Service Alert

The Petworth Library is closed for HVAC repairs. It will reopen on Thursday, July 10. The Northeast Library is closed today, Wednesday, July 9, due to high temperatures in the building. The Takoma Park library is closed today, Wednesday, July 9, due to a facilities issue.

Our City, Our Stories

Connect with your community through Our City, Our Stories! This series brings together residents and experts to explore the issues that matter most to D.C. Learn how you can make a difference in your city, from understanding the political landscape to celebrating the diverse voices that make the living in the District unique. Join us for engaging programs, check out recommended reads and check out community resources that inform, inspire, and connect all with your DC Public Library card.

Upcoming Events by Type

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Kid's Clothing Swap

Kid's Clothing Swap

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - Central Library
Birth - 55 - 12 Years OldAdults

Books for Kids

Your Voice Your Vote

Your Voice, Your Vote

Leah Henderson

Grace Goes to Washington

Grace Goes to Washington

Kelly DiPucchio

Trusty Town Hall

Trusty Town Hall: A Community Helpers Book

Lindsay Ward

When You Grow Up To Vote

When You Grow Up to Vote

Eleanor Roosevelt

The Constitution Decoded

The Constitution Decoded

Katie Kennedy

Books for Teens

You Call This Democracy?

You Call This Democracy?

Elizabeth Rusch

Drawing the Vote

Drawing the Vote

Tommy Jenkins

One Person No Vote

One Person, No Vote

Carol Anderson

Raise Your Voice

Raise Your Voice

Jeffrey Kluger

Unequal - A Story of America

Unequal: A Story of America

Michael Eric Dyson

Books For Adults

The NAACP in DC book cover

The NAACP in Washington D.C.: From Jim Crow to Home Rule

Derek Gray

Washington DC Protests: Scenes from Home rule to the Civil Rights Movement

Washington D.C. Protests: Scenes from Home Rule to the Civil Rights Movement

Mark S. Greek

Jim Crow Capital Book Cover

Jim Crow Capital

Mary-Elizabeth B. Murphy

When the Smoke Cleared

When the Smoke Cleared: The 1968 Rebellions and the Unfinished Battle for Civil Rights in the Nation's Capital

Kyla Sommers

Chocolate City

Chocolate City: A History of Race and Democracy in the Nation's Capital

Chris Myers Asch and Derek Musgrove

Get Involved in Your Community

Register to Vote

As an official voter registration agency, District residents can visit any DC Public Library location and request to register to vote without applying for a new library card or being an existing customer.

Volunteer Your Time and Talent

The Library offers regular and periodic volunteer opportunities for individuals ages 14 and up. Whether you’re new in town, a long-time resident, a college student or library professional, there are opportunities for you to make a difference in your community!

Find Your ANC

Find out what ANC (Advisory Neighborhood Commission) represents your neighborhood, find upcoming community meetings and learn about current issues that might impact you and your neighbors.

Learn About DC Council

Get to know the central and chief policy-making body for the District of Columbia. The Council’s central role as a legislative body is to make laws. However, its responsibilities also include oversight of multiple agencies, commissions, boards, and other instruments of District government.

Clean Up Your Neighborhood

Every month, you'll find the District Cleanups #CleanupCrew somewhere in the D.C. area cleaning up parks, neighborhoods, streets - you name it. They tackle trash and aim to leave things a little better than they found them.

Access Government Documents

The District of Columbia Public Library acts as a Federal Depository Library. Depository libraries serve the public every day by providing free access to a wealth of U.S. Government digital information products.

Stream Past Our Cities, Our Stories Events

Related Exhibitions

Up from the People

Up from the People

Explore Up from the People: Protest and Change in D.C., the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library’s permanent exhibit. It is located outside The

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