Photo Essay:  Ribbon Cutting at SE Library

Photo Essay:  Ribbon Cutting at SE Library

by Larry Janezich

Posted Thursday, September 10, 2026

Thursday morning, some 150 community members turned out for the ribbon cutting, re-opening the 104 year old SE Library after a $33 million renovation. 

Mayor Bowser and stakeholders cut the ribbon to reopen S.E. Library.  Those wielding the scissors (left to right): Ward 3 CM Matthew Frumin and Ward 6 CM Charles Allen, Mayor Bowser and Friends of SE Library President Robert Pohl, and Executive Director, of the DC Public Library Richard Reyes-Gavilan.

And here’s a photo just after the cutting.

Mayor Bowser has participated in nine ribbon cuttings to reopen renovated libraries during her tenure.  All 26 DC libraries – including MKL – have had upgrades or been renovated or expanded.  Bowser said, “Some of you will remember when it used to be said that people would leave the city for all of their library and recreation needs … they would go out to the counties – they would go out to the suburbs – and now all of the suburbs come to us.  They come to our facilities … they have their parties and special events at our facilities … they do all their research in our libraries.   I am very proud that in the last 12 years that you’ve given me the privilege to be your mayor we’ve invested more than half a billion dollars in these libraries.” 

Seated behind Bowser (left to right), CM Charles Allen, CM Matt Frumin, Executive Director Reyes-Gavilan, Robert Pohl, and Shanel Anthony, Chair of the DCPL Board of Trustees’ Executive Committee. 

CM Allen was a prime mover in obtaining the funding for the renovation of SE Library.  Allen paid tribute to Mayor Bowser, saying “She’s been a great partner to put the dollars in the budget and make sure we got the renovation done.  Mayor Bowser, thank you so much.” 

Allen added, “I truly believe in the power of public spaces and our libraries are such an important part of that.  They are so much more than just the books on the shelf.  A public library is where your community comes to gather.  And we can do a lot with our public spaces … rebuilding of Metro Plaza that allows hosting Art All Night and Friday Night Jazz …  a playground that has hundreds of people coming out … a new Rumsey pool. … The power of public spaces can spark the imagination in our youngest visitors.  It’s literally what knits our fabric and community together.”

DCPL Executive Director Reyes-Gavilan also stressed the importance of public space, saying, “I want to highlight something central to DC Public Library’s work and that’s the increasing importance of the social infrastructure of …public space at a time when so much of our lives is shaped by screens, by notifications, by algorithms, by digital transactions.  People still need environments where they can be together in real life without barriers without expectations and without having to buy anything.

Libraries are truly among the last civic spaces in the United States where that is possible and this building is designed precisely for that purpose.  In carrying out DC Public Library’s new strategic plan, we frame our work around three priorities: joy, belonging, and resilience.  You can feel all three woven into this new building:  the joy comes through the openness of the architecture, the natural light, the colors, and the places designed for discovery; belonging is embedded in the building’s accessibility and in every corner where people can sit, meet, study, and simply exist alongside one another; and resilience is built through the resources and programs that (branch manager) Julia Strusienski and her team who will offer tools that strengthen the community wellbeing.”

Here’s a photo of the showing crowd size outside the new ground floor entrance to the library on South Carolina Avenue, SE.  The former historic entrance on the east side of the library remains open. 

Afterward, the crowd was invited into the library which was open for business. 

Children immediately took possession of the new space for kids on the lower level.

On the upper level – home to the historic fireplace now fully restored – there are plenty of tables and counter space with electrical outlets for use of personal computers on both sides of the library.

Each floor has two single occupancy unisex rest rooms.