Southwest Library Construction Updates

The Southwest Library closed permanently on Saturday, June 1 in preparation for construction. Construction on the new Southwest Library, at 900 Wesley Pl. SW, has begun. The project is fully funded at $18 million.

The DC Public Library is working with Perkins+Will and Turner Construction as the design/build team for the new Southwest Library.

Interim Services

The Southwest Interim Library is located at 425 M Street SW.

Interim Programming:

• Mondays 10:30 a.m. - Story Time at Politics and Prose at The Wharf.
• Mondays 4:30 p.m. -  Arty Afternoons at 425 M St. SW.
• Wednesdays 6:30 p.m. - Pajama Story Time at 425 M St. SW.
• Fridays 10:30 a.m. - Toddler Time at 425 M. St. SW.
• By Appointment - ​Tech and Job Seekers Help at 425 M St. SW.

Holds and Check Outs

The pickup location for items placed on hold will now be the interim library at 425 M Street SW. 
Items may be returned to any DC Public Library location or to the book drop at the Southwest Interim Library.

New Library Will Feature:

• Environmentally sustainable design with solar panels and a green roof
• More public space
• Lots of natural light
• A variety of seating options and spaces for reading 
• Meeting room for 100+ people
• 3 conference rooms for 12 - 20 people
• 4 study rooms for 1- 4 people
• Separate areas for children, teens, and adults
• Innovation Lab with 3-D printers
• Outdoor porch

The new library will be a much needed addition to the Southwest community. It will be a place to read a book, meet with friends and host community gatherings. The modern design of the library blends seamlessly with the mid-century modern architecture for which the neighborhood is known.

Community Engagement

Community engagement is a vital aspect of the design process for a new library. The library hosted the following series of community meetings throughout the design process.

The Library hosted the final community meeting on Sept. 27, 2018 to share the designs, including exterior renderings and preliminary interior images.
View the meeting presentation. 
View the community comments.

The Library hosted a community meeting on Feb. 27, 2018 to share the design as it was progressing.
View the presentation from the meeting on February 27, 2018
View the community comments from the meeting on February 27, 2018

The Library hosted a community meeting on Dec 14, 2017
View the presentation from the meeting on December 14, 2017
View the community comments from the meeting on December 14, 2017 

The Library hosted a community meeting on Sept. 26, 2017.
The design team shared initial ideas and gathered community feedback.
View the presentation from the meeting on September 26, 2017
View the community comments from the meeting on September 26, 2017

The Library hosted the first community meeting on July 1, 2017.
Residents had the opportunity to meet the design team, learn about the project schedule and share ideas.
View the presentation from the meeting on July 11, 2017

Visioning Exercises

The design team conducted visioning exercises with the community and staff to gather ideas and inspiration for what they would like to see in their new library. See a compilation of the ideas.
Community Visioning Exercise
Staff Visioning Exercise

Focus Groups

The library hosted a series of focus groups.
Adult Focus Groups
Parent Focus Groups
Senior Focus Group

Choosing the Design Team

The Library has selected Perkins+Will and Turner Construction as the design/build team for the new Southwest library.  Read more about the selection process here. The building will be designed to achieve LEED Gold certification for environmental design, integrating energy and water conservation strategies and environmentally responsive materials, sourced regionally.

Contact Us

Sign up to get periodic email updates on the project.

If you have questions about the project, you may contact either of the individuals below.

Martha Saccocio, martha.saccocio@dc.gov or 202-727-1188