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Library Catalog Offline in Anticipation of New Catalog Launch
On Wednesday, April 16 DC Public Library will transition to a new online catalog. While many of the upgrades are related to staff use, the new catalog was built with you, our customers, in mind and we’re excited to share it with you. You’ll notice an updated look and feel as well as enhanced features, and most importantly a streamlined search experience and improved access to our collection.
To accommodate the transition, our current online catalog will be offline today and tomorrow, April 14 and 15. While you may browse our collection online and in the DC Public Library app, you will not be able to place holds on physical materials. However, if you would like to visit one of our locations in-person to check something out, a staff member will be ready and willing to help! This offline period will only affect physical materials and NOT our online resources such as Libby/Overdrive, Kanopy, PressReader, etc. However, a variety of library systems may experience intermittent outages as we transition to the new catalog. If you are having trouble accessing, we ask for your patience as we work towards a resolution.
Unfortunately, during the next two days you will also not be able to access “My Account” and the associated features. But rest assured, when the new catalog goes live on Wednesday and you log into your account, your reading history (if you have opted into it) will carry over. Plus you’ll have access to some cool new features such as saved searches, material type rollup and the new “My Bookshelf”.
For more information and a full FAQ about the upcoming catalog transition, please visit our website.
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This April, celebrate the smooth rhythms and history of Jazz with the library! National Jazz Appreciation Month honors America's original art form, born in the 1890s. The month, established in 2001 by the Smithsonian Museum of American History, is dedicated to the rich culture, music, and heritage of jazz. Stop by your neighborhood library to check out reads about jazz greats, stream music from every era of the genre, enjoy special performances and more.
As you check out your books and explore our digital resources on jazz – including the Jazz Music Library, African American Music Reference and DigDC – don't miss out on our special Jazz Appreciation Month event at the Georgetown Library on Thrusday, April 24 at 6 p.m.! Join author Dr. Maurice Jackson for a conversation on his new book, Rhythms of Resistance and Resilience, that explores the central role music and sports have played in the lives of African Americans living in Washington, D.C.
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Kids Pick
Mary's Idea by Chris Raschka
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Teens Pick
Blue Giant by Shin'ichi Ishizuka
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Adults Pick
3 Shades of Blue: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, and The Lost Empire of Cool by James Kaplan.
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 Month of the Young Child returns this April and we can’t wait to celebrate our littlest readers - children ages birth to five - with you! Your child is born ready to learn and as their caregiver, you are their very first teacher! The best way to set your child up for success is to think STAR, Sing, Talk and Read. By incorporating singing, talking and reading into your daily routine you will help your child grow into a confident and joyful reader. Throughout the month, DC Public Library invites you to learn more about early literacy practices, check out great books to read with your child, stop by your neighborhood library for story time and more.
Upcoming Special Event
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DC Public Library's Books from Birth and DC Public Library Foundation’s Beyond the Book program proudly presents STAR Fest 2025! STAR stands for Sing, Talk and Read, three of the key early literacy practices. STAR Fest is a FREE family festival that celebrates all the ways you can help your child grow into a confident learner as you complement reading with singing, talking, writing and playing.
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This Week At the Library
See what programs are coming up this week in person and online at the Library!
Ward 1 | Mt. Pleasant Library
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Mt. Pleasant Reads | Wednesday, April 16, 7 p.m.
The Mt. Pleasant Reads Book Club meets in rotating spaces in the neighborhood, sometimes at the library, and sometimes online. For more information, email mtpleasantlibrary@dc.gov.
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Ward 2 | Shaw/Watha T. Daniel Library
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A Life Through Poetry: Below DC’s Black Poverty Line | Saturday, April 19, 1 p.m.
Join us as local author, Kenard Eugene Johnson, shares stories of growing up in DC through poetry.
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Ward 3 | Tenley-Friendship Library
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Friends of Tenley Library Book Sale | Saturday, April 19, 1:30 p.m.
Join the Friends of Tenley Library to shop a range of donated titles with proceeds supporting the library.
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Ward 4 | Shepherd Park/Juanita E. Thornton Library
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Meet Clothilde Ewing, Author of the Stella Series | Tuesday, Apr. 15, 10:30 a.m.
Clothilde Ewing will be sharing her new title Stella Keeps the Sun Up, an incandescently fun, hijinks-filled story where Stella schemes to keep the sun up in the sky so she never has to go to bed. A limited number of free Stella books will be available for the first 50 attendees courtesy of the DC Public Library Foundation.
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Ward 5 | Woodridge Library
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Chess for Adults with Chess Master Vaughn Bennett | Friday, April 18, 10:45 a.m.
Enjoy chess every Friday with Chess Master Vaughn Bennett. Chess is known to be fun and challenging and offers so many benefits like enhanced memory, problem-solving skills, strategic thinking, and focus.
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Ward 6 | Northeast Library
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Feeder’s Advisory: Weekday Vegetarians | Thursday, April 17, 6:30 p.m.
Do you love browsing through cookbooks and reading recipes? If so, then Feeder's Advisory is for you! This month's selection is Jenny Rosenstrach’s The Weekday Vegetarians: 100 Recipes and a Real-Life Plan for Eating Less Meat.
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Ward 7 | Francis A. Gregory Library
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American Sign Language (ASL) Classes | Thursday, Apr. 17, 6:30 p.m.
The Francis Gregory Neighborhood Library would like to invite you to attend our American Sign Language (ASL) classes. The classes introduce participants to the language and culture of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing, while providing instruction on the basics of ASL in a fun, inclusive and interactive setting.
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Ward 8 | Bellevue/William O. Lockridge Library
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Find YOUR Story | Friday, Apr. 18, Noon
Library staff will give a presentation on how to get started using Ancestry.com Library Edition, Heritagehub and HeritageQuest along with other online tools.
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Central Library | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
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Juan Williams Discusses New Prize for These Eyes | Tuesday, Apr. 15, 7 p.m.
Understand how today’s civil rights movement is changing the rules and rewriting the story from one of the nation’s leading civil rights historians.
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Find all upcoming programs in your library or online on our calendar!
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Seven neighborhood libraries are open on Wednesday, Apr. 16 observance of Emancipation Day. They are:
Neighborhood libraries will be open from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library will be open from 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
As a reminder, the DC Public Library is open 24/7, 365 days a year online! You can sign up for a Library Card, watch virtual programs, check out books and magazines, stream movies and music, work on your resume, get homework help and so much more.
*Specialty departments like the Adult Learning Department, Center for Accessibility, the Labs at DC Public Library and The People's Archive are not open on holidays.
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Registration is now open for Trans Pride DC 2025 with a free full day of conference activities taking place on Saturday, May 17. Trans Pride Washington, DC is a community-driven organization founded nearly two decades ago by SaVanna Wanzer. Led by trans individuals, Trans Pride Washington, DC is dedicated to empowering and uplifting Trans, Non-binary, and gender-diverse communities in the Washington, DC area. Through advocacy, education, and celebration, they create inclusive spaces where individuals can connect, share experiences, and thrive.
Conference activities include:
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workshops
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panel discussions
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keynote address
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resource and exhibitor fair
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networking
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Have accessibility needs like ASL interpreting, language interpretation, large print materials, food allergies, etc? Drop organizers a line at accessibility@transpridewashingtondc.org.
Volunteers, Workshops & Exhibitors
Looking to host a workshop at Trans Pride DC, be an exhibitor at the Trans Pride DC Resource Fair, or volunteer to help with planning and day-of logistics? Applications are now open for all three!
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