the public budget rather than to commercial enterprises and public-private partnership because the fate of the library should not rest on the vagaries of financial enterprises at the mercy of the marketplace or be subject to potential on corporate failures or misdeeds over which it exercises no authority and in relation to which a library has no standing.	Given the unknowns about our economy and future fiscal pressures, I cannot commit to a specific funding level.  However, I support funding at a level adequate to provide library, literacy, and cultural programming to our residents.	Yes, and I will challenge the business community to engage and fund some of these projects.  What they are unable to fund, the city with either cover or find other creative financing methods.  Until then, I am unable to give the approximate percentage of the DC Budget will be committed.
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?	We will conduct a complete review of the capital budget and set priorities for needed capital expenditures. Improved and expanded library services will be a major priority and an important part of my plan to build excellent education.	The library can be a major conduit for services in the District.  Because libraries affect all aspects of District residents lives’, maintenance and services of the library should come from the District budget.  However, the unique nature of the District necessitates leveraging funding sources for the library system.  The outside funding sources need to be stable and sustained.  I would rely less on outside sources for core aspects of the library.  Regular maintenance such as HVAC repair, grounds upkeep and plumbing/bathroom maintenance should have a line item in the District budget.  The library system’s restructuring will affect the line item amount for maintenance.  New DCPL Executive Director Ginnie Cooper along with the Library Board have started discussions to temporarily or permanently close branches.  Consequently, the estimated $480 million may be reduced.  The redesign plans may negate the concerns about deferred maintenance if a comprehensive library plan is in place.	It is clear we should find as much money from the Federal government as possible to offset these costs.  However, seeing that our Federal government is mired in conducting an unjust and illegal war that is draining funds to social services nationwide, I feel the city has an obligation to get in the streets and protest or to pick up the difference.  An infusion of maintenance funds will energize our library system so to repair long years of neglect and bring back vitality to one of the most important social services this city can provide, knowledge.	They are entirely the responsibility of the DC government and should never have been allowed to occur. I am open to having communities decide if they want the kinds of development and public-private partnerships in their neighborhoods that might offset these costs.	The vast majority of these costs will be borne by District taxpayers through a direct appropriation from the District budget.  In addition, I do support selling or leasing air-rights to developers to fund improvements to library facilities where appropriate.	All should be direct appropriate from the District budget, but please see my answer to Question #8 for additional details.
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?	As Mayor, I will appoint a Deputy Mayor for Education who will serve as the principal policy advisor on education and manager of the City’s agencies that impact school readiness, which clearly includes the library system.   Starting with the recommendations of the Mayor’s Task Force on the Future of the of the District of Columbia Public Library System and working with District of Columbia Public Library Foundation and the Federation of Friends of the DC Public Library as well as the Library Board who have day to day responsibility for our current system, the Deputy Mayor will both develop a budget for local funds and a strategy to build an endowment for the library.  This strategy will be based on practices of other successful library systems to raise funds.  For short-term fundraising, the Fenty administration will lobby the federal government for continued support in improving our library system, which will take a new role in tackling illiteracy and bridging the digital divide.  We will also develop corporate sponsorships and donor recognition and planned giving/bequest programs.	I support public-private partnerships.  As president of Verizon DC I effectively developed, secured, and managed relationships between Verizon and community-based organizations throughout the city.  I would strongly pursue the sponsorship of collections and technology procurement by corporations and companies doing business in the city. I would also support an appropriations request through the Congress.	I would presume the largest equipment cost would be expenses associated with Information Technology.  These are your computers, software, networks, etc.  To offset these costs greatly, we can rely on free open source software such as Linux.  Linux, as a competitor of Microsoft, has the unique capability of reviving computers that date back a decade.  Linux can be loaded onto old computers to make them useful systems even by today's standards.  Corporations keeping up with the Gates' in the DC Metro region are constantly upgrading their hardware and dumping thousands of computers, modems, network cables, etc. into landfills each year.  We can combine environmental and economic stewardship by removing these computers and parts from the waste stream and putting them into our libraries in a very functional way.  I've done this before as the director of a non-profit in Virginia and in Florida.	I am open to all approaches – direct government funding must, however, fill in the gap – but I defer to communities to decide the nature of any alternative funding strategies for their own neighborhoods.	I support expanding opportunities for the DC Library Foundation and the Friends organizations to accept grants, gifts, and other financial support on behalf of the DC Public Library System.	Please see my answer to Question #8 to understand any creative financing methods I will institute.
Would you support a bond initiative for the express purpose of rebuilding the DC Public Library System’s facilities?	I would consider a bond issue for the rebuilding of our public libraries. But we must stop looking at these bond issues as independent of each other and recognize that we currently have a huge per capita debt and that we must maintain our high bond ratings. I will be working with the CFO and other experts in municipal finance who will help us to determine which issues we will use bond issues for based on the vision for our City that I have set out to the voters. As I said before, libraries fall within my number one priority, which is education.  I intend to rebuild our libraries.	Rebuilding and maintaining the District’s library system must have a comprehensive and long-term plan that includes sustained funding sources.  I would support a thorough evaluation of a bond initiative.  The city’s residents have expectations for the city and services.  At the same time, residents must invest in their city and its services.  A bond is a finite funding source, and ways to ensure a permanent and sustained funding stream for the library system must be in place as well.	I am hesitant about issuing bonds mainly because the City bond rating has plummeted due to the baseball stadium fiasco and hence interest rates would be quite high.  Wall Street is a bit jittery right now regarding our debt being placed oh so precariously on whether a private baseball team succeeds in our public stadium.  It still amazes me how the city leadership, Williams, Evans, Cropp, and Orange, could move forward on this terrible deal despite the outcries of the public.  69% of District residents were against this deal as surveyed by the Washington Post. These leaders do not listen.	In theory, yes I would.	Yes.	Yes – rebuilding the DC Public Library System’s facilities should be covered by municipal revenue bonds.  However, our current city leadership has increased our debt within that form of financing to support the building of the baseball stadium and other similar projects, meaning that we may not be able to borrow any more money for projects like rebuilding our Public Library System.
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?	I am opposed to handing over any city property, including excess school buildings or libraries to developers without a very careful vetting process by the community as to what the outcome will be for current and future generations of Washingtonians. We cannot give up our assets for immediate perceived gain only to realize later that we have given away the heritage of future generations.   With each building we will look at the pros and cons of working with developers and when we do decide to do so it will be with a completely open and transparent community/business/government partnership.	Not all areas of the city are suitable for co-habitation of private development and public library facilities.  In instances where private development with public library facilities occurs, the District should not give away its right to have input on the construction and entities sharing the space.  The District’s library system is in disrepair not only structurally but also in the maintenance of a strong, supportive, and symbiotic relationship with its patrons.  Achieving the appropriate relationship with patrons should not be sacrificed for the gain of monies for the library system and amenities for a neighborhood.	I don't believe I can address concerns of residents in regards to mix-used development. Empirically is has been shown that private interests win out at the expense of DC public tax dollars.  I am extremely hesitant about this type of development for our libraries but would listen to potential project ideas.	As above, only individual communities should make these decisions for their own neighborhoods.	I support the redevelopment of library properties by private developers where there is community support for the development to be undertaken and where the resulting library is improved and accessible to all residents.  In fact, l led the Council to pass a law that supports the development of mixed-use projects that incorporate library facilities and the selling or leasing of air-rights above library buildings as ways to generate revenue to modernize and enhance the DC Public Library System ( DC Law 16-78, the “Library Enhancement, Assessment, and Development Amendment Act of 2006).    Existing planning, review, and approval processes allow for community input and I would vigorously solicit community input.  The community’s position must be given significant weight and concerns addressed through negotiation with the developers.	I’m interested in learning more about joining retail or other types of revenue-generating concepts to certain libraries.  If those concepts were to be explored, then there is an opportunity for public-private partnerships to exist in redeveloping some of our public libraries.
Roles and Partnerships
How should the DC Public Libraries coordinate their support for the community with other District Agencies?	The Deputy Mayor for Education will serve as the principal policy advisor on education and manager of the City’s agencies that impact school readiness: the State Education Office, the Early Care and Education Administration, the School Health program (in the Department of Health), Mental Health Programs for Schools (in Department of Mental Health), the DC Public Library, and the Department of Parks & Recreation. With this management portfolio comes my personal charge to all City strategies to participate, at the direction of the Deputy Mayor, in strategies aimed at the provision of excellent public education including early childhood care, before and after care, youth rehabilitation, workforce training and family and adult literacy.  Within this environment, all agencies will be required to coordinate and collaborate to achieve excellent education services.	The District’s libraries can be a neighborhood hub.  The dual roles of the District—state and city—must be used to our advantage to prevent duplication and enhance services.  The heads of social service agencies must be included in the redevelopment of the library to evaluate the constituencies they serve and ensure there is a place to serve those constituencies in the main library and the branch libraries.	Libraries will once again be hubs of community development.  By this, they will be working with agencies such as our Public Schools, Human Services, Transportation, and Economic Development to offer more robust services for our residents. Public Schools whose funding for libraries were cut can look to community libraries to help with interim services and after school programs can be integrated with library programs. New DC families can and should look to libraries as a way to get more information about citywide services for babies and parents. Homeless folks and seniors should be able to come to a library to get a list of citywide services for their needs too.  The Department of Transportation should work with community libraries to maximize access by public transit to library services.  And the Office of Economic Development can use community libraries as space to offer continuing education classes for adults, to hold budget and financial planning seminars, and offer information about participating in citywide programs helping small businesses.	See 14 below.	Through the same law, I created the Library Enhancement Task Force which includes the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, and the Deputy Mayor for Children, Youth, Families and Elders.  One of its tasks is to identify ways to integrate the facility and programming needs of the DC Public Libraries into the District’s planning and economic development opportunities.	The DC Public Library System must be included in meetings, events, and plans put forth by other components of the city government to ensure that the library system is incorporated and weaved into all aspects of the city’s growth
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?	These types of questions will be on the table with the agencies under the management control of the Deputy Mayor for Education. This focus will allow for the integration of services of all these agencies. There must be stronger ties between DCPS and DCPL branches and a focus on the unique needs of children.	The District library system should supplement the public school system’s library, not supplant it.  The District school system isn’t alone with the reduction of key school services like librarians, music/art, and physical education. The dual roles of the District—state and city—can be used to our advantage.  More coordination between agencies must be a priority to prevent duplication of services and to enhance the services we have and want. The Capitol Hill School Libraries Project is an interesting undertaking by the community.  Perhaps their work could be replicated in schools around the city.	Until school libraries, which have been cut, redeploy their own in-school systems, DCPS should work with community libraries to provide interim service.  This could mean co-locating services or providing after school services… but at the very least, communication lines should be opened up between DCPS and DCPL to discuss a band aid to cover the school budget cuts.  As Mayor, I will help our elected School Board and Superintendent to turn around the dire state of our in-school library services.	Again, much more community planning is needed to address this issue, which is different in each neighborhood depending upon myriad factors like ratio of schools to libraries and their location to each other and the amount of traffic encountered in moving from one to the other. I do not oppose options such as co-location of schools and libraries but, again, communities must decide.	The Superintendent of Schools is on the Library Enhancement Task Force to ensure that the needs of the libraries are coordinated with the schools.   As Mayor, I would include both the Director of the DC Public Library System and the Superintendent of Schools in my cabinet meetings to push for greater governmental support for both the schools and the libraries.	There first must be a full-time library in every public school in the city.  I’m also promoting linking our libraries and recreation centers to our school system. Each day for our young people should be continuous, even after 3pm when the school day ends. Our libraries and recreation centers can coordinate with schools to ensure this happens.
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?	Clearly there is no one approach that will work for everyone and this is one of the greatest problems facing our City today. I will charge our schools, the faith community, the nonprofit community, UDC, our workforce development programs and all the agencies now being funded to work together to radically reduce this percentage. By bringing all these agencies and organizations together under the Deputy Mayor for Education we will work to coordinate them and make sure that these programs are accessible to everyone and available from early morning to late at night. Then we will bring in the business community to make sure we are spending our funds in a business like way. I will use the bully pulpit of the Mayor’s Office to make sure that education becomes the number 1 priority of everyone in the District of Columbia. I will ask the business community to work with me and to help me develop creative ideas such as having expanded literacy programs in their place of business and to work with us to give incentives, where feasible, to their employees to take part in these programs.	Coordinating all of the city’s literacy programs to build a “stair step” for achieving literacy is an initial approach.  Nationally, there is a program where pediatricians give books to new parents to set the stage for parents as the first teacher.  There are numerous studies that have revealed the need to train parents on how to be more effective parents.  While training parents about disciplinary techniques, teaching them about their role as first teacher should be included.  Pairing library services with vocational education and job readiness programs would be an approach to reach this population.	There are many DC residents looking for ways to give back to their community, they just aren't finding ways to plug in.  Libraries, as a central hub to our communities, would be a place where residents can find out about local volunteer programs.  One such volunteer program would be literacy training right in the library.  Literacy is a very important issue to me as I have been a professional literacy tutor for a large part of my career and I recognize that if one can’t read, one can’t effectively function in today’s society.	Many people with low literacy see libraries as a source of information. Unfortunately, most libraries do not have information available to refer these individuals to program where they can be assessed. Under a Milligan Administration, I would propose making resources available build awareness about literacy programs. I envision funding a GED kiosk staff with the appropriate personnel as a way of reaching to this population and reducing the low literacy rate.	This is completely unacceptable.  I support increasing literacy programming within all of our libraries.  As library facilities are reconstructed, I would support allocating space, equipment, and supplies to this effort whether expanded with in-house capacity or in collaboration with the non-profit community.	I have said repeatedly that our city needs an attitude adjustment, and it is statistics like this one that continue to affirm that need. When I am Mayor, education, literacy, and a host of other “people first” issues will become top priorities.
What role do you see for the DC Public Library in preparing the District residents for emergency situations, such as a terrorist attack?	Libraries can become places where we educate communities on what will happen in case of another terrorist attack and work with neighborhood groups, ANC’s community organizations to get out the information that the government and private organizations are preparing. Libraries, as we rebuild them, and get our citizens back into the habit of using them, can participate fully in all public education campaigns and coordinate with all our other agencies.  Our libraries must again become community resources.  However, while libraries must be seen as safe and welcoming places, they should not be militarized or hardened unnecessarily against external threat.	All libraries in the DCPL system should serve as a temporary shelter for residents during emergencies.  The District’s proximity to national and international happenings necessitates integration with law enforcement, natural disaster, and homeland security preparations.	Again as an information hub, residents would be able to find emergency preparedness information at all DCPL libraries.  This is more important than ever now that the Department of Homeland Security has cut terrorist emergency preparedness funding to the District.  There has not been a very visible outcry from District leaders in this regard	I see the DC Public Library as providing information (pamphlets) to District residents on how to respond in emergency situations.	I see the DC Public Library as a resource for information on emergency preparedness.	Our libraries currently serve as centers and environments fostering knowledge and education.  In addition to educating citizens about emergency procedures and preparedness through reading materials and seminars, our libraries can also serve as fall-out shelters or meeting places for families to gather for food, water, and shelter.
What role do you see for the DC Public Library in preparing residents for jobs in an information society?	Libraries necessarily must be gateways to information, not just repositories of books and other materials.  Helping learners of all ages learn how to find and access information must be one of the core missions of our libraries.  Libraries, as I see the system moving forward, will be an integral part of workforce development and literacy programs. They will be able to coordinate their work with that of the schools, UDC and our other private universities to enable as many of our citizens as possible to be part of the information society. We currently have about 511 computers linked to the Internet in our library system. We need to look at each neighborhood and see what other computer availability is there and make each neighborhood library a complement to the other services provided by the city, business and the not for profit sector including our faith community.	The DCPL is a one-stop center for residents’ needs.  If branch library staff and residents want to have computer training in their branch, the DCPL should host that programming.  Partnering with schools, like the University of the District of Columbia and the USDA’s Graduate School, or job trainers to be the vendor of the services would achieve two goals—improving a skill set and exposing individuals to higher education outlets.  Hosting more advanced technology courses in the main library create a class with a population mix—students in the branch libraries wishing to pursue more advanced classes would attend classes with more middle income patrons who are more likely to visit the main branch.  I applaud the Georgetown Library's recent announcement that it will introduce Wi-Fi service to allow its patrons to use their own laptops.  This should be rolled out in all the branches.  We need to focus on ways of enhancing the library experience of our citizens.	Computers need constant maintenance especially if they are running Windows.  This would be less of a problem if Linux were installed on our library computers but still a need.  Volunteer programs can be set up to maintain our library IT systems.  Professional IT hardware and software technicians can be hired to manage a volunteer training program much along the lines of DC's very own computer non-profit training center, Byte Back (http://www.byteback.org).  Residents can participate in these volunteer IT programs to earn the skills needed to progress their IT careers while simultaneously giving back to the community and the DCPL system.  This would save us bundles of cash.	In the information age, we must expand the use of our libraries. DC has one of the highest unemployment rates in the region. I envision that the DC Public Library would become an educational and informational huh where DC community can obtain job training programs and training programs that lead participants to obtaining employment.	The DC Public Library can serve as the information hub for job-seekers.  The Department of Employment Services or interested non-profit organizations could provide career counseling and training within the libraries.  As libraries are rebuilt, there is more opportunity to incorporate training facilities into their plans.  At a minimum, each library should provide linkages to organizations that provide employment assistance.	Our libraries should host computer training classes, resume development, and job application assistance.  Our libraries must be equipped to prepare workforce-age citizens for the professional world that lies ahead.
What role do you see for the DC Public Library in working with the homeless population in the District of Columbia?	This is another area in which we need to coordinate the services of many DC agencies that serve our homeless with the services the libraries can provide. Many of our homeless citizens need medical help or help with finding more permanent affordable housing. But at the same time many of our homeless citizens need literacy programs, and places where they can, if they are able, do all the things they need to do to find jobs and housing with access to newspapers, the internet and places for their children to do their homework. As we integrate the work of all the agencies providing such services, libraries will develop services for those who are homeless in their community.	Homeless individuals need services, too.  It is important to realize that children make up a large portion of the homeless population and the term “homeless” includes children in foster care.  I support partnering with social services organizations to create a referral and outreach program, establishing reading rooms in homeless shelters, and creating a community room for homeless adults in the main library and branch libraries.	The homeless population is growing in DC.  They have very unique needs and thus require special attention.  I do not believe libraries can be the caretakers of the homeless as I've worked with the homeless population in DC for many years professionally and as a volunteer.  I do believe that libraries can provide information to our homeless population to citywide locations where they can seek assistance or shelter.	This is a complicated question faced by libraries across the country. Few truly successful measures have emerged. Because the issue unduly impacts the library, and greatly concerns patrons, DCPL must take a leadership role in working with other agencies and groups to pioneer new solutions.	The DC Public Library can serve as the information hub for the homeless population.  Through linkages to government agencies and programs, and to the non-profit community, homeless residents could be given access to information to assist them in obtaining services.  It is also expected that the libraries will have adequate meeting space.  Agencies, both government and non-profit, could use this space to reach out to vulnerable populations to provide advice, in-take for services, or training.	Our homeless should be welcome in our public libraries, as opposed to feeling threatened.  Our public libraries are there for all of our citizens to serve as environments to learn, grow, and develop.  They must be welcoming and inviting for all of our residents.