Beltway Area Indymedia

On Friday, June 29th, DC Superior Court Judge Bruce Beaudin ordered that no demolition of the Benning Library, abruptly closed in 2004 without community input, shall take place before July 20th, 2007. On that date, the involved parties will appear before Judge Retchin to argue more of the merits of the case. Community members had sought a temporary restraining order (TRO) and preliminary injunction to prevent the demolition of their library.

Concerned and outraged members of the community, including Dorothy Douglas (Chair of ANC Commission 7D), Rick Tingling-Clemmons (ANC 7D05), Betty Diggs (concerned community member), Eddie Rhodes, Cynthia Payne-Davis (President of Central NorthEast Civic Association), and Jane Zara (ANC 1D01) were forced to take legal action, after being consistently shut out of matters relating to their library. The Benning Library was closed in 2004, along with the Anacostia, Tenley, and Watha T. Daniel (Shaw) branches, supposedly for renovation, and without community input.

Some community members feel that this is part of a larger struggle, as the DC government continues to shut residents out of the decision making process about public properties and services (those few which remain), despite the fact that such properties and services belong to the people.

The DC Public Library System (DCPL) and its Board of Trustees have continued to shut the affected community out of this process, failing to properly notify the affected Advisory Neighborhood Commission (as required by law), which served as much of the basis for this case (as residents were denied due process in matters critical to the community). Furthermore, no engineering study nor environmental impact study is known to have taken place. As such, it is not known why DCPL chose to attempt to demolish the Benning Library, which housed many community based organizations and services, including, “...an award-winning chess program, a meeting space for dozens of civic organizations, a voting poll, safe spaces for seniors and youth, and internet access for school children and others in a community that substantially lacks computers and corresponding access to the Internet.” Despite promises by DCPL, no interim facility has yet opened in the area. DCPL has also, throughout this 2 1/2 year process, failed to provide adequate information to the community about developing plans for a new library, and what community options are for a new library.

The residents, driven by necessity, have fought back for their library, and did so successfully in court today, arguing before Judge Beaudin. “The time for outsiders coming into our community and telling us what is good for us is over!”, said community member, and ANC Commissioner for Single Member District 7D05, Rick Tingling-Clemmons. The battle for Benning Library, however, is far from over. The building has been given temporary reprieve, and the residents, who are bravely standing up for what belongs to them, and refusing to bow to the will DCPL Board of Trustees, will appear in court before Judge Retchin on Friday, July 20th at 10:30 AM in Courtroom 220 to continue their fight to save their library.