Archive This Moment DC

DC Public Library's Special Collections Department wants your help in telling the story of daily life in the District during this period of social distancing. We are always connected to history, but it is rare that all of us are so drastically and suddenly affected by an event. Help us document this moment through your videos, pictures, and words.  

There are two ways to participate: 

• Use the hashtag #archivethismomentdc on your public Instagram or public Twitter account
• Submit your files here

Learn more on DC Public Library's website.

Caring for our Collections

When we accept a collection, we make a commitment to its long-term preservation. This is a commitment we take seriously, and during this unprecedented time we are doing all we can to ensure proper care for our collections. Every week, a staff member visits our sites to monitor the temperature and humidity, and to visually inspect the area.

The renovated Martin Luther King Memorial Library will have an independent HVAC system that will allow us to keep that room up to ten degrees cooler than the public areas of the building. The colder temperature, along with a stable humidly level, has been demonstrated to slow natural deterioration and creates an environment unsuitable for mold growth and insects. 

These are just a few of the ways we care for the collections that have been entrusted to the library. 

Time Machine Tuesday

Connect to our city's resilient past through images, articles, and oral histories — with our Archivists and Librarians as your guides.

Join us on Twitter to participate in a virtual discussion every Tuesday at 10:00am. You can easily join the conversation by following the hashtag #TimeMachineTuesday. Time Machine Tuesday is just one of many virtual book clubs happening every day while the library is closed.

                         Write to us at wash.dcpl@dc.gov

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