(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and District leaders celebrated the completion of the new $20 million Lamond-Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Library. Located in Ward 5, the two-story structure replaces the original Lamond-Riggs Library.
“We are proud that here in DC, our libraries are constantly evolving to better meet the needs of our community – whether that need is books, or spaces to gather, or even access to COVID tests,” said Mayor Bowser. “We are particularly proud to name this beautiful new facility in honor of Lillian Huff, a woman who fought hard to secure the original Lamond-Riggs Library.”
The Lillian J. Huff Library is the District’s 22nd library renovated or rebuilt since 2007. The new 23,500-square-foot library is nearly 5,000 square feet larger than the 17,930-square-foot library it replaced. The second story of the building features a perforated aluminum screen inspired by the patterns, rhythms, and textures of nearby streets, the rooftop peaks of neighboring houses, and the open spaces of the surrounding neighborhood. The building uses a canopy roof-like structure, wood panels, textures and a neutral color scheme with a few bright accents to create a light, bright and airy aesthetic.
The new library includes a wide range of flexible spaces, including:
- Expanded space for adults, teens, and children
- A variety of collaboration spaces, including a living room-style seating area
- A large meeting room with a capacity for up to 100 people, dividable into separate smaller rooms
- Seven smaller meeting spaces, one for up to twelve people, two for up to six people each, and four study spaces designed for two people
- A protected front porch area that is accessed from inside the library and offers an outdoor space for meetings, working, or reading a book
- Efficient staff spaces
- A reading porch on the second floor
- Modern and reliable technology offerings
- A discovery zone for children and infants
The DC Public Library worked with Consigli Construction and Hammel, Green & Abrahamson, Inc. (HGA) as the design/build team for the new library.
The library honors the late Lillian J. Huff Library, a longtime activist and Ward 5 resident. A former President of the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association and a former Democratic National Committee member, Huff was instrumental in securing the funding from Congress to build the original Lamond-Riggs Library. Huff was the elected leader of the District's Delegation to the White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services in 1978. President Jimmy Carter appointed her Vice-Chairperson of the Pre-White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services.
The Lamond-Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Library continues the DC Public Library's Facilities Master Plan priority of building neighborhood libraries that are at least 20,000 sq. ft., are flexible enough to accommodate changing uses and new technologies and are environmentally friendly.
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