Mt. Pleasant Library Community Input Summary

Services Most Important to Residents

• Children’s services and early literacy
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  Information about community events, organizations and services
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  Lifelong learning and personal interest
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  A comfortable place to read, study, use computers and meet neighbors
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  Learning to read and write for adults, children and teens
• 
  Programs and services that promote cultural awareness and diversity
• 
  Provide books, DVDs and CDs: reading and viewing for pleasure

What Residents Value Most About the Mt. Pleasant Library

• Location and convenience
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  Friendly staff and excellent customer service
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  Programs for children
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  Free access to the Internet
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  Availability of meeting space
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  Collections: books, CDs, DVDs
• 
  Computers and free Wi-Fi

What Residents Dislike About the Mt. Pleasant Library

• Not enough computers and time limits on computer use
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  Appearance and condition of the building, particularly the lower level, meeting rooms, bathrooms and heating system
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  Access to the children’s area: stairs are very narrow
• 
  Feeling unsafe–presence of customers without homes and noisy teens
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  High noise levels, especially in children’s area
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  Customers without homes using library as a place to sleep
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  Some staff appeared to be overworked
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  Need more meeting room space
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  Need a broader collection of materials
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  Need more reading space for young people

More community input was gathered by Aviles Associates, a consultant
hired by the DC Public Library to reach Spanish-speaking residents,
community groups, and library users and non-users.
 
Aviles reached about 150 residents (children, teens, adults and
seniors) in the Mt. Pleasant, Columbia Heights and Adams Morgan
communities and the Mt. Pleasant Library staff between November 2008
and January 2009.
 
Some of Aviles’ findings mirrored what the Library learned in community meetings and surveys.  Read Aviles' full report.