The Anacostia Interim Library opened its doors to the public in summer 2007. Plans and designs for the Construction of the new Anacostia Neighborhood Library are underway.

History

The community of Anacostia, one of the oldest residential areas in Washington, D.C., had long been considered a primary location for a potential branch of the public library. Funding for the D.C. Library Board of Trustees was finally received in 1940. The proposed Anacostia branch would serve the primarily working-class neighborhoods of Twining City, Washington Highlands, Old Anacostia, Hillcrest, Bolling Air Force Base, the Naval Air Station, St. Elizabeths, and 10 public schools, a junior high school and two parochial schools. A site on the northeast corner of 18th Street and Good Hope Road S.E. was purchased in 1942. Construction was delayed, however, by the intervention of the war, and funds allocated to the library were redirected to the war effort.
 
A temporary branch in rented quarters at 1537 Good Hope Road S.E. was established in the interim. The rented space occupied a two-story brick building that was erected in 1938 as a store and apartment building. The temporary branch opened November 20, 1942, with a collection of 7,000 volumes and 27 periodicals. City commissioner Guy Mason and George C. Havenner of the Library's Board of Trustees spoke at the dedication. In attendance were members of the Anacostia community, including John J. Watson, president of the Anacostia Citizens Association. District librarian Clara W. Herbert garnered special appreciation from the community for her efforts in establishing the Anacostia Neighborhood Library. Special evening hours were set up at the new branch to accommodate the adult patrons of the library.

The present building, designed by D.C. Municipal Architect Merrell A. Coe, was finally constructed and opened on April 12, 1956. The Neighborhood Library was built at a cost of $284,750 by the Washington construction firm of Tuckman-Barbee. The Anacostia library was the first of six public library branches built under the D.C. Public Works Program, and became the model for several subsequent branch buildings.

Anacostia Library Neighborhood History

In the years following World War II, the area southeast of the Anacostia River grew with the construction of numerous garden apartment complexes spurred by the Federal Housing Administration's rental subsidy programs aimed at relieving congestion in the central city. During the 1940s, the area's population increased 231 percent. This increase in population was concurrent with a changing social makeup. By the time the new Anacostia Branch opened in 1956, the neighborhood was entering a new chapter in its history with the transformation of the neighborhood's population from predominantly white to predominantly black. This transformation took place between 1950 and 1970:  the white population decreased from 82.4 percent to 14 percent. One impetus for this transformation, along with the growing number of housing units, was the area's association with black history. The Barry's Farm settlement was historically associated with a post-Civil War freedmen's community. Additionally, Old Anacostia was recognized as the home of Frederick Douglass (1817-95), a prominent black leader, journalist and statesman.

The pressure of the increasing population and changing social makeup of the community began to tax the resources of the temporary neighborhood library. Local citizens became restless for improved facilities, voicing their dissatisfaction over the continued postponement of a permanent library building.

Several newspaper articles promoted by the Anacostia Citizen's Association expressed the community's desire to finalize plans for a permanent library building. One article reported that the temporary branch had "the highest circulation turnover in the city." The Anacostia Citizen's Association's library committee played an active role in supporting the library planning process.

Initial plans for the new library first appeared in The Evening Star in October 1948. A revised drawing, rendered by architect Jess Cuthriell of the D.C. Municipal Architect's office, appeared in the Star in 1950.

The library was designed by Merrell A. Coe (1897-1965), the D.C. Municipal Architect from 1946 to 1956. Coe, a native of Lincoln, NE, came to Washington after World War I. His architectural training consisted of apprenticeships with two architectural firms in the District. During his service with the District, Coe was responsible for the design of many public buildings, including some at the National Zoo and several schools.
 
The library consisted of a one-story, steel-frame, red brick-faced, modern-style building with concrete slab floors, painted interior cinder block walls, and no fixed interior partition walls. The design was purely functional, allowing for flexible use of space for public amenities, book storage and display, and for staff work space. The building was designed to eventually hold 50,000 volumes, and provided for future expansion.

Early services and community activities included continuing the Great Books reading program, establishing a senior citizens film series, and hosting the Southeast Exhibit of Washington Artists. The library also provided two soundproof booths for listening to foreign language tapes and other recordings. By 1972, the library's services had changed to accommodate new community needs, including the initiation of a Minority Enterprise Week.

The library currently houses collections specializing in basic adult education, technical publications, African-American Studies, and bestsellers. The library also holds an archival collection focused on the history of Anacostia. Services and programs offered include exercise classes, homework assistance for children and a meeting room for community gatherings. The library hosts the D.C. Court's Boys Town program for rehabilitation of abusive parents.

The Anacostia Library is supported by an active Friends group that holds fundraising events, purchases materials and equipment for the library, and supports library activities through volunteer efforts. The Fairlawn Garden Club tends the grounds surrounding the building, and the D.C. Department of Recreation is responsible for the upkeep of surrounding parcels.