Here Are the Latest Design Concepts for SE Library

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Councilmember Charles Allen – who joined the virtual meeting – said he had had a preview of the presentation, and had found it “phenomenal” and “stimulating – filled with space and light”, adding “I think you’ll be super excited to see where we’ve landed.”

Here Are the Latest Design Concepts for SE Library

by Larry Janezich

Posted May 6, 2021

On Wednesday night, DC Public Library held a virtual community meeting on the $23 million renovation of the Southeast Library, and Quinn Evans Architects gave Capitol Hill residents a look at the latest schematics for the plan. Representatives of Quinn Evans took attendees through a PowerPoint presentation. 

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The Upper Floor Plan: Here is adult collection, the media collection, a study room, and a staff workroom.  The floor will be accessed through the original 7^th Street entrance and the west stairwell/elevators via a new entrance on South Carolina Avenue.

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Here’s a rendition of the Upper Floor looking toward the 7^th Street entrance, showing the skylight and the light well.  Furniture is notional and may not reflect what will finally be placed. 

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The Ground Floor Plan will feature a large meeting room, a study, a conference room, community computing, holds and new books, a circulation work room and storage.  Friends of Southeast Library will have a storage room here to hold books donated for book sales.    

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Here’s a rendition of what the Ground Floor will look like from the 7^th Street side conference room looking to the west end of the library.  The “goldenrod” painted stairwell and elevators will permit access at the west end of the library, again via the new South Carolina entrance.  Access is also permitted via interior stairwell descending from the main 7^th Street entrance.   

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The below grade Lower Floor Plan includes:  the elementary collection, spaces for programs and activities, the picture book collection, the early learning collection, and the teen collection.  It also has staff rooms and the manager’s office.  Natural light from the light well will be supplemented by a skylight running the length of the building over the underground extension of the below grade floor on the library’s south side.  This level will be accessed directly from the  new entrance on South Carolina. 

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Here’s a rendition of the Lower Level showing the underground southern extension lit by its own skylight as well as the central light well. 

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And here’s a rendition of the new entrance from South Carolina Avenue.

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Designers say the renovation will provide:

• 25% more meeting/conference spaces
• Almost 50% more computer space
• Double the space for adult seating
• 3 times the space for children and families
• Collaboration opportunities
• 3 bookable group rooms
• Ground floor meeting story hour space
• Entry level access for children’s programs
• Age specific active learning spaces
• Nine fold increase in children’s seating
• Children’s collection increased more than 50%

The current library is closing at the end of 2022 and the renovated library will reopen in the spring of 2024.