Shaw Library - Will We Ever Get A Say?

The Watha T. Daniel Shaw Library has been closed for years now, with a temporary facility opening up only a year or so ago. In the meantime, the DC Public Library have been bandying about plans for a new library. Unfortunately, the plans have been changing for the worse, and despite outcry from the community, it is unclear that things are getting better.

For example, check out the changes made to the plans, made over the course of six months, with virtually no community input. Gone is the modern library building to serve the fast-growing Shaw/Logan community, and in its place is another concrete bunker - exactly what the community has said the do not want.

On Saturday, the Library Dynamos held a Speak-Out/Read-In to educate the community and build grassroots support for a better library. ANC 2C02 commissioner David Chapple has a good round-up of the event at his blog.

In the meantime, the DCPL has scheduled the final public meeting for the discussion of the new library. Given the importance of this issue, and the controversy surrounding the current design, let's hope we can convince them to work a little harder on it. Please show up and lend your voice!

Watha T. Daniel Shaw Library Public Meeting
Thursday, September 4, 2008 from 6:30-8:30 pm
Watha T. Daniel-Shaw Interim Library
945 Rhode Island Avenue, NW