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Articles
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| Real progress |
VOICE writes, "During a recent press conference next to the charred Eastern Market, Mayor Adrian Fenty and Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells were flooded with questions from some reporters as to when the temporary building would be ready to house the South Hall's 14 merchants.
The reporters wanted to know why the so-called East Hall was not open by the time the city had announced it would be - the end of July. Mr. Wells correctly responded by noting that likening the city's efforts to erect a $2.6 million structure in 10 weeks and then missing the self-imposed deadline is similar to The Flash being late by a millisecond. "
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City officials can be justly criticized when they finish a job months after they have promised it to be completed. Previous administrations have failed to even start important projects by the time completion was promised. Just ask the folks whose libraries have been closed in other parts of the city.
When a major project is delayed by just a few days, criticism seems out of place. Second guessing by a few television reporters who have failed to pay attention to the Eastern Market's daily improvements since the fire seems to us to be on the ridiculous side.
Every merchant we have spoken with was delighted at the real progress that has been made.
We think the Fenty administration, Mr. Wells, as well as several Capitol Hill organizations, deserve real credit for its rapid turnaround on establishing the East Hall, which is slated for an Aug. 25 grand opening.
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At a recent listening session held by the D.C. Public Library, prospective users of the new Tenleytown branch were asked what they would like to see in the facility. In the style of marketing-oriented focus groups, they were offered choices such as "Visit a Comfortable Place: Physical and Virtual Spaces" and "Make Informed Decisions: Health, Wealth, and Other Life Choices."
Missing from the list was a specific need for a rich, deep book collection on subjects appealing to all comers.
Perhaps books are such a basic element of libraries that their inclusion goes without saying, but we fear that might not be the explanation.
As part of the recent makeover of Capitol Hill's Southeast Neighborhood Library, the newly brightened facility had fewer shelves and 8,000 fewer books.
Officials told the Washington Examiner that some of the titles were removed because of their poor condition, not a desire to reshape the collection. But they also acknowledged that their efforts to improve circulation and use of the District's libraries means an increased presence of best-sellers, self-help books and graphic novels. Many of the classics will reside solely downtown in the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.
We have no objection to the branch libraries including titles that people most want to read, and displaying them in an attractive manner -- the idea seems likely to bring more users into the libraries, and that is a good thing. But isn't exciting them about books, and providing access to quality literature, including the classics, part of the reason for working so hard to attract them?
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Posted on Dec 02, 2007 14:34pm.
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