WHEREAS:  the Tenley-Friendship Branch Public Library, located across the street from ANC 3F at Wisconsin Avenue and Albemarle Street, N.W., has long served the residents of ANC 3F, as well as others from all parts of the District of Columbia; and

WHEREAS:  the Tenley-Friendship Library provides residents multiple services free of charge, including a place to read, study, conduct research, and check out materials like books, periodical, CDs, and books on tape; story hours and special children's and adult programs; classes for school groups; computer training and the use of computers to log onto the Internet, send and receive e-mails, and use Microsoft Office Suite; public meeting rooms; organized book groups; forms and materials from government agencies; help with preparing personal income taxes; and used book sales sponsored by the Friends of the Library; and

WHEREAS:  the Tenley-Friendship Library's very visible and convenient location-- at the Tenleytown Metro stop, on several bus lines, adjacent to two schools and only a short walk from several other schools, and in the midst of several well-populated neighborhoods -- has helped make this branch, of all the branches in the D.C. Public Library (DCPL) system, the one with the highest number of people using its services and thus, a prime example of “transit-oriented development”; and

WHEREAS:  the present library building is badly in need of structural repairs and upgrades in order to continue operation, to comply with building and fire codes and the Americans with Disabilities Act, and to accommodate modern library technology; and

WHEREAS:  DCPL has determined that the Tenley-Friendship Library and three other branch libraries should be rebuilt, as part of a Master Plan to renovate all 21 branch libraries; and

WHEREAS:  on December 4, 2002, DCPL issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to design and build “state of the art” libraries at Tenley-Friendship and the three other branch libraries, and twelve bids were received by the closing date of January 31, 2003; and

WHEREAS:  in response to the community's interest in learning whether this contract could be expanded to include a mixed-use public-private partnership for the Tenley-Friendship Library, Interim Corporation Counsel Arabella Wattles Teal issued a letter on April 4, 2003, to Ward 3 Councilmember Kathy Patterson, stating that “under District procurement law, the District cannot expand the original project scope . . . either under the Changes Clause or any other provision of the contract”; and

WHEREAS:  residents of ANC 3F have said that in addition to wanting an updated, functioning facility at the Tenley-Friendship Branch, they also would like to maintain and enhance the current size of the collection and level of library services and to have the library out of operation only for the amount of time it takes for actual construction of the new building;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  ANC 3F recommends that DCPL proceed with its contracting process to rebuild the Tenley-Friendship Branch Library as advertised in the RFP, taking into consideration the community's desire to maintain and enhance the size of the collection and level of library services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT:  ANC 3F recommends and urges that the Tenley-Friendship Branch Library be closed only for the period of actual construction.

Adopted by a vote of 5-0-2 at a duly noticed public meeting on April 21, 2003, with a quorum present.

 /s/  Cathy Wiss                                                                   /s/  David J. Bardin
Cathy Wiss, Chair                                                             David J. Bardin, Secretary