HOPES & DREAMS MEETING

MEETING SUMMARY & COMPILATION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS

Meeting Date: Wednesday, March 12, 2008

6:00-8:00 PM

Location: The Jelleff Boys & Girls Club

3265 S Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20007

Meeting Purpose: Community listening meeting and discussion of hopes and dreams
for the renovation of the Georgetown Neighborhood Library.

Meeting Format: Presentation and interactive workshop format.

ƒ Display boards were used to showcase notable design and

programming ideas from other libraries across the country.

ƒ Another set of boards displayed 18 library service response

categories. Using color-coded adhesive dots, meeting
participants were asked to identify their top service priorities.

ƒ Participants also provided written comments, which are

presented in this summary.

ƒ The presentation included an overview of project

implementation and a discussion of service priorities.

ƒ A facilitated discussion allowed participants to provide

comments and ask questions of DC Public Library (DCPL) staff.

Attendees: Twenty-two community members added their names to the sign-in

sheets. DCPL staff participants included Ginnie Cooper, Archie
Williams, Jeff Bonvechio, Barbara Norland, Chris Wright, Martha
Saccocio, and Elissa Miller. Tosin Durotoye represented the
CirclePoint consulting team at the meeting.

Georgetown Community Library Hopes and Dreams Meeting – March 12, 2008
Summary of Public Comments
Page 1
Following introductions, Ginnie Cooper, Chief Librarian for the District of Columbia Public
Library (DCPL), introduced the renovation project and purpose of the meeting, discussed
the constraints and opportunities facing the project, and provided context for the 18
library service responses and how they were developed. The public was then given the
opportunity to discuss and identify their top service priorities using the 18 existing service
responses as a guide. The priorities represent a tally of all responses. The following were
identified as the top 3 priorities (1 is the most important):

Stimulate Imagination: Reading, Viewing, and Listening for Pleasure (1)

Create Young Readers: Early Literacy (2)

Satisfy Curiosity: Lifelong Learning (2)

Be an Informed Citizen: Local, National, and World Affairs (3)

The remaining service responses are listed in order of importance as indicated by the
participants:

Visit a Comfortable Place: Physical and Virtual Places (4)

Connect to the Online World: Public Internet Access (5)

Get Facts Fast: Ready Reference (5)

Discover Your Roots: Genealogy and Local History (6)

Know Your Community: Community Resources and Services (6)
Understand How to Find, Evaluate, and Use Information: Information Fluency (6)

Succeed in School: Homework Help (7)

Make Informed Decisions: Health, Wealth, and Other Life Choices (8)

Learn to Read and Write: Adult, Teen, and Family Literacy (9)

Celebrate Diversity: Cultural Awareness (10)

Express Creativity: Create and Share Content (10)
Make Career Choices: Job and Career Development (10)
Welcome to the United States: Services for New Immigrants (10)

The following service response was not identified as a priority by meeting participants:

Build Successful Enterprises: Business and Non-profit Support

Georgetown Community Library Hopes and Dreams Meeting – March 12, 2008
Summary of Public Comments
Page 2
Compilation of Additional Comments & Questions
• Is there enough funding to expand the library during renovation?
• Would like the renovated library to provide excellent services, resources, and
attractive space for pre-schoolers, school-aged children, and young adults.
• Need a sufficient number of computers in the library.
• Classics and newly released books should be maintained and readily available to
patrons.
• Would like to request that the Friends of the Georgetown Library be given a room
in the rebuilt library. The room would be used to process donated books used to
raise funds for the Georgetown Library.
• Would like to receive earlier notice of subsequent public meetings.
• Were most or all of the books in the library destroyed in last year’s fire?
• How many books were in the Peabody Room collection?
• Is DCPL pursuing a lawsuit against the contractor responsible for last year’s fire?
• How will DCPL use information from tonight’s meeting in renovating the library?
• Rebuilt rooms within the library should be flexible and serve several purposes.
• What is the timetable for re-opening the Georgetown Library?
• Will there be an interim library during reconstruction of the old library?
• Strongly consider turning a vacant building in the area into an interim library for
the community.
• Would like meeting notices to be sent to personal email addresses.
• Fantastic meeting. It was helpful to meet many of the DCPL staff who will be
involved with the reconstruction of the library.
• Who is the head of the budget committee concerning the renovation of the
Georgetown Library?

The Georgetown Neighborhood Library is scheduled to re-open in late 2010. The next
public meeting date is TBD.

Georgetown Community Library Hopes and Dreams Meeting – March 12, 2008
Summary of Public Comments
Page 3