Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - Central Library

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Emancipation Day Reads with the Washington Mystics

Celebrate the 160th Emancipation Day with thought-provoking reads and powerful author conversations.

On Saturday, Apr. 16, Washington, D.C. will observe the 160th Emancipation Day. DC Public Library is teaming up with the Washington Mystics to recommend thought-provoking reads about the history of emancipation here in Washington, D.C. and powerful author conversations that explore the ramifications of institutional racism in our society. Check them out today with your library card. History of Emancipation in Washington D.C.

Haiku Contest 2022 | Concorso De Haiku 2022

Celebrate National Poetry Month with DC Public Library

Celebrate National Poetry Month with DC Public Library! Residents ages 6 and up are invited to submit a haiku to the 2022 Haiku Contest from Apr. 1 - 30. Write a haiku about one of the following themes: ✎ Your love of books, reading or the library, ✎ Something small that gives you joy, ✎ DC in springtime, or ✎ Noticing your neighborhood. Each participating library will select a winner in the following age categories, Children (6-12), Teen (13-19) and Adult (20+). Prize-winners will take home library swag and have their poem posted in the library and on the DC Public Library's website in May! There is a limit of two entries per person. What is a Haiku? A haiku is a traditional Japanese poem made up of three lines, with 17 syllables total. Line 1 is made up of 5 syllables. Line 2 is made up of 7 syllables. Line 3 is made up of 5 syllables. Traditionally, haiku don't rhyme and use imagery from the natural world, but you can decide if you want to be creative with rhyme, images, and content.

Women's History Month Reads with the Washington Mystics

Check out autobiographies detailing the lives and careers of some of our most inspiring women athletes.

This Women's History Month, DC Public Library is teaming up with the Washington Mystics to recommend great reads that you can check out with your library card! Each month we post Read Feed entries that spotlight titles around a theme. This month we are celebrating Women's History Month by lifting up autobiographies of inspiring women athletes. Happy Reading!

Black and white photo of Millie and Christine McCoy. Photo of two young, conjoined, African-American twin girls, in 19th-Century dresses with dark fabric, white lace, and laced up boots.They are standing next to a guitar and flowers.

Understanding the Relationship of Disability and Racism in Antebellum America

Listen now on the DCPL Podcast!

Daughters of Mary Shelley

A Monthly Book Club Starting in April 2022

This will be our second series of yearlong celebrations of women authors and their influence: in 2021 we read and discussed works by Jane Austen and other writers who examined issues of family, male-female relationships, the institutions that enforce gender roles, and the ability of individuals to bend or break the rules of those institutions.

Black History Month Reads with The Washington Mystics

Check out these great picture books and chapter books for children celebrating Black athletic excellence!

This Black History Month, DC Public Library is teaming up with the Washington Mystics to recommend great reads that you can check out with your library card! Each month we post Read Feed entries that spotlight titles around a theme. February's theme is Black Athletic Excellence! We have selected some great pictures books and chapter books for children that will get them excited to move their bodies and get active. Happy Reading!

Sports and Recreation

Bling Your Baby Contest

Send holiday cheer to the entire community with your hilarious photos!

‘Tis the season of giving, and photos of your babies are number one on DC Public Libraries’ wish list (your children, your pets, your sweethearts).

Russian Literature Beyond the Classics

Perhaps you’re already familiar with (and maybe you've been put off by) Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov, and the other great 19th-century Russians. Or you want to find out what Russian writers have been writing during the past fifty years. Or maybe you simply want to read something different. This list contains a sample of works by Russian writers from recent decades; in them they examine the weight of history, the boundaries of the soul, and the oft-hidden dimensions of the world with the irony and depth of vision that we have come to associate with Russia's greatest writers.

Political Science Fiction

It’s overwhelming sometimes to be in Washington, DC; everyone’s political voices can start to ring in the ears like a cacophony. But, even with the inundation, it's often still rewarding to seek out books that portray political ideals and ideas in a subtler, even obfuscated way. If you're interested in engaging with political thought, but not necessarily the feedback loops that come with it, the below titles are well considered and may be enjoyable!

Aerosoul: Murals For Our Time

The story of the artists, and the murals that changed the face of public art in Washington, DC

In partnership with DC Murals: Spectacle and Story, DC Public Library presents AeroSoul: Murals for Our Time, which explores the deep connection between illegal graffiti of the past, and the sanctioned Street Art murals of today. The 8 ft x 66 ft exhibition is presented as eight captioned panels on the front windows of Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library. This interactive exhibit will delight youth and mural fans of all ages. The exhibition is anchored by a team that includes: