The District of Columbia Public Library was created in 1896 by an Act of Congress. It was set up as an independent agency that would serve as the “people’s university.” Congress established a Board of Library Trustees to set policy for the library to maintain that independence.
The Board of Trustees of the Library is composed of nine unpaid District residents from wards around the city, appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the D.C. City Council for a maximum of two five-year terms.
Attend a Board Meeting
Upcoming Board of Trustee Meetings
Meetings of the Board of Library Trustees are generally held on the fourth Wednesday of every other month and these meetings are open to the public. Meetings are held at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library unless noted otherwise, and are viewable on the Library's YouTube page.
2026
- July 22 at 6 p.m. - Board of Library Trustees Meeting - Virtual
To sign up for public comment, please call 202-727-1101 or email boardoflibrarytrustees@dc.gov by 5pm on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.
View the Board Meeting Documents
- September 29 at 6 p.m. - Board of Library Trustees Meeting - New Date
- November 18 at 6 p.m. - Board of Library Trustees Meeting
Upcoming Committee Meetings
-
Facilities Committee Meeting
TBD -
P3 Committee Meeting
TBD -
Finance and Budget Committee Meeting
TBD