Citizens for Cherrydale Library

The Cherrydale Library was started in 1922 through advocacy, organization, and support from the Cherrydale Community. According to Citizens for Cherrydale Library President Michael Gessel, the library was not the product of the Arlington government. Instead, it was the product of the community wanting the library and making it happen. This founding community interest and passion have remained and have helped to keep this historic library vibrant. 

Dedicated citizen groups have supported the library for over 80 years. In fact, the Citizens for Cherrydale Library carries on a tradition begun by the Cherrydale Library Association, which held its first meeting in support of the library in 1937. Through the years, these citizen groups have helped with programming and provided organization and support to the library. More recently, they have had to organize and keep the library open. Starting in 1977, and then in 1992, 1998, and 2009, Arlington County has proposed limiting services or even closing Cherrydale Library. Each time, citizens banded together to save this community resource. 

According to Citizens for Cherrydale Library Board Member Greg Embree, citizens had come together throughout the years to help the library, but when the County proposed closing the library in 1998, Citizens for Cherrydale Library became a full-time organization. Citizens who came together to defend the library formed the organization and began actively engaging local politicians for support of the library. 

Citizens for Cherrydale Library has become an important resource for providing the County with independent data on the library. They independently evaluate the statistics the county uses in its budget decisions. As an example, they calculated in 2009 that operating the library six days a week cost the average Arlington taxpayer a mere $1.73 per year. Perhaps more importantly, they argue the educational, cultural, and neighborhood value the branch library brings to their community is something not always quantifiable on paper.

Elizabeth Lyle, Michael Gessel, Scott Ritter speaking for the Cherrydale Library at the County’s public budget hearings in 2009 (Courtesy of Citizens for Cherrydale Library)

Advocacy is not their only role. Since 1998, they have helped bring programming and events to the library that engage and inspire the community. They have worked tirelessly to make the branch library a community center as much as it is a library. They have promoted and publicized children’s programs and author talks, curated photo exhibits, and organized opening receptions for those exhibits. They advertised the popular edible book contest, where contestants create something edible that relates to a book. Additionally, they were the group behind the 50th anniversary celebration in 2011 of the current library building that brought hundreds of community members together to commemorate the history of this community gem.

President Michael Gessel states this when describing the group: “Our strategy has been to make sure that the voice of the community is always heard throughout the county government…we believe as long as that happens, the library will remain open.” The Langston Boulevard Alliance knows the value of this branch library to our community and applauds Citizens for Cherrydale Library for their continued efforts.