FY17 PERFORMANCE PLAN - DRAFT

Agency Mission
The District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL) supports children, teens and adults with
services and materials that promote reading, success in school, lifelong learning and
personal growth.
Summary of Services
The District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL) is a dynamic source of information,
programs, books and other library materials and services that improve the quality of life
for District residents of all ages that, when combined with expert staff, helps build a
thriving city. The Library provides environments that invite reading, community
conversation, creative inspiration and exploration, lectures, films, computer access and
use, workforce and economic development, story times for children and much more. DC
Public Library includes a central library and 25 neighborhood libraries and also provides
services in non-traditional settings outside of the library buildings. DCPL enriches and
nourishes the lives and minds of all DC residents, provides them with the services and
tools needed to transform lives, and builds and supports community throughout the
District of Columbia.
Objective: Provide services and programs that build and cultivate literacy and a
love of reading.
Initiative: Expand STAR (Sing, Talk and Read) to register all eligible
children in at-risk communities in Books from Birth.
In FY16, DCPL launched the Books from Birth program to provide every District
child under the age of five with a free book every month. In FY17, the DCPL
STAR team will develop a comprehensive strategy for further developing the
Books from Birth program. Development and initial implementation will begin in
FY17 and will continue for several years until all eligible children are registered in
the program. Additional program elements may include partnerships with DC
agencies and measuring impact of the program.
Completion date: September 30, 2017
Initiative: Create a shared technical services department with public
schools.
In order to improve operational efficiencies across DC government agencies,
strengthen library and school collaboration and increase students access to
library materials, DCPL will work with public schools to create a shared technical
services department. In FY17, DCPL will work with DCPS to select and acquire
school-owned library collections for school libraries using DCPS funding. In
addition we will explore possible additional services which may be added in
Document #9D.1
Board of Library Trustees Meeting
September 28, 2016

subsequent fiscal years. These additional services may include collaborating on

acquisitions with participating public charter schools, distribution of DCPL
materials for use in classrooms, and shared collections and distribution
operations. Completion date: September 30, 2017
Objective: Strengthen communities through services, programs, outreach and
increased utilization of the Librarys physical campus.
Initiative: Create a Department of Inclusion and Outreach.
In FY17, DCPL will expand upon its commitment to outreach by launching a
Department of Inclusion and Outreach. We will expand customer access to the
library and its resources through regularly scheduled visits to residents who dont
or cannot visit their neighborhood library. We will develop mechanisms for
measuring impact and the effort will include partnering with other District
agencies and non-profits to maximize effectiveness.
Completion Date: September 30, 2017
Initiative: Launch a Teen Council with representation from all eight wards
that will help guide DCPLs program offerings and increase teen
participation with the library.
Following a successful pilot in FY16, DCPL will begin to launch a Teen Council in
FY17. Participants will be branch-based and will advise DCPL on initiatives
related to teen services, including programming, new technologies, and social
media outreach. They will also be active participants in discussions on how teens
use our tech spaces and other ways in which the Library can remain relevant to
the age group. Implementation will be completed in FY18 (pending additional
resource allocations). Completion Date: September 30, 2017
Objective: Support digital citizenship through technology and internet access and
training.
Initiative: Complete a system-wide branch technology and internet
utilization and demand audit.
DCPL offers 1,000 public access computers and our publicly available wireless
access points connect a rapidly growing number of devices to the librarys
wireless network. Users are also able to print, scan, and copy documents on
publicly available devices. In FY2017, a system-wide branch technology and
internet utilization and demand audit will be conducted. Gaps between the
current offerings and community demand at every branch will be analyzed for the
purpose of right-sizing technology and internet infrastructure in all libraries.
Completion date: September 30, 2017
Initiative: Increase access to the Internet by piloting a mobile wifi (mifi)
lending program.
In order to provide District residents home access to the internet in
neighborhoods where internet adoption is the lowest, DCPL will pilot a mobile
Wi-Fi initiative in 2017. Participants will be able to check out a mobile wifi device
and a computer to use at home, allowing them to develop workforce skills, apply
Document #9D.1
Board of Library Trustees Meeting
September 28, 2016

for jobs, and complete homework outside the classroom. Participants will be
encouraged to use the librarys electronic offerings and online services. DCPL
will closely monitor and evaluate the success of the program, including both the
use of the equipment and the logistical feasibility of implementation, to determine
the potential of expanding the program in future years.
Completion Date: September 30, 2017
Objective: Connect residents to the citys past and future by providing access to,
experiences in, and support for local history and culture.
Initiative: Launch DC Oral History Project.
DCPL collects, preserves and provides access to Washington, DC community
related oral histories. While the collection continues to grow through donations, it
is limited in scope and size, thus not representing the full diversity of DC
communities and neighborhoods. In FY17, the Library will work with partners to
create the DC Oral History Project. The project will include surveying existing
oral histories housed in libraries, museums and cultural heritage organizations
throughout the city and sharing oral history collections city-wide and also to
remote users outside DC. Completion Date: September 30, 2017
Objective: Deploy a mobile makerspace focusing on outreach to DCs
underserved neighborhoods.
DCPL will pilot a mobile maker space that will expand access to science,
technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) programming across the
District, augmenting the work of The Labs at DCPL and reaching audiences
beyond the central library. Once fully launched, the truck will focus on providing
outreach to schools, participation at community events and festivals, and
partnering with organizations in DC that can help the library connect with hard-toreach audiences. Completion Date: September 30, 2017
Objective: Create and maintain a highly efficient, transparent and responsive
District government.
Initiative: Build agency data function and capacity.
DCPL collects, uses, and shares a range of data on its circulation, visitor counts,
library programs and cardholders. However, data collection and analysis is not
optimized and data is not readily or consistently available to managers, senior
staff, patrons or library stakeholders. In FY17, the Library will hire a data analyst
in order to build its capacity to utilize library and neighborhood demographic data
to measure, manage and improve its operations and ensure greater transparency
and accountability. In addition, DCPL will launch automated data dashboards to
display library utilization data by branch and system-wide. This and other data
will be analyzed to inform operations and management decisions.
Completion Date: September 30, 2017

Document #9D.1
Board of Library Trustees Meeting
September 28, 2016

Initiative: Open Martin Luther King Jr. Interim Library.

As a major component of the modernization of the Martin Luther King Jr.
Memorial Library, DCPL will locate, design, build-out and open an interim MLK
Library. The interim MLK Library will remain open for the duration of
modernization/construction of the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.
Completion Date: September 30, 2017
Initiative: Begin Renovation of Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.
Design of the modernized MLK Library will be completed. The design will feature
new and exciting spaces for adults, teens and children; a roof top terrace, new
fabrication and technology centers and new auditorium and conference center.
Construction of renovations will begin. Completion Date: September 30, 2017
Initiative: Open Cleveland Park Interim Library; begin construction of a new
neighborhood library at Cleveland Park.
Following completion of the design of the new Cleveland Park Library at the end
of FY16, demolition of the existing library will commence followed by construction
of the new library. An interim library will open in FY17 and remain open during
construction. Completion Date: September 30, 2017
Initiative: Open New West End Neighborhood Library.
The new West End Library will open in FY17. The new library will be part of a
mixed use project that features a 21,000 square foot library on two levels with
eight stories of residential housing above. The library will feature separate
spaces for adults, teens and children; a large meeting room for 100 people; two
conference rooms and five quiet study rooms.
Completion Date: September 30, 2017
Initiative: Renovate Capitol View Neighborhood Library.
DCPL will renovate the interior spaces of Capitol View Library. The renovation
will modernize and upgrade interior spaces including base-building upgrades
towards LEED Silver certification.
Completion Date: September 30, 2017
Initiative: Renovate Palisades Neighborhood Library.
DCPL will renovate the interior spaces of Palisades Library. The renovation will
modernize and upgrade interior spaces including base-building upgrades
towards LEED Silver certification. Completion Date: September 30, 2017
Initiative: Begin design for a new Southwest Neighborhood Library.
DCPL will kick-off the design phase for a new state-of-the-art 21st century library.
Completion Date: September 30, 2017

Document #9D.1
Board of Library Trustees Meeting
September 28, 2016