Comments on: Silver Spring overdue for a new library, advocates say

By: Jennifer Deseo

Jennifer Deseo — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:29:40 +0000

Thanks for your comment, Amy. The county is throwing a public meeting on Saturday, Aug 23, to hear what people want inside the new library. That party hits the Round House Theater (8641 Colesville Rd) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. You can also contact the libraries department directly through its website.

By: amy

amy — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:08:15 +0000

DC is home to the world’s only deaf university. Silver Spring has a deaf church, and there are many deaf people in the greater Washington area, particularly on the east side, where Gallaudet is. I hope the new library has services and programs for the deaf.

By: Springvale Roader

Springvale Roader — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:54:21 +0000

Jennifer, now that the Golden House is no more and it looks like they’re really going to build a new library, do you have an info on what is going to become of the old library building? Thanks.

By: ChrisBMW

ChrisBMW — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:37:01 +0000

As far as I know, local zoning laws are not mandated upon government projects. they could build a 500 foot apartment building so long as the county is the developer (not that the community would allow this). Recent movement has called for a new flagship downtown library in Wheaton with a large lawn for community events. this would be built on an exisitng surface lot moved underground. Developments in Wheaton also call for a new transit center with a 10 story office building and mixed use development on top. Wheaton is looking up to be a first rate downtown while Silver Spring is stuck with ugly designs for a small library that lies in the path of the Purple Line, as well as a brutalist transit center that will decrease transit use within downtown becuase it is designed to accomodate the seedy crowd that seems to characterize SIlver Spring.

By: rockcreekvillager

rockcreekvillager — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:32:35 +0000

Thanks for posting the info about how to reach cnss. It is crazy that this project can’t seem to move forward. I moved here last year from the suburban desolation of Gaithersburg, land of townhouse developments and shopping centers. Into the much more neighborly and urban DTSS. Guess what, Gaithersburg’s library is far superior to SS’s. What gives? Why don’t we have enought clout to get this thing going?

By: Jennifer Deseo

Jennifer Deseo — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:32:03 +0000

Anyone interested in reaching the Community for a New Silver Spring Library can holler at its public email address:

CNSSLibrary@yahoo.com

By: Isayaah

Isayaah — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:04:31 +0000

The long term impacts, Bookworm are being considered and its a no brainer that it needs to be a much larger library than the ghettofied one currently in existence. It should be a spacious facility with many more computers and more of a diverse variety of books and childrens sections. Eleven years is a long time so now it needs to be built. They know what we need, they are simply being cheap.

Editor’s note: This comment was edited for content. — JD (Jun 24, 2008)

By: Bookworm

Bookworm — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:57:08 +0000

Not much thought has been put into the library over the last 11 years. Now that we all want a library to be built sooner rather than later, doesn’t it make sense to think about the long term impact and use of space? We should think about the grand design and how it should impact the downtown area before we simply build something for sake of having a new library.

By: Isayaah

Isayaah — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:50:42 +0000

It doesn’t make any sense that the important proposed facilities like the library and civic center are taking so long in Silver Spring but yet we can get yet another restaurant in a weeks time. The Silver Spring library is dark, depressing, congested and doesn’t even have a proper water fountain! Is the new proposed site on Fenton and Wayne where the china place was? It appears they are using eminent domain since the china place and mechanic place closed. But why does a library need to be some eight stories tall? I agree it should be bigger but in usable space not in height.

By: Woodside Park Bob

Woodside Park Bob — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:27:56 +0000

Here’s another vote for getting on with it and building the new library, but let’s do it right — which means big enough to meet the needs of Silver Spring’s growing and diverse population. To do the job right, we need more space per resident than the Rockville library has and a much larger collection than the current library has. The current Silver Spring library, which opened 51 years ago, was the largest in the County when it was built. The new one should be, too.