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The Southeast Neighborhood Library is a branch of the District of Columbia Public Library System (DCPL). It is the second of three Carnegie-funded branch libraries built in Washington, D.C. Its sisters being the Mount Pleasant Library and the Takoma Park Library.

History
Southeast Library's conception began in 1903, when industrialist Andrew Carnegie offered $350,000 to build branch libraries throughout the District of Columbia. Carnegie had already donated $300,000 for a new main library for the District at Mount Vernon Square, and his additional offer paved the way for a push to expand library service from a central location into neighborhoods. Congressional approval to use Carnegie's funds came slowly. Congress authorized acceptance and use of the funds for the District's first neighborhood library in Takoma Park in 1910. It was a decade more before Congress approved building the Southeast library. The Library's authorizing legislation approved the use of $50,000 of Carnegie's bequest for building costs. Like most Carnegie grants, use of the money required the local government (Congress in this case) to fund the library's operating and maintenance costs. Famous library architect Edward L. Tilton was commissioned to design the building, and the project broke ground in February 1922. The library opened on December 8, 1922 to the fanfare of a brass band and orchestral music. Since it's opening, the Southeast library has been one of the District's most active libraries, maintaining that distinction even as the District's library service expanded to 26 branch locations.

Landmark Status
The Library is located in the Capitol Hill Historic District. Situated on 7th street SE, the Library is a few blocks from the landmarks Eastern Market and the Library of Congress Jefferson Building. During WWII, the Library's basement was loaned to the Civilian Defense authority and the Office of Price administration for the war effort.