In the News: The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library Reopening
Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, 10:47 a.m.News Releases
In the News: The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library Reopening
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library reopened on September 24 after undergoing a complete modernization. The transformed flagship library now features:
Check it out: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library's overhauled flagship set for fall reopening
The Washington Times
3/6/2020
Libraries are long past the age when they were just a place to check out books.
Press Release: Library to Transition Interim Locations, Shift Schedule for Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library Reopening
TheDCLine.org
3/10/2020
In preparation for the reopening of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in the fall, today the D.C. Public Library announced the schedule to begin moving services back to the District’s central library.
Mostly Virtual Arts Round Up, June 18, 2020
The Georgetowner
6/17/2020
This free online Spotlight on Design program on June 24 at 9 a.m. focuses on the nearly completed transformation of D.C.’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, which opened in 1972. Participating in this prerecorded event: D.C. Public Library Executive Director Richard Reyes-Gavilan; Francine Houben, founding partner/creative director of Mecanoo Architecten; and Gary Martinez, FAIA, partner at OTJ Architects.
America’s libraries are essential now — and this beautifully renovated one in Washington gives us hope
The Washington Post
7/6/2020
If you want to understand the abject failure of America, look to its libraries.
MLK Library will reopen in September, giving D.C. a renewed central hub
The Washington Post
7/13/2020
One million books. Vast rows of public computers. Six stories of D.C. history, movies and games, art supplies and power tools and music, all of it free to browse and borrow.
DC's MLK Public Library Boasts New Renovations And Artwork
WAMU
7/20/2020
The imposing black cube that is D.C.’s central public library is scheduled to reopen to the public on Sept. 24, after a three-and-a-half-year, $211 million renovation.
The MLK Library Will Reopen This Fall With Recording Studios, A Slide, And Rooftop Views
DCist
7/23/2020
The imposing black cube that is D.C.’s central public library is scheduled to reopen to the public on Sept. 24, after a three-and-a-half-year, $211 million renovation
A New Chapter At D.C.'s Public Library
WAMU
7/23/2020
The D.C. Public Library has completed a three-and-a-half-year, $211 million renovation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, and the critics are loving it. The main branch boasts dramatic art, winding staircases and a rooftop garden. There’s even a slide in the children’s reading room.
Here's a look inside the newly renovated MLK Library
WUSA
7/23/2020
The wait is almost over. D.C.’s Central Library, which is named after Martin Luther King, Jr., is less than two months away from reopening after a three-year renovation. One of the big highlights is a rooftop reading garden for visitors. We got a sneak peek at what’s to come.
Peek Inside D.C.'s Newly Renovated MLK Library
NPR
7/24/2020
The imposing black cube that is D.C.'s central public library is scheduled to reopen to the public on Sept. 24, after a three-and-a-half-year, $211 million renovation.
PHOTOS: Look Inside the MLK Library’s $211 Million Renovation
Washingtonian
7/29/2020
Books aren’t the only thing that will be worth checking out when the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library reopens on September 24. After three-and-a-half years of renovations—to the tune of $211 million—the crown jewel of the DC Public Library system will feature recording studios, rooftop gardens, and a kids’ slide. Before the pandemic, the library predicted up to one million visitors a year, says Richard Reyes-Gavilan, the executive director of DC Public Library.
Here's a Look Inside DC's Renovated Mail Library
NBC4 Washington
8/6/2020
There's space for emerging technologies, a tool library, a cafe, a children’s room with a slide, and a grand reading room with artwork hanging from above
Sneak Peek of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library” Reopening September 24th!!
PoPville
8/17/2020
After a three-and-a-half-year renovation, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library will reopen on Sept. 24, 2020.
City Lights: Get on the Mend with DCPL or Go to Carol Barsha’s Meadow or Go to Carol Barsha’s Meadow
Washington City Paper
9/3/2020
The DC Public Library's virtual mending club will help you save the pants you've been wearing all quarantine.
MLK Library in D.C. reopens after $211 million renovation project
Washington Blade
9/7/2020
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Thursday cut a ceremonial ribbon to celebrate the reopening of the city’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library following a three-year, $211 million modernization project.
How libraries are writing a new chapter during the pandemic
National Geographic
9/22/2020
Libraries today not only provide free access to books, they also serve as contemporary community centers with shelter from the elements, accessible loos, and—usually—free Wi-Fi. “You don’t have to be a book lover or a reader to enjoy libraries today,” says Richard Reyes-Gavilan, the executive director of Washington, D.C.’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library, which reopens September 24 after a three-year, $211 million renovation.
Six ways to get to know D.C.’s beautifully renovated MLK Library — from a distance
Washington Post
9/22/2020
Richard Reyes-Gavilan, the director of D.C.’s public libraries, has spent the past 25 years combating what he considers an obsolete notion. Libraries aren’t just quiet sanctuaries for visitors to tiptoe around as they check out books, he says. They’re for fun, and for joyous moments, and for community gatherings. They’re for zipping down the glorious, giant slide instead of taking the stairs.
Long-Awaited MLK Library Reopens With A Special Events Series
DCist
9/24/2020
Bookworms, behold: D.C.’s central library reopened its doors Thursday after a three-and-a-half year, $211 million modernization.
Press Release: Mayor Bowser Cuts Ribbon on New Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
The DC Line
9/24/2020
Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and District leaders celebrated the completion of the three-year, $211 million Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library modernization. In 2016, Mayor Bowser accelerated the project funding by two years to allow for a 2020 reopening. Ultimately, the project, delivered on time and on budget, took a total of just more than six years.
DC unveils renovated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Public Library
WDVM 25
9/24/2020
The District of Columbia Mayor and several D.C. Council members gathered on Thursday to officially reopen the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library.
A sneak peek at the brand new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library
WUSA9
9/24/2020
Librarians find creative ways to serve kids when buildings are closed for browsing
Washington Post
9/25/2020
Librarians across the country are thinking creatively about how to connect with kids when it’s not possible for students to go to the library.
Mecanoo Respectfully Revises Mies van der Rohe’s MLK Library
Architectural Record
9/28/2020
Reopening last week after a three-and-a-half-year renovation, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library once again has a dignity befitting the Washington, D.C. library system’s centerpiece building. The thoughtful reconfigurations and recalibrations, by Dutch firm Mecanoo and local practice OTJ Architects, hew to Modernist principles of the Ludwig Mies van der Rohe original, while gently layering in a softer, more humanistic touch.
DC history at your fingertips at the DC Public Library
WUSA
9/29/2020
Learn at the Labs at The DC Library
WUSA
9/30/2020
- a spectacular new, vibrant and transparent entryway
- sculptured monumental staircase
- a large auditorium and conference center
- creative spaces for fabrication, music production and art creation
- ground level café with patio
- double-height reading room
- newly designed special collections space
- a roof top terrace
Check it out: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library's overhauled flagship set for fall reopening
The Washington Times
3/6/2020
Libraries are long past the age when they were just a place to check out books.
Press Release: Library to Transition Interim Locations, Shift Schedule for Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library Reopening
TheDCLine.org
3/10/2020
In preparation for the reopening of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in the fall, today the D.C. Public Library announced the schedule to begin moving services back to the District’s central library.
Mostly Virtual Arts Round Up, June 18, 2020
The Georgetowner
6/17/2020
This free online Spotlight on Design program on June 24 at 9 a.m. focuses on the nearly completed transformation of D.C.’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, which opened in 1972. Participating in this prerecorded event: D.C. Public Library Executive Director Richard Reyes-Gavilan; Francine Houben, founding partner/creative director of Mecanoo Architecten; and Gary Martinez, FAIA, partner at OTJ Architects.
America’s libraries are essential now — and this beautifully renovated one in Washington gives us hope
The Washington Post
7/6/2020
If you want to understand the abject failure of America, look to its libraries.
MLK Library will reopen in September, giving D.C. a renewed central hub
The Washington Post
7/13/2020
One million books. Vast rows of public computers. Six stories of D.C. history, movies and games, art supplies and power tools and music, all of it free to browse and borrow.
DC's MLK Public Library Boasts New Renovations And Artwork
WAMU
7/20/2020
The imposing black cube that is D.C.’s central public library is scheduled to reopen to the public on Sept. 24, after a three-and-a-half-year, $211 million renovation.
The MLK Library Will Reopen This Fall With Recording Studios, A Slide, And Rooftop Views
DCist
7/23/2020
The imposing black cube that is D.C.’s central public library is scheduled to reopen to the public on Sept. 24, after a three-and-a-half-year, $211 million renovation
A New Chapter At D.C.'s Public Library
WAMU
7/23/2020
The D.C. Public Library has completed a three-and-a-half-year, $211 million renovation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, and the critics are loving it. The main branch boasts dramatic art, winding staircases and a rooftop garden. There’s even a slide in the children’s reading room.
Here's a look inside the newly renovated MLK Library
WUSA
7/23/2020
The wait is almost over. D.C.’s Central Library, which is named after Martin Luther King, Jr., is less than two months away from reopening after a three-year renovation. One of the big highlights is a rooftop reading garden for visitors. We got a sneak peek at what’s to come.
Peek Inside D.C.'s Newly Renovated MLK Library
NPR
7/24/2020
The imposing black cube that is D.C.'s central public library is scheduled to reopen to the public on Sept. 24, after a three-and-a-half-year, $211 million renovation.
PHOTOS: Look Inside the MLK Library’s $211 Million Renovation
Washingtonian
7/29/2020
Books aren’t the only thing that will be worth checking out when the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library reopens on September 24. After three-and-a-half years of renovations—to the tune of $211 million—the crown jewel of the DC Public Library system will feature recording studios, rooftop gardens, and a kids’ slide. Before the pandemic, the library predicted up to one million visitors a year, says Richard Reyes-Gavilan, the executive director of DC Public Library.
Here's a Look Inside DC's Renovated Mail Library
NBC4 Washington
8/6/2020
There's space for emerging technologies, a tool library, a cafe, a children’s room with a slide, and a grand reading room with artwork hanging from above
Sneak Peek of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library” Reopening September 24th!!
PoPville
8/17/2020
After a three-and-a-half-year renovation, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library will reopen on Sept. 24, 2020.
City Lights: Get on the Mend with DCPL or Go to Carol Barsha’s Meadow or Go to Carol Barsha’s Meadow
Washington City Paper
9/3/2020
The DC Public Library's virtual mending club will help you save the pants you've been wearing all quarantine.
MLK Library in D.C. reopens after $211 million renovation project
Washington Blade
9/7/2020
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Thursday cut a ceremonial ribbon to celebrate the reopening of the city’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library following a three-year, $211 million modernization project.
How libraries are writing a new chapter during the pandemic
National Geographic
9/22/2020
Libraries today not only provide free access to books, they also serve as contemporary community centers with shelter from the elements, accessible loos, and—usually—free Wi-Fi. “You don’t have to be a book lover or a reader to enjoy libraries today,” says Richard Reyes-Gavilan, the executive director of Washington, D.C.’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library, which reopens September 24 after a three-year, $211 million renovation.
Six ways to get to know D.C.’s beautifully renovated MLK Library — from a distance
Washington Post
9/22/2020
Richard Reyes-Gavilan, the director of D.C.’s public libraries, has spent the past 25 years combating what he considers an obsolete notion. Libraries aren’t just quiet sanctuaries for visitors to tiptoe around as they check out books, he says. They’re for fun, and for joyous moments, and for community gatherings. They’re for zipping down the glorious, giant slide instead of taking the stairs.
Long-Awaited MLK Library Reopens With A Special Events Series
DCist
9/24/2020
Bookworms, behold: D.C.’s central library reopened its doors Thursday after a three-and-a-half year, $211 million modernization.
Press Release: Mayor Bowser Cuts Ribbon on New Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
The DC Line
9/24/2020
Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and District leaders celebrated the completion of the three-year, $211 million Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library modernization. In 2016, Mayor Bowser accelerated the project funding by two years to allow for a 2020 reopening. Ultimately, the project, delivered on time and on budget, took a total of just more than six years.
DC unveils renovated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Public Library
WDVM 25
9/24/2020
The District of Columbia Mayor and several D.C. Council members gathered on Thursday to officially reopen the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library.
A sneak peek at the brand new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library
WUSA9
9/24/2020
Librarians find creative ways to serve kids when buildings are closed for browsing
Washington Post
9/25/2020
Librarians across the country are thinking creatively about how to connect with kids when it’s not possible for students to go to the library.
Mecanoo Respectfully Revises Mies van der Rohe’s MLK Library
Architectural Record
9/28/2020
Reopening last week after a three-and-a-half-year renovation, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library once again has a dignity befitting the Washington, D.C. library system’s centerpiece building. The thoughtful reconfigurations and recalibrations, by Dutch firm Mecanoo and local practice OTJ Architects, hew to Modernist principles of the Ludwig Mies van der Rohe original, while gently layering in a softer, more humanistic touch.
DC history at your fingertips at the DC Public Library
WUSA
9/29/2020
Learn at the Labs at The DC Library
WUSA
9/30/2020