THE CHIEF LIBRARIAN’S REPORT

LIBRARY NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

SEPTEMBER 22, 2010

1. DCPL LAUNCHES THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR WITH DCPS LIBRARIANS

DCPL hosted 80 DCPS librarians for their first professional day of the new school year. The
day featured seven workshops, most of which were led by DCPL staff members. Highlighted
topics were “Curriculum Resources in Washingtoniana and Black Studies,” “The Anatomy
of Graphic Novels,” “Storytelling Techniques,” and “Building a Blog for Your Library.”
Thanks go to the DC Library Association for their co-sponsorship of this event.

2. DADS AND CHOSEN DADS CELEBRATED AT WOODRIDGE LIBRARY

Woodridge Library sponsored an essay contest for young people ages 10 to 16, for which
potential participants were invited to write a one-page essay entitled “The Father in My
Life.” Contestants wrote about what their fathers and father-figures mean to them as role
models and sources of love and life lessons. At a reception at Woodridge, contest winners
read their essays to the men they wrote about, along with other family members and friends.

3. SUMMER PROGRAMS BROADENED SKILLS AND STOKED THE IMAGINATION

With the leadership of very talented invited guest hosts, creativity and concrete thinking
skills were encouraged in children and teens who attended special summer programs at
DCPL this summer:
• Children ages 9-11 learned techniques of painting and drawing during eight
workshops at Capitol View Library, thanks to the generosity of James Greggs, a
library patron. Mr. Greggs also led eight workshops to teach techniques of
photography to children ages 10-13.
• Fascination and questions were sparked at a number of libraries by the “visits” of lots
of wetland and aquatic animals—including a 5-foot long iguana.
• Making music, which builds math skills and literacy, was the motivation in several
libraries as teens learned techniques of poetic expression with background rhythms of
the West African Djembe drum, acoustic guitar, and human beat-box.

4. CHEVY CHASE LIBRARY HAS GONE TO THE DOGS!

A packed house of children and caregivers met three pet therapy dogs at Chevy Chase
Library and found out what a day in the life of a vet was like. The vet had X-rays of dogs that
had gotten themselves into trouble by eating something they shouldn’t have eaten or playing
somewhere that wasn’t wise. The lively session wrapped up with Clara, a petite German
shepherd, with astounding talent for finding hazardous material. She has been clocked at
finding five bombs in 15 seconds!

5. COMICS BROUGHT THE WEST END LIBRARY AND SAIL SCHOOL TOGETHER
Erin Bush of the West End Library took the lead in a partnership with the School for the Arts
in Learning (SAIL) Public Charter School designed to “Build Literacy Through Comics”
among the school’s most at-risk readers in grades 5-7. Weekly workshops co-led by
instructors from SAIL and youth services library associates from the West End Library

Document #8
Board of Library Trustees Meeting
September 22, 2010
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 developed reading skills, and students applied what they learned to writing and drawing
original comics. Local comic writers/artists talked with the students about how they create
comics. The program was underwritten by the DCPL’s federal LSTA grant.

6. BENNING LIBRARY’S FOCUS ON ADULTS AND YOUNG ADULTS

Health and well-being in several forms were the unifying themes of summer programs for
adults and young adults at Benning Library:
• The Office of the City Administrator held a public forum on what the District is
planning in response to President Obama’s health care initiative.
• The United Planning Organization’s Health Career Symposium brought practical
information to local residents interested in obtaining employment in the health field.
• The Rosebud Teen Girl Coaching led discussions designed to help young women
make wise choices for their lives during and after high school.
• A program called Dollars and $ense brought participants expert advice on sound
financial practices in everyday life.

7. SPECIAL RECOGNITION
• El’licia Price, a Teen of Distinction, and Rebecca Renard, the Program Coordinator,
recently made a presentation about the program at the National Diversity in Libraries
Conference at Princeton University.
• The Special Collections/Washingtoniana Division received the Partnership Award at
The Humanities Council of DC’s 30th Anniversary Showcase last night. Pam Stovall
accepted the award on behalf of the Library. The honor recognized the Division’s
contributions to scholarship and to the public life and culture of Washington, DC.
• Janice Rosen, DCPL’s Deaf Services Librarian, wrote an article, “Librarians Hear and
See the Deaf Community” that has been accepted for publication in the Association
for Specialized and Cooperative Library Agency’s newsletter, Interface.
• Mark Greek, co-chair of DCPL’s Collections Emergency Response Team, was a
presenter at the recent Annual Society of American Archivist’s Conference. Mark
described the long, systematic process needed in the wake of a major trauma. His
frontline knowledge came from his work following the Georgetown Library fire.
• The Teen Space at MLK, Jr. Memorial Library was featured on the cover of the
August 2010 Voice of Youth Advocates, a prominent teen services journal. The 3-
page, full-color description of the Teen Space highlighted services offered and details
about the planning process. Several of the article’s readers have already come in for a
first-hand look.

8. STRONG TURNOUT AT ADULT LITERACY’S OPPORTUNITIES FAIR

The objective was to offer adult learners practical information on training that is available
post-GED or high school graduation—and it was successful. Organizations that provide
job training, further education, financial literacy training, and other relevant pre-
employment services were the attraction. Approximately 123 students from 6 adult
education programs in the District visited with 28 representatives from 20 organizations.

Document #8
Board of Library Trustees Meeting
September 22, 2010
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 9. THE NEW WATHA T. DANIEL/SHAW LIBRARY IS HONORED
The Urban Land Institute has congratulated the Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library as a Top
10 noteworthy new building in the District. The Institute’s main mission is to encourage
the “smart use” of land in densely populated areas. The judges included the architecture
critic at The Washington Post, the Director of Design Excellence, GSA, the DC Office of
Planning, and a Vice-President, Washington DC Metro Area, at Monument Realty.

10. POET PRAISES CUSTOMER SERVICE AT TAKOMA PARK LIBRARY… ON HIS BLOG!
Joseph Ross, a local poet and patron at the Takoma Park Library, posted the following
entry on his blog, with the heading, “The Librarian Knows My Name”: “This week a
discovery came to me. It was a discovery that took me back to my childhood and filled
me with delight. I discovered, entirely by accident, that the librarians at my local library
know me by name… One of the librarians was searching the DC Library’s computer
system for a book on which I’d placed a ‘hold.’ At one point, she did something I
assumed would require my name and library card so I fished into my pocket and asked
her if she needed my card. She said, ‘No, Mr. Ross. I know your name. We know the
names of most of our regulars.’ I was stunned. I’m probably in the library once a week.
But frequently there are different librarians staffing this neighborhood library. My local
library is just that... I just had no idea that the local librarians would know my name.”

Document #8
Board of Library Trustees Meeting
September 22, 2010
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