It’s been nearly twenty-five years since Washington Post reporter Marc Fisher detailed the dire degradation of DC Public Library buildings, inspiring Ralph Nader to galvanize Library Friends throughout DC to demand change. It became known as The Library Transformation. And Nader’s Library Renaissance Project helped lead the way over the years. Library patrons now enjoy twenty-four publicly-funded, award-winning, new buildings and renovations, with several more underway. Earlier this week, national recognition arrived from the Institute of Museums and Library Services.
https://www.dclibrary.org/news/your-library-winner
To be sure, there were missteps and even battles along the way (mostly over privatization), a couple still ongoing and not insignificant, but library lovers across the nation will take heart at how citizens organizing can preserve and expand government services the public deems essential.
Congratulations DCPL and citizens of DC.