From the outside,
it's the same iconic building we've
known since it first opened in 1972
but take a closer look and you'll see
that within the brick,
steel and glass is a 20th century
library
getting a well-deserved makeover. The
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
Library is reborn.
Finishing touches are being made and
this fall,
a new era begins for the District. Here's
a sneak peek of what you can expect
at the new MLK Library
A Central Library deserves a Grand
Reading Room
where residents, tourists and special
guests can explore the nearly 175,000
books,
magazines, and publications. This is our
new center for learning,
open to all and a vibrant addition to
D.C.'s public library system.
Natural light fills the Grand Reading
Room and this original
commission work by Xenobia Bailey
ensures that the room comes alive with
depth,
height, motion and color.
A new children's library will ensure
that our youngest readers
get to laugh, learn, play and explore in a
space designed with them in mind.
Whether in group settings or quiet study,
District children will leave
with a treasured experience and a desire
to return.
For local teens, their center will become
a home away from home
where they can lead and host discussions,
catch up on their homework with tutors,
or check out the latest comic book or
video game.
Best of all, it's a safe space where they
can be themselves.
This fall, the Center for Accessibility
returns to the MLK library
serving the 80,000 D.C. residents who
identify as having a disability.
Here, our visitors with disabilities will
find
a variety of traditional and emerging
technologies
which better connect them to the
resources here at the MLK Library
and online visitors can also learn
American Sign Language
and test out new adaptive technologies
before making a new purchase.
We're taking the library experience
outdoors, premiering an open-air venue on
the ground level.
Here you can enjoy breakfast, lunch or a
quick break from work
surrounded by the latest fiction and
non-fiction offerings in our new book
section.
In the months to come you may even enjoy
watching a live podcast
or pick up a souvenir from our retail
store.
This is the MLK Library Conference
Center complete with state-of-the-art
meeting rooms,
reception and exhibit areas, and our new
291 seat auditorium.
In the weeks to come, we'll share more of
this amazing center for learning.
Be sure to follow the DC Public Library
on social media
and download our app on your smart
device for updates on the MLK Junior
Memorial Library.
DC Public Library, we're here with you.
