Published:
DC Public Library has received a Spaces & Programs Naming Request to rename the Capitol View Library for Francel Trotter Bellinger, who passed away in 2020. The request was submitted by a family member of Ms. Bellinger.
It is the Library’s policy and preference to name libraries after the communities they serve. On rare occasions, the Library receives requests to rename a library building for an individual. In these cases, the Library conducts engagement to gauge the community’s thoughts on the request. Authority to name libraries lies with the DC Public Library Board of Library Trustees.
If it is decided that honoring an individual is warranted, there are three naming options:
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The naming of a Library Space, such as a garden or meeting room, to honor a person
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The naming of a Library Program, such as a lecture or author series, to honor a person
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The naming of the building as Capitol View/[NAME OF PERSON] Library
Community members have the opportunity to give feedback on this naming request from Thursday, Aug. 15 - Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. Please take a few minutes to review the following background materials and complete a short survey. Your feedback will help inform the board’s decision whether or not to rename the Capitol View Library.
Click Here to Complete the Survey
Background on Francel Trotter Bellinger (1950-2020)
- Francel Trotter Bellinger was a District resident for much of her life. She grew up in DC, spent many of her working years in New York, and returned to DC in 1992 and remained until her death in 2020.
- In 1960, as a child, Francel Bellinger went before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee to request funds to build the Capitol View Library.
- On March 4, 1991, Francel Bellinger became the first black woman to serve as a judge in Suffolk County District Court in New York State.
- In 2017, as part of her involvement with the Friends of the Capitol View Library, Francel Bellinger and a group of residents advocated for additional funding for the planned renovation of the Capitol View Library.
- Currently, there is a quilt sewn by Francel Bellinger that hangs in the Capitol View Library, and there is a framed newspaper article about her childhood advocacy requesting funds to build the Capitol View Library.
About Library Space & Program Naming Requests
Members of the community may nominate individuals, families or mission-aligned entities to name an interior or exterior space or a library program if the nominee meets one or more of the following criteria:
- Provided extraordinary service to the Library or who otherwise merits special recognition;
- Made a significant contribution to the District of Columbia;
- Achieved a notable accomplishment while a District resident;
- Made a significant contribution to the world of libraries, reading, or literature.
Nominations will only be considered for individuals who have been deceased for at least two years. Nominations to honor family or mission-aligned entities have no such restriction.
Nominations can be submitted at any time and applicants can suggest specific spaces to be named. The Board of Library Trustees considers nominations for approval twice a year during the May and November meetings following a review process (illustrated above) and makes the ultimate decision via a vote as to whether a space will be named and determines the appropriate space to be named.