Published:
DC Public Library has received a request to name the large meeting room at the Tenley-Friendship Library for Jean Pablo, who passed away in 2021. The request was submitted by members of the Friends of the Tenley-Friendship Library and the Tenleytown Historical Society.
On rare occasions, the Library receives requests to name spaces in a library building for an individual. In these cases, the Library conducts outreach to gauge the community's thoughts on the request. Authority to name spaces in libraries lies with the DC Public Library Board of Library Trustees.
Community members can give feedback on the naming request by taking the short survey below. The survey will be open through September 30, 2026.
If you would like to share additional thoughts, you are welcome to submit comments to the Board of Library Trustees by emailing dcplspace.naming@dc. gov or you can attend the next Board of Library Trustees meeting on Tuesday, September 29 at 6 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and speak during the public comment portion of the meeting. Comments should be limited to 3 minutes.
Background on Jean Pablo (1932-2021)
- Jean Pablo was a strong advocate for libraries and buildings in DC for over forty years. In the early 1970s, in response to the proposed removal of the children’s room at the Tenley-Friendship Library, Ms. Pablo co-founded the Tenley Library Council, the first organization created to support a DC library, and became its first president. Eventually, under the leadership of Ms. Pablo, the Council became known as the Friends of Tenley-Friendship Library.
- Ms. Pablo also was an ardent supporter of local history and a primary organizer and founder of the Tenleytown Historical Society (www.tenleytownhistoricalsociety.org) in 1988. Under her leadership, THS completed an Historic Resources Survey of Tenleytown’s buildings in 2003.
- Ms. Pablo lived in Washington, DC her entire life, having grown up in Northeast Washington. She attended Immaculata Junior College and Dunbarton College for her undergraduate studies and earned a Ph.D. in history from Georgetown University. She served on the history faculty at Dunbarton College and Georgetown University. She was a resident of American University Park from 1960-2021.
About Library Space & Program Naming Requests
Members of the community may nominate individuals, families or mission-aligned entities to name an interior or exterior space or a library program if the nominee meets one or more of the following criteria:
- Provided extraordinary service to the Library or who otherwise merits special recognition;
- Made a significant contribution to the District of Columbia;
- Achieved a notable accomplishment while a District resident;
- Made a significant contribution to the world of libraries, reading, or literature.
Nominations will only be considered for individuals who have been deceased for at least two years. Nominations to honor family or mission-aligned entities have no such restriction.
Nominations can be submitted at any time and applicants can suggest specific spaces to be named. The Board of Library Trustees considers nominations for approval twice a year during the May and November meetings following a review process (illustrated above) and makes the ultimate decision via a vote as to whether a space will be named and determines the appropriate space to be named.