This sale of used and contributed books is a continuation of our three previous sales. Fill a grocery size bag with books for $5 or buy a Friends’ tote bag for $10 and fill it for free! Special volumes will be appropriately priced. DVDs and an abundance of CDs and video tapes are available, as well as $1 “surprise boxes” covering a variety of topics.

All proceeds from this sale will go to help fund the D.C. Public Library citywide 2010 Summer Reading Program. Mark your calendars now and help support this worthy cause.

Last July, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development issued a solicitation seeking a development team to redevelop two sites—Engine Co. 1 at 23rd and M Street NW and the two-story library at 24th and the adjacent MPD Special Operations Division at 24th and L Streets. Both the library and the fire station are past their useful lives and would otherwise require costly modernization work. MPD is planning to move its unit to Southwest.

Two teams responded to the solicitation. The EastBanc-led team offered to build a new public library and a new fire station as well as 10,000 square feet of retail, 235 parking spaces and 205 units of housing where 50 units would be made affordable to families earning less than 60 percent of the area’s median income.

While the deal must first be approved by the D.C. Council and the Zoning Commission, construction could begin as soon as late 2012.

The text above was transcribed from a news release by the Executive Office of the Mayor of the District of Columbia dated March 11, 2010.

This sale of used and contributed books is a supplement to our previous sales held in October and December 2009. While there is no appreciable amount of new stock, there are still bargains galore! Prices range from $.25 to $2.50 for the majority of the books on sale. Special volumes will be appropriately priced.

DVDs and an abundance of CDs and video tapes are available, as well as “surprise boxes” loaded with lots of books, covering a variety of topics, costing a mere $1.50. West End Library Friends’ tote bags and T-shirts will also be on sale.

Proceeds from this sale will go toward the D.C. Public Library District wide 2010 Summer Reading Program. Mark your calendars now to help support this worthy cause–and get bargain books at half-price in return.

At its January 20, 2010, meeting, ANC2A will discuss this topic and vote on a resolution outlining its position. This meeting would be another way for you to learn more about the re-development and to listen to a public discussion of this important topic for our neighborhoods. The ANC2A meeting will be at 7: 00 p.m., at the Parish Hall of St. Stephens Martyr Church, located at 25th and Pennsylvania.

The West End Library Friends also encourages you to voice your opinion about the re-development of these properties and the proposals currently under consideration. Write the Deputy Mayor for Planning & Economic Development at dcbiz@dc.gov and provide her your opinions and comments by January 29, 2010.

Ori Z. Soltes, the scholar who led a discussion group at the West End Library in 2007 and 2008, will again lead the discussion of a six-book series, starting in January, 2010. Professor Soltes teaches at Georgetown University and has taught courses in American Jewish Literature at the Smithsonian and has been a lecturer in art and literature in many countries. (Here’s a Georgetown University website address for further information about Professor Soltes: http://pjc.georgetown.edu/78315.html)

The six discussions will take place on Wednesdays, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. The selected books and dates for the sessions are as follows:

The Iliad by Homer on January 20th

Hebrew Bible: Genesis / I Samuel / II Samuel on February 10th

The Cid by Pierre Corneille on March 3rd

Women in Love by D. H. Lawrence on March 31st

Day (The Accident) by Elie Wiesel on April 21st

The Human Stain by Phillip Roth on May 12th

The West End Library Friends has assisted in the purchase of additional copies of five books (not the Hebrew Bible) to help ensure there will be enough to borrow from the branch. The books are behind the reference desk at the library. Those interested in participating in the program are encouraged to read the books over the holiday season in preparation for the discussion sessions beginning after the first of the year.

Location: West End Library, 24th & L Streets, Washington, DC

Transportation:
Bus: any 30’s (stop at 24th St and Pennsylvania Ave.)
Metro: Blue or Orange Line to Foggy Bottom Station
Car: Limited parking on L Street lot behind the library

Contact: Zelda Kapner 202-659-9376

This sale of used and contributed books is a holdiay supplement to our previous sale held in October. Prices range from $.50 to $3.00 for the majority of those on sale. Special volumes will be appropriately priced. Many gently-used art books and cookbooks are available and would make an inexpensive holiday gift!

Fun “surprise boxes” covering a variety of topics and at a fixed price, DVDs and an abundance of CDs and video tapes are also available. As are West End Library Friends’ tote bags and T-shirts.

The sale is a community-based event and all proceeds benefit the West End Public Library and its services to the community. Mark your calendars now and come support the library, as well as availing yourself of holiday bargains.

Location: West End Library, 24th and L Streets, NW

When: Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 6:45PM to 8:00PM

The Committee for Foggy Bottom and West End (FBWE) Neighborhood Retail** invites you, and all residents of the area, to a public meeting on November 3, 2009, at the West End Library on the future of retail in our Foggy Bottom and West End neighborhoods.

At the meeting you will learn the results of the survey conducted over the summer (note the posting below dated August 21, 2009). Attendees will be able to add new and additional ideas, comments, and reactions to the survey.

Given the redevelopment projects in our neighborhoods, it is critical that resident interests be heard. Later this year, the Committee will publish a report on the community’s preferences for future retail development. The Committee will present these findings to DC government officials and local real estate developers to influence their decisions directly impacting residents of Foggy Bottom and West End neighborhoods. Everyone is urged to attend this important public meeting.

**The FBWE Neighborhood Retail Committee was chartered by the Foggy Bottom Association earlier this year to gather input from the community on its preferences for the future development of retail goods and service offerings in our area. This is especially important given the pending redevelopment projects for the Stevens School, the West End Library–MPD Special Operations building–West End Fire Station sites and the former GWU Hospital site.

Click on the website address immediately below to access more information and to accept the invitation online.

http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/EWHEJUCZMEZVQGBXQNKO/november3meeting

This sale of used and contributed books will offer an estimated 7,000 titles with some 90% fresh stock. Prices range from 50 cents to $3.00 for the majority of those on sale. Special volumes will be appropriately priced. DVDs and an abundance of CDs and video tapes are also available at similarly low prices. West End Library Friends’ tote bags and T-shirts will also be on sale.

The sale is a community-based event and proceeds will benefit the West End Library and the numerous services this branch provides to the West End, Foggy Bottom and Dupont Circle neighborhoods. Mark your calendars now and come support the library, as well as availing yourself of great bargains.

http://tinyurl.com/lxvx3m

The website for the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) has more information about the prospective development and the request for proposal (RFP) that was issued. The web address for the DMPED’s website is right below; simply click on it to make the link.

http://www.dcbiz.dc.gov/dmped/cwp/view,A,1365,Q,608891.asp

News Release for Immediate Release
July 16, 2009

Fenty Administration Seeks Redevelopment of West End Properties

District Releases Request for Proposals

WASHINGTON, DC – Mayor Adrian M. Fenty joined Councilmember Jack Evans (Ward 2) and local community members to announce the District has released a request for proposals (RFP) seeking a development team to redevelop the West End Neighborhood Library and West End Fire Station.

“These are some of the most valuable development sites in the District of Columbia,” said Mayor Fenty. “We’ve got a unique opportunity to leverage the value of this land to not only build additional housing and neighborhood-serving retail, but to build critical first-class community facilities and significantly minimize the cost for our residents.”

The District, through the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, seeks the redevelopment of the two-story library at 24th and L Streets, NW and the fire station for Engine Co. 1 at 23rd and M Streets, NW. Currently in use, both properties are over 40 years old and in need of significant modernization. In addition, the District aims for the redevelopment of the property at 23rd and L Streets, NW where the MPD Special Operations Division is currently located.

The Deputy Mayor’s Office expects to begin reviewing the proposals submitted by developers this fall. An acceptable development program will allow for continuous library and fire and emergency medical services during the entire redevelopment period.

Nearby, the District is in the process of reviewing proposals to redevelop the former Stevens School, a historic building at 21st and L Streets, NW.

For more information on various exciting development projects in the District, visit the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development website: www.dcbiz.dc.gov and the Development Blog at www.dcdevelopment.typepad.com.

There also will be an open microphone. Admission is free and refreshments will be served (courtesy of the West End Library Friends).

For more information contact Bill Turner, Adult Librarian, at 202-724-8698.

The West End Library is located at 24th and L Streets, NW, right off Pennsylvania Avenue, and within walking distance of the Foggy Bottom Metro stop.

This sale of used and contributed books has no new stock, but most items are half price. Price range is from $.25 to $2.50 for the majority of those on sale. Special volumes will be appropriately priced.

Anyone spending $25 or more will receive either a free West End Library Friends’ tote bag or T-shirt (while supplies last).

The sale is a community-based event and proceeds will benefit the West End Public Library and its services to the community. Mark your calendars now and support the library, as well as availing yourself of bargains.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

In September, 2007, the West End Library Friends established a Stakeholders Committee, made up of business and residential representatives of the Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, and West End neighborhoods. This group agreed to conduct a transparent, collaborative process that would develop comprehensive recommendations for an ideal branch library. The Committee took into consideration the District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL) building program for branch libraries, the educational, enrichment, and service needs of the neighborhood, the best use of resources and meeting rooms, and the need for an efficient physical plant and optimum location. The Committee made recommendations to resolve operational issues, and set forth a set of principles to guide the quality, sustainability, integration, and functionality of a new or renovated branch library. The West End Library Friends urge that these principles be part of any future Request For Proposal process, or design discussion relating to the development and programming needs of the library and Square 37, the property on which the branch is located.

Over a ten-month period the Committee:

• Conducted a survey and held a public meeting to gather information and public comment on what the Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom and West End communities wanted in a new or renovated branch library.
• Submitted an initial report on the results of the customer survey and posted on the Friends’ website additional community comments from a March public meeting.
• Examined best practices for successful branch libraries in the region and elsewhere.
• Researched issues that are specific to the West End branch or endemic to the library system as a whole.
• Recommended and implemented short and long-term solutions to issues that impeded the use of the library.
• Forwarded recommendations for the footprint, physical plant, and exterior design to the DCPL Board of Trustees and Chief Librarian, as well as to the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and the District of Columbia Office of Planning.
• Committed to writing a final report before the end of July 2008.

A summary of Committee recommendations are as follows:

• Before the West End branch undergoes construction, an interim library must be open at a convenient location in the Dupont Circle/Foggy Bottom/West End neighborhood, and continue to provide branch library services until the new or renovated branch is opened.
• A well-designed process for community involvement should be adopted for any further planning process.
• The branch should be re-branded to reflect that it is the center of the Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, and West End communities and used by all three.
• The West End Friends Customer Service Survey provides good guidance to planners on what people in the community think about the current library and what they would like to see in a new or renovated branch. The recommendations from the Survey listed in this report should be followed.
• The guidelines for the footprint and physical plant for a new or renovated library submitted to the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and the District of Columbia Office of Planning, the DCPL Board of Trustees and Chief Librarian dated April 23, 2008, and listed in this report should be followed.
• The Stakeholders Committee for the West End Library Friends reviewed the Building Program Summary for the West End dated May 23, 2008, and endorses the same with the additions/clarifications listed herein.
• The final design for the West End Library should ensure that the building is easy to maintain, and the economic and development covenants need to ensure that funds are included for ongoing building maintenance and operations.
• The collection for the West End Library needs to reflect the requests and recorded use of its patrons. A Collection Building and Maintenance policy for Adults, Young Adults, and Children should be implemented. More literary fiction recommended by the New York Times, Washington Post, and Best Sellers is warranted, limiting duplicates to high demand items, adding more CD’s and DVD’s, less self-help material, and a concentration on major authors should be implemented. A list of Core Collections Considerations is again listed herein.
• The West End Library should be more user-friendly and incorporate self-help stations.
• A marketing program for the West End Library needs to be developed. Current programs are not well attended because patrons do not know they exist.
• The West End Library should be open and welcoming to every person who wants to use it. However, the consistent use of the branch as a day center by the downtown homeless population, not unique to the West End, is a major deterrent to other patrons wishing to use the branch. Therefore, the Committee has made and implemented several recommendations that will mitigate the use of the branch by those without a home base. These recommendations rearrange the reading room, brighten the interior and exterior of the building, and suggest programming to attract more of the non-homeless patron.

THE PROCESS:

The West End Library Friends developed and submitted to DCPL a strategic plan, “Plan of Action/Outline for Change,” in September 2006. This plan was used as an outline for the Stakeholders work product and background to recruit individuals who live or work in the Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, and West End neighborhoods. All members of the Committee have a history of volunteering in their communities, have an established network allowing them to relay information accurately and quickly, and have a business expertise that strengthened the Committee as a whole. All members agreed to bring no political agenda or opinion as to the development of Square 37 to this planning process, and were willing to devote time to see the project through to the final report.

An experienced facilitator was hired to keep the Committee on task, decision driven (all decisions were made by the entire Committee) and to make sure that any unfinished business was carried over to the next meeting.

The Committee established procedures/rules of engagement that included a set meeting day and time each month, the taking and approving of meeting minutes, agreeing that written reports and an agenda would be sent out prior to each meeting, and Committee assignments would be completed in a timely manner. As a group we agreed on topics of discussion, made research assignments, developed a timeline, studied best practices of other branch libraries in the region, and attended the building branches forum sponsored by DCPL.

The Committee developed an apolitical mission statement that was very specific and revisited it often to make sure all tasks were within the mission.

Adhering to all the above allowed the Committee to finish its tasks three months early and reinforced the fact that a well-constructed process leads to community involvement and results.

AREAS OF CONCENTRATION

Research:

The West End Library Friends conducted a survey of community members from December 2007 to January, 2008, to learn how library users as well as neighbors who do not use the library feel about the services and physical state of the current branch library and what they would consider to be important features in a new or renovated West End Library branch.

The survey was developed by the West End Library Friends Stakeholders Committee. Surveys were collected both electronically on Zoomerang.com and in hard copy. Surveys were mailed to the members of the Foggy Bottom Association and West End Library Friends and Committee members distributed them to eight to ten condo and apartment buildings in the neighborhood. The surveys were distributed at the West End Library and at meetings of the Dupont Circle and West End/Foggy Bottom ANC and the Foggy Bottom Association. The online version of the survey was advertised in the Foggy Bottom Current as well as on the Library Friends website and the George Washington University Friends site. Notice was also given through the Foggy Bottom Association website, church bulletins, Jack Evans’s Newsletter, and again by e-mail to Foggy Bottom Association members.

Of the 348 self-selected respondents, 229 filled out the online survey and 119 returned the paper survey. This is not a scientific survey since the respondents were not randomly selected; however, because significant outreach was made to library users and people who actively participate in community/civic groups, the data reflect the opinions of people who use and care about the West End branch library. It provides good guidance to planners on what people in the community think about the current library and what they would like to see in a new or renovated branch.

A public meeting to review the survey findings and solicit further public comment was held on March 5, 2008, and, with few exceptions, these comments mirrored the survey findings.

The most current demographics, customer profiles, and staff interviews/observations were also used to determine the customer base and the type of services needed in a new or renovated library.

Research Results and Recommendations:

The West End Library is used primarily for traditional library services, such as borrowing books, reference work, and meetings. There is a strong sense in the community, reflected in survey answers and appended written comments, that the homeless population’s use of the library is a deterrent to greater use by other patrons. Other barriers to use are clearly the general condition of the building and its public facilities, as reflected in answers about how comfortable and safe people feel in the library.

Those who do use the library are older, wealthier, better educated, and less racially diverse than the general population of the District; and, therefore, the collection, programs, and services for this particular branch, like all branches, should be tailored to the population it serves.

People in the community see substantive room for improvement in the West End Library and would like most of this improvement to center on traditional resources and services. However, there is also a desire to see a broadening of the library’s mission, programs, and facilities.

The following observations, conclusions, and recommendations are based on the West End Library Stakeholders Committee review of the survey results, reviewing best practices of other libraries, and comments collected at the March 5, 2008 community meeting:

• The survey results are significant because the demographics of the respondents are representative of the people who the West End librarians and Friends know to be its users.
• The survey respondents live in, and are actively engaged in, the West End community (given their high participation in other community activities), and their responses should be given great consideration in planning for improvements to the library.
• The fact that so many users walk to the library suggests that great caution should be taken in considering any location change.
• The results of the survey highlighted things that can and should be done in the near future that will improve the library and respond to issues raised by the data. These include:
o Investing in improvements to the collections.
o Reinstating the external book drop (Completed in May, 2008.)
o The library should offer better programs and marketing of same, e.g., authors and book readings. Increase in children programs must be age specific.
o Improve security and the perception of safety by adjusting the internal layout to separate the children’s area from the reading area where the homeless people congregate. (Completed in May, 2008.)
o Better marketing of the upstairs conference rooms so that community members know that they are currently available for general use.
o Allow adults to use computers in the children’s section when there are no children present and the adult computers are all occupied.

A new branch library design should include:

o A much more comfortable and welcoming physical space that lifts the spirits of the people who use it. Fluorescent lights and green walls are institutional looking and dated.
o Respondents want an accessible community room/gathering place.
o More discrete spaces for different functions and users, such as a community center, more flexible open space, meeting rooms, a periodical room, functional outdoor space, and dedicated space for the children’s section and seniors.

• Observations concerning homeless persons’ occupying a large portions of the library for long periods of time include:

o The library should be open and welcoming to every person who wants to use the library for its intended use.
o Comments from survey respondents suggest that the primary reason people do not feel safe in the library is because of the presence of so many homeless people.
o This atmosphere is a major deterrent to non-homeless patrons wishing to use the Library.
o The lack of adequate hygiene by some homeless people is a deterrent to others using the library. There should be minimum hygiene standards for all library patrons.
o The reading room and tables are often occupied exclusively by homeless people and their possessions, making the West End Branch look like a day center for those living on the street.
o There should not be additional homeless programs offered in the library that are unrelated to core library functions.
o The space and flow of movement through the space should be designed to allow people to use the core library services without having to pass through the places where homeless people are using the library to simply hang out.

The full survey data, initial survey results, and public comments are available on the West End Library page of the DCPL website: www.dclibrary.org . Click on “Hours and Locations;” then, “WestEnd,” then “Initial Report on the West End Library Friends Customer Survey 2.21.08.”

Guidelines for the Footprint/Physical Plant:

• A new or renovated library should remain on Square 37. The preferred location is the same, at the corner of L and 24th Streets, N.W.; however, other orientations on Square 37 could be considered if there are compelling advantages for the library patrons and use by the larger community.
• The main entrance to the library should have significant street presence and should remain at street level.
• The new or renovated building should incorporate as many sustainability features as possible. It should be known as a “green” building.
• There should be adequate public space that is accessible to the community beyond library hours and that is adaptable in design so that different size meeting rooms can be created.
• The footprint should be adequate to accommodate a branch library and the interior should be designed for flexibility to serve a variety of uses and needs that may change over time.
• The building should be architecturally pleasing and iconic, so that the library will be known as a neighborhood center and the place to meet.
• There should be adequate parking for cars and bicycles.
• The building must be ADA compliant.
• There should be adequate attractive exterior lighting.
• The library should have an environmental system that can be controlled on site and creates a pleasant comfortable environment using natural light.
• There should be community cultural amenity space, i.e., a lecture hall/music room, which can be used in support of the art institutions in the neighborhood.
• There should be small office spaces for use by the local ANC’s and community associations.
• A state of the art, comprehensive security system, should be designed and installed.
• There should be attractive, well-landscaped grounds and accessible inviting sidewalk space and entrances.
• All architects contracted to work on the library should be knowledgeable about library design.
• There should be a coffee shop with an outside entrance.
• There should be an outside community bulletin board incorporated into the exterior design.

DCPL Library Building Program Summary:

The Stakeholders Committee for the West End Library Friends reviewed the Building Program Summary for the West End dated May 23, 2008, and endorses the same with the additions and clarifications listed below:

• That the new branch be an anchor to any planned development on Square 37 and that the building serve the needs of the Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, and West End neighborhoods, not just the West End. This is implied now, but a new branch may require re-branding or renaming to clearly designate the scope of the neighborhoods served.
• The implementation of new technology will undoubtedly shrink the total building square footage; however, with a 23% core factor, 10% unassigned space, and duel use of space planned, the program can be made more efficient.
• A conference room and meeting rooms should be located in the front of the building or have separate, controlled entrances so that they can be easily used after hours.
• A section of the circulation desk should be a designated “laptop computer lending” area and there should be computers dedicated to the library database only.
• One section of the circulation desk should be lower so that it is accessible to wheelchair bound patrons and children. The height of the current circulation desk intimidates both.
• There should be a designated room or display for Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, and West End history–artifacts and writings. The branch and the civic associations have collected artifacts over the years, and we believe that displaying the same would benefit the community and bring more patrons to the library. The display cases in the pre-function area outside the meeting rooms could serve this purpose.
• There should be a high-tech area to show movies and possibly other programming. The West End Branch needs a small lecture room for community use.
• Electronic signage/ flat screen TV panels/or newer technology should be part of the structure so that the branch can market upcoming programs and the community can announce upcoming events as done with a ticker tape sign.
• The Building Program Summary should implicitly state that any new or renovated building design and development must take into consideration structural maintenance and the adequate funding of ongoing operations

Core Collection Considerations:

The Stakeholders Committee reviewed the revised core collection policy for the library system as well as from other libraries and the recent technological updates of digital materials and downloading capabilities. The Committee, with the assistance of the West End Library staff and the DCPL Collections Policy Manager, recommend the following Core Collection Considerations:

Collection Building

ADULT:

Purchase more literary fiction. Acquire books reviewed/recommended by the New York Times and Washington Post as well as Best Sellers. Review “Summer Reading” and end-of-year Best Books lists to make sure that they are available at DCPL.
Limit duplicate copies to high demand items. We need very few duplicates of routine nonfiction and self-help. Limit self-help selections, concentrating on major authors.
Implement system so that individual branches can make recommendations and respond quickly to sudden demands.
Develop meaningful profiles that move away from “one size fits all” for our diverse system.
Increase DVD, CD, and audio book holdings. Expand the classic and non-fiction audio collection. Expand DVD special interest collections: film noir, foreign films, travel documentaries, etc.
Expand foreign language learning materials.
Update print reference collection as appropriate.

CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULT:

Fewer duplicate copies of new release picture books.
Fewer young adult duplicates.
More new release graphic novels for children and young adults.
More new release DVDs for children and young adults.
New reference collection for young adults.
Expand parent/teacher collection.

Collection Maintenance

Develop a systematic approach to weeding and replacement so that the library always has updated general non-fiction (i.e., health, finance, design, etc.) and fresh copies of classics and popular backlist fiction.
Design an ongoing survey for use of West End customers to suggest specific titles and make general recommendations.
Create a Friends of the West End Library Collections Consideration Committee to review collection concerns and make any needed adjustments based on feedback from customers.

Other

Put together more recommended reading book lists: Best Biographies, Award Winners, Beach Books, etc.
Acquire dedicated public reference computer(s) to provide on-site access to DCPL databases.
Promote and provide training for DCPL’s expanding digital holdings. Work with West End Library staff to create promotional programs such as “The Low Down on Downloading.” Involve teen aides in instructing community members in the use of new digital format technologies.

Marketing:

The Stakeholders Committee acknowledges the many and varied programs that are part of the West End Library’s services. However, the library does a poor job in marketing these programs and the branch resources. A formal marketing program to attract those patrons who should use the West End Library needs to be developed.

Two marketing suggestions are to change the greeting on the library voice mail to one that promotes current programs and setting up “take-one, leave-one” book shelves for donated books at the Library and other places in the community.

Issues specific to the West End Branch

The West End Library should be open and welcoming to every person who wants to use it. However, the constant use of the branch by a large homeless population is a major deterrent to other patrons wishing to use the branch. Therefore, the Committee spent a considerable amount of time educating itself about homeless issues—the reasons people become homeless, the policies regarding use of the library by the homeless, and the advocacy programs designed to help this segment of our population. The group wanted to find a way of balancing the needs and rights of all patrons.

Through the Friends and library staff, several short-term and long-term strategies are being implemented to create a place that is open and inviting to all and that does not enable one group or user to discourage others from feeling comfortable or welcome in the library.

These strategies include:

• Rearranging the reading room so that users cannot congregate.
• Reducing the number of tables.
• Adding stand-up computer-only tables.
• Adding topical kiosks with small book displays at the library entrance.
• Removing the parking meters in front of the building so that belongings cannot be tied there.
• Asking that the staff be trained quarterly in how to work with the homeless.
• Prominently displaying the DCPL behavior guidelines.
• Asking the local police and DCPL security to patrol the building at night.
• Expanding the behavior guidelines so that there is a limit of one bag per patron.
• Supporting Mayor Fenty’s “Housing First” initiative by requesting that our most vulnerable homeless be interviewed for immediate housing and accompanying services.
• Requesting that computer use time be shortened and that some computers be limited to DCPL database only.
• Setting up a program to give excess books that have been donated for the Friends book sale to Miriam’s Kitchen for education and lending purposes.
• Looking into providing flex space for outreach services.
• Enlisting other neighborhood groups to help fund programs that work to place the homeless in better living environments.
• Marketing our programs so that the general public does not think of the West End Library as a de facto homeless day center.
• Requesting that outdoor feeding stations be relocated.
• Making the reading room more visible.
• Reversing the entrance and exit doors.
• Adding more outside lighting.
• Providing a list of resources and services for the homeless.
• Installing security cameras.

Final copies of this report, the customer service survey, and all pertinent committee reports will be on file at the West End Library and at the Martin Luther King Library.

Respectfully submitted,

The West End Library Friends
Stakeholders Committee

Ms. Haight convened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. The meeting was attended by approximately 40 participants, including Ginnie Cooper, Chief Librarian of the DC Public Library.

Ms. Haight indicated the purpose of the meeting was as follows:

• To share the results of the survey conducted from December, 2007, to January, 2008, to which 348 individuals responded;
• To share the recommendations of the Stakeholders Task Force; and
• To solicit further input from the general public into the process.

Through means of a power point slide presentation, she then provided the following report.

Survey Distribution
• On – Line via Zoomerang.com
• Mailed and Distributed to:
– West End Library Friends
– Neighborhood Condos And Apartments
– Dupont Circle, West End/Foggy Bottom ANC’s
• Advertised in Foggy Bottom Current
• Distributed at the Library
• Websites
– West End Library Friends,
– George Washington University,
– Foggy Bottom Association
• Notices in Church Bulletins
• Jack Evans’ Newsletter

Survey Respondents
• 80% residents of Foggy Bottom, Dupont Circle, West End
• Much less racially diverse than general DC population
• Equally balanced between male and female
• Predominantly English speaking
• 86% 35 years & older (66% 50+)
• High incomes – 61% above $80,000
• Highly educated – college graduates and above
• Civic minded
• Less interested in children’s programs due to age of respondents

West End Library Usage
• 83% use West End Library for traditional library activities
• 75% have DC Public Library card
• Regular Library users
• 56% once a month
• 77% several times a year
• 80% of patrons walk to the library
• Majority use library because it is in the neighborhood
• 81% have in-home computers with broadband connection
• 89% either have not or only occasionally used the Library website
• Respondents utilize West End Library equally both weekdays and weekends

How do they feel about West End Library today?
• 46% are very satisfied with the Library
• 84% like the Library’s location
• Majority say staff is helpful and knowledgeable
• Library atmosphere for the most part is quiet
• More then 50% believe there is room for improvement in many areas
• Respondents are evenly split between those who think of it as a community gathering place and those who don’t

Room for Improvement
• 51% of library users and 69% of non-library users would use the library more if there were fewer homeless
• 43% say West End Library is not a comfortable place to be
• 50% feel safe, while 26% do not feel safe
• Only 22% say the restrooms are clean

Additional Improvement Opportunities
• 21% say the library has all the resources they require
• 1/3 of the respondents felt that the Library provided a community gathering place
• 63% of library computers users have to wait for available computers

What did we learn about the West End Library of tomorrow? This library should have
• Improved collections of books, DVDs, CDs
• Meeting Rooms for community groups and information about community events
• Comfortable furniture
• Study room/quiet room
• Educational programs led by experts
• Extended weekday and weekend hours
• Additional security
• Business center capabilities
• Computer lab and training

Additional Requests by Many Respondents
• Coffee Shop (especially non-library users)
• An auditorium
• An outdoor reading area
• Office space for community groups
• Additional computer software
• Programs for immigrants
• Gathering place for children
• Programs for pre-school and school age children/teens/young adults
• More local newspapers

West End Library Survey Summary
• West End Library is used as a traditional library
• The current users have a strong sense of community
• The homeless are the largest deterrent for greater use
• Condition of building and perception of safety are also deterrents to greater use
• Improvement in the collection is needed
• West End Library users are older, wealthier, better educated and less racially diverse than the general population of DC
• West End Library services need to be tailored to the population it serves
• Great improvement opportunities center on traditional resources and services and the broadening of programs and facilities

Committee Recommendation on What Can Be Done Today
• Collection improvement
• Reinstate external book drop
• Better programming and marketing of programs
• Improve comfort of patrons and perception of safety by adjusting internal layout
• Marketing of our current community rooms
• Allow use of computers in children’s section when there are no children’s programs
• Heating and air conditioning improvements

New Branch Library Considerations
• Welcoming and comfortable physical space
• Accessible community rooms and gathering place
• Form to follow function:
• Flexible open space
• Meeting rooms
• Periodical room
• Local history room
• Outdoor Space
• Children’s selected programs and section
• Senior area

Homeless Observations
• Open and welcoming to every library user
• Homeless are deterrent to many library users
• Minimum hygiene standards are needed for all patrons
• Reading room and tables are often monopolized by homeless
• Special programs for homeless were not important to survey respondents
• Perception of safety hinders usage due to homeless presence
• Space usage and movement flow must be addressed to allow people to use the core library services easily

General Conclusion
• The demographics of the survey respondents are representative of the West End Library users.
• They live nearby and are actively engaged in the West End Community.
• The homeless are a deterrent to usage and the perception of safety.
• The convenient location of the library given the number of users who walk to the library is critical for future planning.
• The West End Library is important to its community as reflected by usage frequency and survey response.

West End Library Friends Stakeholders Task Force Next Steps
• Assess the need for future public meetings
• Compile and post today’s public comments on West End Library Friends’ website
• WELF Stakeholders/Task Force prioritize and summarize Public Comments
• Review WELF Stakeholders Task Force recommendation in light of public meeting.
• List other areas of research/work for the task force
– Core Collection
– Digital Age
– DCPL Programming Plan
– Timing of and finding a location for the Interim Library
• Final report including public comments submitted to DCPL Chief Librarian, DCPL Board of Trustees, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, and DC Office of Planning for inclusion in the RFP process.

Upon completion of the presentation, Ms. Haight opened the floor for public input. With the help of Ms. Case, she entertained suggestions, comments, recommendations and complaints on various topics, including the following:

• Homeless clientele;
• Increased computer capability, to include more extensive software;
• Improved collections, traditional paper and the newer electronic;
• Improved community meeting room capability; and
• Improved facility maintenance, with a focus on improved ventilation and air conditioning.

A more complete listing of the public input is contained in the following document.

Ms. Haight adjourned meeting at 8:25 p.m.

• Question: Did area workers respond to the survey?
Response: Yes
• Where would the homeless go if West End Library was not available?
Response: Don’t know
• Was there any specific detail as to the safety issues?
Response: None, other than question asking people if they felt safe.
• Were there any suggestions regarding the homeless issue from the group of advisors that the committee has met with?
Response: Yes, and we will incorporated them in our final recommendations
• Once the library closes in the evening, the area surrounding the library becomes a hotel for the homeless.
• Don’t feel safe walking in the area.
• Homeless are attracted to food and service areas
• Create a coalition of area homeless services to overcome specific issues
• Community rooms would be used more often if:
o There was better access
o Could be used beyond the normal library hours
o Managed separate from other library services
• Did survey respondents ask for professional on-line subscriptions?
Response: No, in fact there was little usage of library on-line services
• Respondents did ask for additional computer literacy programs
• It would be a valuable service to add access to DC public database information
• Appreciated Library staff support for “Chi”? (breathing) courses.
• There are many valuable programs offered at the Library, but don’t know where or when the programs are offered.
o Suggest that the library add specific site for programming information on the website and in the library
• Want History Rooms representing the Foggy Bottom and Dupont Circle…this statement was “dittoed”
• Landscaping improvement is important to overall attractiveness of Library – especially the Flowers
• Request for New Books – Best Sellers/NY Times book list
• Appreciates the Strong Video Collection – Very Good!
Would like to see it get even better with the addition of:
o Criterion Collection
o Films from the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s
o Film Noir
• Ginnie Cooper reminded us that you can access films on-line via DCPL website
• Want separated area or kiosks featuring books on self-help and self-improvement.
• It is difficult to donate books to the library….
Response from Ginnie Cooper; “we would rather have the money due to the extensive cost of time and effort of cataloging each new book.”
• Films missing at MLK….Cooper response: “in process of inventorying all films and DVD’s.”
• For those that want to donate books…suggestion: create an area within the library for “give and take”
• There is a Movie Club at West End Library. Has changed times due to lack of attendance for afternoon showings. Now programmed in the evenings and have experienced better attendance.
• Has seen marked improvement in the library over past months.
• Has found there to be a long wait and lack of availability for many books.
• Cooper response: “Goal of library catalog today is to more faithfully represent the actual available books.”
• Need “inviting” windows
• Better Ventilation
o Never sense air moving
o Hot all the time
o Library staff cannot control temperature
• Ceiling fans would be helpful
• Opportunity to work with Francis Junior High students in the fall
o Will need tutors and mentors
o Volunteers
• West End Library will have an “After School Homework Program” in place next year to meet the needs for a safe and supportive environment for students…K thru elementary and Junior High
• Add Coaching and Self/Help books to Library collection and prominently feature the same
• Plan for the changing demographics of the area in the Library’s plan for the future.
• Difficult to plan for the future of the library, not knowing what the future may hold in the world of technology
• Keep in mind the environmental considerations in the plan for the future
• May want to hold off on any major shifts with the library given the rapid change in technology.
• Can’t stop moving forward. We must build to the future with flexibility and provide a gathering place for the community.
Libraries create “intermodal hubs”
Don’t forget the power of the librarians – position librarians as more than Google as search engines!
• Clean, open, lights that work are important environmental issues for the library. The Temporary Library modulars are clean, bright and filled with activity.
• A garden for and by children

This program is sponsored by a grant from the American Library Association, in partnership with Nextbook, a national, nonprofit organization that brings programs in the arts that have Jewish origins–authors, artists, composers, etc.–to the public.

The 2008 program consists of five discussions of five books, each on a separate Wednesday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. Ori Z. Soltes, the resident scholar who led the discussion group in 2007, will again introduce and lead the discussion for each book. Professor Soltes teaches at Georgetown University and has taught courses in American Jewish Literature at the Smithsonian and has been a lecturer in many countries on topics related to Jewish culture, history, and the arts. His involvement in the 2007 program at West End—“A Mind of Her Own: Fathers and Daughters in a Changing World”– was a key to its success.

The dates and selected books for the five discussion sessions are as follows:

The West End Library Friends has assisted in the purchase of additional copies of the five books to help ensure there will be enough to borrow from the Branch. Those interested in participating in the program are encouraged to read the books ahead in preparation for the discussion sessions. More details will be provided as the program draws nearer.

November 28, 2007

Ms. Lucy H. Labson, Grants Manager
District of Columbia Public Library
901 G Street NW, Room 400, Washington DC 20001

I would like to express my deep thanks to the library system for sponsoring the reading series “Let’s Talk About It: Jewish Literature” this fall, in conjunction with the West End Library Friends. I received a mailing about the series from the Friends, of which I am a member. A good friend and I decided to participate.

We read each book and attended all the sessions. The leader, Ori Soltes, had marvelous insights about the characters, authors, and relationships among the books. As the series continued, the attendees, including ourselves, became more active in the discussions. It was good to get to know some neighbors whom we probably would not have otherwise encountered. Everyone brought thoughtful perspectives and personal experiences to the conversations.

Overall, the series got us back into reading fiction for pleasure, something that had largely fallen out of our lives. It brought us together with others engaged in the same pursuit. I am indebted to the library for sponsoring this fine program.

With my sincere and enthusiastic thanks, a Friend of the West End Library.

A second series is now in the planning stages for next Fall. The Library and the Friends will provide information as it becomes available.