sprite writes
broodings from the burrow

January 16, 2018


west end branch library
posted by soe 1:38 am

Rudi at West End Branch Library

Early last month, on a snowy Saturday morning, Rudi and I awoke early and hustled the eight blocks to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony that marked the re-opening of the renovated West End Branch Library.

West End Branch Library

Golden Scissors

Included amongst the speakers were Colbert King, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, who grew up on the spot where the library now sits.

Colbert King Addresses the Crowd at the West End Branch Library Ribboncutting

Cutting the Ribbon

As you may be able to see in the upper photo there, he is also included in the “Paragons of the West End” mural by Adrienne Gaither that adorns the main room of the library. Other neighborhood luminaries named in the mural include Walt Whitman, Duke Ellington, Petey Greene, Lena Horne, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

"A Garden Party" by Nekisha Durrett

The kids’ room gets its own mural too. This is “A Garden Party” by Nekisha Durrett. My apologies for the weird angle; I was trying hard not to capture any kids in the picture (there are weirdos on the internet) and there was a story time going on in front of it.

End Caps in the Children's Room

These are the end caps of the stacks in the children’s room. Aren’t they cool?

West End Branch Library Courtyard

Stacks at the West End Branch Library

I was at the branch today and overheard one of the children’s room librarians tell a young patron that during the first real snowstorm we get, they’re going to build snowmen in the courtyard.

Stacks at the West End Branch Library

Overall, I’m just really excited to have the West End Library back in the neighborhood and expect to spend many hours there checking out books and attending events. I can’t wait!

The West End Branch Library

(Click through to Flickr to see a bigger version of that shot.)

Category: books,dc life. There is/are 2 Comments.



Wonderful remodel! I just love my local library, but these photos are just beautiful! It looks like a place I could spend hours on end!

Comment by AsKatKnits 01.16.18 @ 9:50 am

[…] been wanting to visit for years (Tasty!) and having some tea at the fancy coffee place next to the library that just opened yesterday. Disappointingly, it turns out they’re a cashless establishment, […]

Pingback by sprite writes 01.22.18 @ 2:01 am