Lack of Funding Limits Libraries

BY Katie Burns-Yocum

Washington D.C., libraries are in financial crisis and there is no longer adequate funding in the city budget one citizen told Mayor Adrian Fenty at the Dupont Circle Citizen’s Association monthly meting.

Despite the day of snow and ice, the March 2 meeting of the DCCA was still held at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Dupont.

“If we can’t keep them open, why are we building more?” Dupont resident, Robin Diener asked.

Diener is executive director of the D.C. Library Renaissance Project. According to the organization’s website, http://www.savedclibraries.org/, the purpose of the DC LRP is to generate support for the D.C. library system and hold it to higher standard.

The district’s libraries are facing a shortfall between capital funds, used for construction and building projects, and operational funds, used to pay salaries.

As a result, many libraries have had to shorten the number of hours they are open in the morning, when school groups visit.

Diener suggested using volunteers in the mornings so that the libraries could stay open. According to Diener, Volunteers from Friends of the Library would “lay down their lives to help the library.”

But, according to Diener, chief librarian Gennie Cooper does not want to use volunteers to fill in hours that payroll is unable to cover. This makes libraries less available to the public and gives them a harder time fulfilling their role as “partners in education.” Diener did not explain Cooper’s opposition to using volunteers.

“The libraries have no money,” said Diener, citing four libraries that closed in 2004. “We have to take action.”

Many libraries only need historical renovations to remain opened. Historical renovations entail any necessary renovations to meet safety codes, while preserving the historic structure and aesthetics of the building.

There are three libraries that require these renovations, including the Georgetown library, according to Diener. Instead these building are closed and new ones are built despite the lack of funds.

Fenty called part of this library problem a “struggle to keep funding,” meaning that the city has to take the funding allotted for libraries and use for another project, such as street repairs. At one point there was $2 million available for the district’s public libraries. He said this money is no longer available.

According to Jack Evans, Ward 2 councilmember, the city had $191 million in surplus last fiscal year. The city’s fiscal year runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1. Evans said the city will have a predicted $750 million shortfall for the next fiscal year. “We will have to tighten our belts,” he said.

According to Evans, the budget’s focus will be on the “school system, public safety, and human services,” such as Medicare and Medicaid.

On other topics, Fenty said that a seat in the House of Representatives would take the district’s ability to “barter one step further.” Currently, the district does not have representation in either house of Congress, where decisions concerning taxes are made. This would give the district a voice in the government.

Success in gaining a seat in the House will give the “opportunity and momentum to go after two senators,” said Fenty. The speed at which this possibility is moving closer to reality is “encouraging.”

Another topic that raised questions was the “rooftop robber” in Dupont Circle. Two police officers were present to address the issue and provide residents with tips to protect their homes, including advising residents to install a lock or alarm on attic windows.

Since Dec. 5, over 20 burglaries have occurred in the 1700 block between P Street and V Street. The burglar gains access through unsecured attics and skylights between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. There has been one arrest in the case, but the robberies continue.

The DCCA holds meetings the first Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in a different location in Dupont Circle. All meetings are listed on the website www.dupont-circle.org.


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