Library

“Open Stories: Poetry, Murals, and Monuments is a living exhibition where participants will experience Shaw’s vibrancy and culture”

By Prince Of Petworth

shaw library
1630 7th Street, NW

From a press release:

“Open Stories: Poetry, Murals, and Monuments
Saturday, June 18, 2016, 1:30 p.m.

Open Stories: Poetry, Murals, and Monuments is a living exhibition where participants will experience Shaw’s vibrancy and culture through its murals, monuments and the spoken word of D.C. area poets Rebecca Dupas, Regie Cabico, Joseph LMS Green, and Jennifer Rae.

This participatory walking tour will take place on Saturday, June 18, 2016 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. It will begin at the Shaw (Watha T. Daniel) Library (1630 7th Street NW) at 1:30 p.m. and continue through locations such as the D.C. Alley Museum, Carter G. Woodson Memorial Park, Capital Pool Checkers Club and Ellington Plaza. There will be a break halfway through the tour where refreshments will be served. RSVP to attend the walking tour on Eventbrite. (more…)

“Burritos for Books!” Tuesday at Chipotle

By Prince Of Petworth

chipotle

From an email:

“On June 7th from 11am to 10pm, the public is invited to dine at any DC Chipotle restaurant and help fundraise for the DC Public Library. Just tell the cashier you are supporting the cause, and 50% of your bill will go directly to support DCPL.”

“Making new friends can be difficult — so let the library help!”

By Prince Of Petworth

Friend-Speed-Dating-2

“Making new friends can be difficult — so let the library help!

Join the Georgetown branch of DC Public Library for this platonic spin on speed dating, designed to introduce you to a series of potential pals in a high energy, low pressure way.

Please register to participate at bit.ly/geofrienddate

Questions? Email [email protected]”

You can see all forum topics and add your own here. If you are having trouble uploading your question please email me at princeofpetworth(at)gmail Please Note this is NOT an events calendar.

It’s House History Workshop Time – Fills Up Fast

By Prince Of Petworth

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Ed. Note: Register Here.

Thanks to a reader for passing on:

“The DC Community Heritage Project House History Workshop gives community historians, of any skill or knowledge level, an overview of the DC Public Library Washingtoniana Division’s collection. Participants will learn how to research the history of their own home or any other historical property through sessions on: (more…)

“The DC Public Library has a police force?”

By Prince Of Petworth

dc_library_police

Thanks to a reader for sending. It’s been a while since we’ve spotted one but back in the day an officer commented:

“Yes seriously. I am an Officer with this agency and we do respond to calls for service just like MPD or DC Protective Services would. Alot of people don’t realize it but the library is Government property. As a result this department is staffed with government police officers, (083 series) and charged with the law enforcement responsibilities for the system. there are 30 facilities citywide owned and operated by the dcpl and with all the crime in the city it spills over into these buildings, ( government property) daily. All types of incidents occur from thefts, assults, destruction of property, etc. And yes the library is safe because of us. This department has done alot and will continue to do so. Also we are the same job series and have the same duties and mission as DC Protective Services- protect government property, staff, an the public. We just wear a different uniform. Any other questions please feel free to twitter DCLIBRARYPOLICE.”

Ed. Note: @DCLIBRARYPOLICE appears to be inactive.

Though in all seriousness – sounds like they’d be welcomed here.

Film: Grrrl Love and Revolution: Riot Grrrl New York City – Mount Pleasant Library this Thursday

By Prince Of Petworth

Who Are They RG NYC Poster_3
via DCPL

Thanks to a reader for passing on:

“Grrrl Love and Revolution: Riot Grrrl New York City
This film is showing at Mt. Pleasant Library Thursday [3160 16th St. NW], March 31st at 7:00 p.m.

Mt. Pleasant filmmaker Abby Moser spent most of the 1990s documenting the feminist punk movement Riot Grrrl in NYC. The film that came out of this footage and her own participation in the movement, “Grrrl Love and Revolution: Riot Grrrl NYC”, premiered at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC (2011). The video traces its roots to the Olympia, Washington and Washington DC punk scenes, to radical feminism and the lesbian and gay rights movements of the 70s and 80s, and to early women punk rockers.”

“Muslim women reclaim safe space at Shaw Library” Saturday 2pm

By Prince Of Petworth

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From Collective Action for Safe Spaces (CASS) and Muslim American Women’s Policy Forum (MAWPF):

“Collective Action for Safe Spaces (CASS) and Muslim American Women’s Policy Forum (MAWPF) invite you to join us at the Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library on Saturday, March 26th at 2pm for Women Wearing Headscarves, an event to reclaim safe public spaces for everyone, especially Muslim communities experiencing Islamophobia in the District.

On the afternoon of Wednesday, March 23rd, CASS Executive Director Jessica Raven witnessed a horrifying act of discrimination and abuse of power by a DC Public Library officer. The officer harassed a woman who was quietly reading in the Shaw Library and intimidated the woman with handcuffs for refusing to remove her hijab. He told the woman to remove the hijab or leave the library. (more…)

“I’m saddened that someone would feel they had to “warn” me to reconsider feeding my son in front of other children”

By Prince Of Petworth

tenley-library
4450 Wisconsin Ave, NW

Ed. Note: I’ve no doubt this incident will evoke a passionate response. I just ask that folks please be respectful in doing so. You can say what you wish without insulting the OP or the library staff. Thank you.

“Dear PoPville,

Yesterday at about 330 pm I was sitting in the children’s section of the DC Public Library Branch in Tenleytown next to a shelf of board books for small children. I was nursing my son, as I have several times before there, and reading a book as he was starting to fall asleep.

A woman, who later identified herself as a library assistant, came over to me and said she wanted to “warn” me that “adolescent boys were on their way to the library since school was getting out”, and they were “not used to seeing women breast feed and might make fun of you.” She added that I might want to consider this while I was breastfeeding my son in the library.

I was completely stunned. I remained seated, and continued to nurse my son. I stated that I had the right to feed him in the library, and said I was shocked by these unsolicited comments, and would be posting about this online. She said “Why would you want to do a thing like that?” and began to raise her voice. She stated she would have to file “an incident report”. I asked for her name, and she thrust her identity card out and said her name, and then said “You can even talk to my supervisor, but she’s not here today. Why don’t you just take this to the Director of the Library?” I stated that I had a right to breastfeed in the library and that this was feeling very confrontational. She began to raise her voice, and repeatedly said “this is not a confrontation” and “I never said you can’t breastfeed here.”

I’m saddened that someone would feel they had to “warn” me to reconsider feeding my son in front of other children. I continued to feed my son and remained with him asleep in my arms at the library for another 30 minutes. Many kids, families, and yes – adolescents! came by, and not one person said a word.

There are several things that are confusing to me about her “concern”: (more…)

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