| Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library | |
|---|---|
 The library in October 2016 | |
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| 38°53′55″N77°1′29″W / 38.89861°N 77.02472°W /38.89861; -77.02472 | |
| Location | 901 G St. NW Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Type | Public library |
| Established | 1972 |
| Architects | Ludwig Mies van der Rohe,Mecanoo  |
| Branch of | District of Columbia Public Library |
| Collection | |
| Size | 1,334,479 volume |
| Other information | |
| Website | dclibrary.org/mlk |
TheMartin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (MLKML) is the central facility of theDistrict of Columbia Public Library (DCPL), constructed and named in honor of the Americancivil rights leaderMartin Luther King Jr. Its address is 901 G St. NW inDowntownWashington, D.C., with its main entrance between 9th and 10th St. on the opposite corner toGallery Place station, and theSmithsonian American Art Museum. The library is located in and around theChinatown,Mount Vernon Square, andPenn Quarter neighborhoods.[1]
The city's previous central library, in Mount Vernon Square, was donated by industrialistAndrew Carnegie and dedicated in 1903.
A 1961Booz Allen Hamilton report sponsored by the city government found that the library had become inadequate in size and technology, was located in what was now the city's "worst slum", and that "At any hour of the day or night, a collection of derelicts loaf around the Library and sleep on the curved bench in front." It called for a new library downtown, at an estimated cost of $12 million.[2]
ArchitectLudwig Mies van der Rohe designed the 400,000 square foot (37,000 m2) steel, brick, and glass structure, an example ofmodern architecture, inWashington, D.C. This library was Mies's only public library, and his only building constructed in Washington, D.C.[citation needed]
The building was completed in 1972 at a cost of $18 million. By the early 2000s, years of deferred facility maintenance had become widely apparent.[3]
On June 28, 2007, theDistrict of Columbia's Historic Preservation Review Board designated the building a historic landmark. The designation, which applies to the exterior as well as interior spaces, seeks to preserve Mies's original design while allowing the library the necessary flexibility to operate. It was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 2007.[4]
The building's lobby includes a large mural ofMartin Luther King Jr. created by artistDon Miller.
Mecanooarchitecture firm was selected to renovate the library, starting on March 4, 2017. The renovation cost $211 million, and the library reopened in 2020 after 3½ years.[5][6] The entire interior was completely redone, and included a new auditorium, dance studio, recording studios, tool library, offices, and a rooftop garden.[7][8][9]
When the library reopened, with limited services, after the renovation, theCOVID-19 pandemic was affecting the United States. The library closed again following a phased management of the pandemic. It was a center for COVID-19 testing and distribution of masks as a contribution in the city's management ofCOVID-19,[10][11] while providing some library services.
The library followsaccessibility regulations in accordance withAmericans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA):
TheWashingtoniana collection includes books, newspaper archives, maps, census records, and oral histories related to thecity's history, with 1.3 million photographs from theWashington Star newspaper and the theatrical video collections of theWashington Area Performing Arts Video Archive.[15]
The Black Studies Center was established along with the MLK Library in 1972 to collect documents related to theAfrican diaspora focusing onAfrican American culture.[15]
In the summer of 2023, the library showed 12 original drawings byLeonardo da Vinci from the 1400s and 1500s until August 20, 2023, in a free exhibit entitledImagining the future – Leonardo da Vinci: In the mind of an Italian genius.
A 291-person state-of-the art auditorium on the fifth floor is used for hosting live performances, lectures, and film screenings, including performances by theNational Museum of the United States Navy's band,[16] andWolf Trap Opera's world premiere of BORN FREE byEdward W. Hardy.[17][18][19][20]
The DC Public Library Foundation (DCPLF) received a $2.7 million donation fromJeff Bezos to support Beyond the Book, the extension of Books From Birth; one of the DC Public Library's most important and beloved literacy programs for young children. Bezos's donation was the largest ever received by the foundation.[21] It was suggested that the auditorium be named after Bezos,[22] but this was criticised by council members includingCharles Allen and D.C.'s shadow representative to CongressOye Owolewa.[23]
The terrace and gardens are on the fifth floor, surrounding the Auditorium. There is a garden with a view of a section of Chinatown and G, H and 9th streets. There are covered seating areas for use even in inclement weather.[24][25][26]
In June 2007 the DC Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) designated the building exterior, enclosure, and the interior public spaces on the ground floor as a historic landmark; it is in the DC Inventory of Historic Sites. In the same year, it was listed in theNational Register of Historic Places.[27]
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| National | |
| People | |
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