It’s always a sobering statistic. Thirty-seven percent of District residents do not meet acceptable literacy standards. In an effort to improve that statistic, a blue-ribbon commission with many boldfaced names has been formed to improve D.C.’s less-than-stellar library system.

According to the District’s release, the commission “will be charged with assessing the current state of the city’s public library system; evaluating and revising Mayor Williams’ plan to build a new central library and redevelop the branch system; make recommendations for implementing the revised plan; and monitor the implementation of the plan.”

Mayor Williams, who is chairing the commission, is hoping to get librarian-turned-first lady Laura Bush behind his initiative to improve the city’s libraries, the AP, via WJLA, reports.

Improving the city’s library system has been a pet project of Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham. He was using a potential yes vote on the controversial stadium financing plan as a bargaining chip with the mayor in order to steer needed dollars to the library system.

(This image is of the Martin Luther King Jr. central library at Ninth and G streets NW, which is the only design by Mies van der Rohe in the District.)