Parklands-Turner Community Library

From www.dclibrary.org:

The Parklands-Turner Community Library, the third of the portabranches in the District of Columbia, opened April 9, 1984. The new Neighborhood Library consisted of a pre-fabricated, circular building constructed of unbreakable glass, steel, and brightly colored aluminum panels. The interior contained several innovative features including circular shelving. Air conditioning, heating, and a public toilet were provided. The building was designed by Portastructures Industries, Incorporated, which specialized in portable facilities.

The library was named for its neighborhood, Parklands, and for its location adjacent to the Turner School. The school was named in honor of a longtime D.C. Public School employee, Anita J. Turner. Turner served as director of physical education in the D.C. school system for thirty-eight years, retiring in 1940. She was much admired for her energy and enthusiasm for her work.

The Parklands-Turner Community Library opened with a collection of 10,000 books. Daily delivery service from the central library, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, brought additional volumes to the library. The branch was open eight hours a day, four days a week, and four hours on Wednesdays.

The Parklands-Turner Comunitity Library currently offers special programs and services including pre-school programs for children, and an afternoon film program. The library also provides D.C. 2000 Employment Application forms to the public. Circulating nearly 10,000 volumes in 1996, the branch ranks second among the four community libraries in circulation numbers.