Comments on: MLK Finally Declared Historic http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2007/07/03/mlk-finally-declared-historic/ 68.3 Square Miles of D.C. News and Opinion Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:05:00 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: The Goodspeed Update » City Names Mies Library a Landmark http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2007/07/03/mlk-finally-declared-historic/comment-page-1/#comment-17381 The Goodspeed Update » City Names Mies Library a Landmark Thu, 12 Jul 2007 22:55:39 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/index.php/2007/07/03/mlk-finally-declared-historic/#comment-17381 [...] news stories: > CityPaper City Desk Blog: “MLK Finally Declared Historic” > Christian Science Monitor: “A new endangered species: Modern [...] [...] news stories: > CityPaper City Desk Blog: “MLK Finally Declared Historic” > Christian Science Monitor: “A new endangered species: Modern [...]

]]> By: Carmen Vázquez http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2007/07/03/mlk-finally-declared-historic/comment-page-1/#comment-16212 Carmen Vázquez Sat, 07 Jul 2007 11:38:10 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/index.php/2007/07/03/mlk-finally-declared-historic/#comment-16212 As a school librarian visiting DC during the last week of June, I needed to get some information and walking next to the libray decided to check it over there. I believe as I could see, that the library served not only it's patrons but many travelers like me. Is in a good location, but I feel that a Library who bears the name of Martin Luther King Jr. in the DC area deserves not only a legal protection against demolition but more financial assignation from the government and the private sector to keep the building giving a good or excelent service to the comunnity. As a school librarian visiting DC during the last week of June, I needed to get some information and walking next to the libray decided to check it over there. I believe as I could see, that the library served not only it's patrons but many travelers like me. Is in a good location, but I feel that a Library who bears the name of Martin Luther King Jr. in the DC area deserves not only a legal protection against demolition but more financial assignation from the government and the private sector to keep the building giving a good or excelent service to the comunnity.

]]> By: librariansgonewild http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2007/07/03/mlk-finally-declared-historic/comment-page-1/#comment-16031 librariansgonewild Thu, 05 Jul 2007 21:03:31 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/index.php/2007/07/03/mlk-finally-declared-historic/#comment-16031 Yeah, I was afraid something like this would happen. I work at a law firm library at Metro Center and occasionally use the main branch for their general reference collection, which is much better than ours. Between the gigantic unused waste of space that is the atrium, the gigantic trash cans collecting dripping water in the darkened stairwells, and the electric fans wheezing to support the inadequate ventilation system, I don't think I've ever seen such a poor environment for patrons, employees or books. I was in Pittsburgh, one of the more economically depressed cities in the area, and their main branch was such a show stopper. It made me sad for the residents of DC, myself included, that we are forced to settle for such inadequate and substandard facilities. Preserve the building, fine, but build us another library please! W.W.M.L.K.Jr.D? I can't say for sure but I would like to imagine that he'd advocate for us to have a decent library. Let's design one that will suit the needs of our residents, our librarians, and our collection that Dr. King would be proud to have his name on. Yeah, I was afraid something like this would happen. I work at a law firm library at Metro Center and occasionally use the main branch for their general reference collection, which is much better than ours. Between the gigantic unused waste of space that is the atrium, the gigantic trash cans collecting dripping water in the darkened stairwells, and the electric fans wheezing to support the inadequate ventilation system, I don't think I've ever seen such a poor environment for patrons, employees or books. I was in Pittsburgh, one of the more economically depressed cities in the area, and their main branch was such a show stopper. It made me sad for the residents of DC, myself included, that we are forced to settle for such inadequate and substandard facilities.

Preserve the building, fine, but build us another library please! W.W.M.L.K.Jr.D? I can't say for sure but I would like to imagine that he'd advocate for us to have a decent library. Let's design one that will suit the needs of our residents, our librarians, and our collection that Dr. King would be proud to have his name on.

]]> By: Joe Strummer http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2007/07/03/mlk-finally-declared-historic/comment-page-1/#comment-16030 Joe Strummer Thu, 05 Jul 2007 20:30:21 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/index.php/2007/07/03/mlk-finally-declared-historic/#comment-16030 Ugh... That's a major blow to those who know anything about the current best practices in urban library architecture and operations. While that building may be historically significant, it is also probably the worst big city main branch in the entire country. The historical designation makes it impossible to recreate it as an egaging 21st-century public library space. Ms. Cooper is certainly doing all she can, but trying to upgrade the place is basically a waste of time and money. Can we please sell the building to the Smithsonian and move on with building something that actually works? Ugh... That's a major blow to those who know anything about the current best practices in urban library architecture and operations. While that building may be historically significant, it is also probably the worst big city main branch in the entire country. The historical designation makes it impossible to recreate it as an egaging 21st-century public library space. Ms. Cooper is certainly doing all she can, but trying to upgrade the place is basically a waste of time and money. Can we please sell the building to the Smithsonian and move on with building something that actually works?

]]>