Mayor Adrian Fenty
District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #316
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Mayor Fenty:
We write this letter knowing that the Mayor and Council just completed a very difficult budget year, brought about by a number of factors, including the sluggish economy. Although cutbacks were made to programs across the board, we are especially concerned about a series of cutbacks at DC Public Libraries.
The Friends of the NE Library believe that a strong public library system is not a luxury but an essential component of an educated and informed city. We believe that libraries can complement the reforms happening in the school system by providing a place for students of all ages to read and learn. Our libraries serve every constituency in the city, from infants to the homeless to the elderly to job seekers and everyone in between. We, like other library advocates, encourage you to not consider any other cutbacks to staff at any of the branches in the DC Public Library system. The elimination of 40 part-time workers had an impact that will reverberate across many communities in the city. Furthermore, we continue to remain strongly opposed to the elimination of Sunday hours at branches. Even remaining open for a short window of time on Sunday would be preferable to closing altogether, as the system has done.
Finally, our number one concern is the decision to postpone interior renovations at our branch. As you may know, the NE branch had been neglected for many years up until a modest exterior renovation project was completed this spring. However, the interior phase, which includes all the spaces used by patrons and employees, has now been pushed off – despite the fact that major capital projects are continuing to move forward at other branches. This strikes us as unwise and unfair. Please consider ways to find funds to move ahead with the interior renovation of the NE Library.
Umana, who wrote Creation: Toward A Theory of All Things, will talk about his book on July 28 at 7 pm.
AGENDA, 21 June 2010
1. Garden update
2. Letter to Council & Mayor
3. Reimbursement
4. Front yard sign design
5. Report from Pat
6. Book review contest
Watch this page for details on our first-ever children’s book review contest. Great prizes will be available.
The NE branch found out this week that we are losing two of the greatest people working at our library – and unfortunately there may be more cutbacks next year.
Carol Johnson, who has worked for the NE branch as a children’s librarian on Saturdays and evenings, is no longer with the system after 5 great years.
Her last day at NE was yesterday, where she as usual led the Saturday morning music and crafts activities for kids.
For those lucky enough to have spent time with her, they will remember that Carol was outstanding with children and worked hard to find books that appealed to them and read stories that they would love and warm up to.
She, like 40 other part-time library staff across the District library system, was laid this week off as part of cost-cutting measures implemented by Mayor Fenty’s Administration. We’ve been told to brace ourselves for more cutbacks in the new year.
Not that it is any consolation to us at NE but other branches across the city also had the same cuts, in some cases worse because they relied on more part-timers.
In addition, the NE branch has lost Oliver Fontem, the adult librarian who could so often be found sitting at the information desk on the first floor.
Effective June 7, Oliver will be transferred to the Southeast branch.
His last day at NE was yesterday and that’s where he was, helping patrons find books or reference material, answering questions about the wifi, or helping out in some other way.
Oliver could always be relied on to bring his wonderful disposition and big smile to any challenge and we will miss having him at NE after a great 3.5 years.
To replace Oliver, DCPL will transfer a new adult librarian from MLK, the central library, and we all look forward to meeting that person when they start.
On the plus side, the outdoor garden and reading area in the yard outside the NE branch, which we opened last month with a party and out booksale, continues to be popular.
If you haven’t yet had a chance to sit on a bench in the shade and open a book, or watch kids leapfrog among the boulders near the patio, you are missing out.
As always, the Friends of the NE library will share our concern about these cuts with elected officials; we urge you to also raise your voices to help protect our library.
Our spring sale was one of the best ever. Thanks to great involvement from some returning and new volunteers, some great weather and a good collection of books, the sale surpassed expectations and raised a significant amount of money to support library activities. Thanks as always to everyone in the community who came by or who passed the word to help get their neighbors and friends to the sale.
We will plan another sale in the fall and will of course get the date out as early as possible.
And of course, if you have ideas on events or activities that you would like to see at the library, don’t hesitate to ask the staff there or approach the FRIENDS.
the FRIENDS will hold our spring book sale and celebrate the exterior renovation completion on Saturday. The exterior renovation upgraded the windows, doors and roof but also brought about a brand new garden and sitting area.
To mark it, Jali-D The Drum Talker will be there this weekend. Who’s that? David Foreman, aka ‘Jali-D,’ is an accomplished percussionist and spoken word artist who simultaneously combines his talents into an art form he calls “Rappercussions.” His intelligent and creative rhymes have entertained and educated both children and adults nationwide. Along with his work in schools, Jali-D has recorded an educational music CD called Mind Rhymes, and has written a score for an FDA/Cartoon Network health campaign.
DCPL tells us that there will also be a visit from “Mother Goose,” who will delight the little ones with her stories and antics.
Book sale starts at 930 and the kids activities kick off at noon.
This past week marked the yearly staff appreciation brunch sponsored by FONEL. The team at the NE branch who work so hard each day were thanked for their hard work and dedication with some light fare: coffee and juice, donuts, muffins and croissants. The thank-you brunch was held in the morning before the library opened for the day so the staff could pause for a moment and enjoy the snack. The event was also a chance to welcome Pat Sullivan back to NE. As the new branch manager, Pat is returning to NE after a stint working downtown at the main MLK site.
Northeast Neighborhood Library
330 7th St. N.E.
202-698-3320
Monday 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Tuesday 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Wednesday 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Thursday 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Friday 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Saturday 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Sunday Closed
